Denon AVR fried....again! Cause?? [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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Jibba
09-01-2006, 05:11 AM
Last night my Denon AVR 1804 "blew" for the second time in three months. By "blew" I mean the surround processor literally went "POP!" , sparks flew and a whisp of smoke drifted out of the back of the unit.

The first time this happened, I was not actually at home, but my wife "thought" that lightning was the likely culprit. Sounded reasonable enough to me, but now that it has happened again, and in the exact same fashion, something else is at play here. It just doesn't make any sense that this would blow for the second time in a matter of months.

I've had this AVR for three years. It used to power three sets of speakers, but until a few months ago I had no center and sub. Within a few weeks of putting together a true surround package, it fried.

Here's my setup: I run my DirectV HD-DVR and DVD through the AVR using optical inputs. I have a 5.1 Paradigm surround system and Velodyne sub. I also have two small bookshelf speakers on Zone 2. Nothing too fancy, but nice equipment, that, when the AVR is operating, sounds really good.

When it fried in June, I contemplated an upgrade but decided to repair it instead if the cost was reasonable. The repair was done by a certified Denon service center, which took about six weeks to get it done and charged me $220. I'm fairly certain that I can claim foul, send it back to them, and get it done again, but I don't really believe that they're at fault.

Somehow this AVR, when it goes into surround mode, blows the processor. It's not a power surge, it's not lightning, it's got to have something to do with the unit--which, again, performed flawlessly in two channel and "simulated" surround using the 5ch/6ch speaker setting for several years. As soon as I introduced the center channel, it's blown twice in 3 months.

Has anyone ever heard of this before? What the hell could be causing this unit to blow when it goes into surround?

Mr Peabody
09-06-2006, 04:36 PM
I'm not a tech but usually the kind of blow up you describe is either a power supply or output stage. Did the repair shop say what they fixed before? If you use bare speaker wire, are you carefull none touch each other? My brother has the older 1600 version of the Denon and he runs Infinity Kappas and abuses the heck out of his and he hasn't had any problems. His don't have the dual zone stuff though.