The "Official" Denon AVR-4311CI/AVR-A100 thread [NO PRICE TALK] - Page 442

If you're happy with the sound and haven't run Audyssey setup yet, then just wait till after! You're in for a shock!

Was watching the new Planet of ther Apes yesterday with my new 4311. It has worked very well and there have been no issues. I have updated he firmware and enabled Airplay -- all worked flawlessly. About 3/4 through the movie, the receiver shut down and there was a red blinking light. I checked the back fo the receiver for shorts -- and the back of the speakers and found nothing. I started the receiver up and watched for anothert 20 minutes and the same thing happened. The manual indicates it is either a short or a heat issue. The receiver is in a cabinet so I suppose it could be heat -- but my 3802 has been used for many years and never had an issue in the same location. Does the 4311 have any cooling fans? Thoughts on what else I can try?

Thanks

^^
A slow flashing red light (ie. every 2 sec) indicates a ventilation issue, while a faster blinking light (ie. every 0.5 sec) is usually the result of a loose speaker wire from one post touching another post so visually inspect each post (pulling the AVR out of the cabinet if necessary).

Thanks -- I did pull the unit out and looked at every connection (using banana plugs) to ensure there was no short. I did not find anything causing a short -- no stray strands or anything. I did the same thing on the speaker side. The blinking was somewhat slow but I cannot recall if it was 2 seconds or a half second -- I will add a rack mount cooling fan and see if the issue goes away. I was driving it pretty hard yesterday -- it was the first movie I was able to watch since I received it a week ago. So I am leaning to a heat issue.

Thanks

^^
There are 2 cooling fans installed in the AVR, however, you'll still want at least 3" clearance all around the AVR, otherwise an additional external cooling fan or two may be required to exhaust the air from the cabinet (especially if fully enclosed).

Thank you -- I ordered a 4 fan unit that sits on top of the AVR and pulls the hot air from the unit and behind it and exhausts it out the front face -- called the cool stack III. I hope it works. Thanks for the help.

I did a quick look through, did you get an answer to this? After upgrading to OS 5 the free denon app doesn't work for me.

^^^

hmmm.... it works for me... ios 5.0.1 on a iphone 3gs...

Ok, picked my 4311 up (I'm in Canada and shipped it to the US where I was going on a trip...big savings!). Trying to set this beast up!! Ran through Audyssey....Subs seem to be way too low....my SVS is going to sleep during setup.

Registered it so I could get the airplay update.


Also, I hooked up to the internet....Getting a message about airplay update available but it is still showing not registered when I click to update.

Is there a way to check the current firmware version? I went to update firmware and it checks but says latest.

I don't think it is the OS now that I have tried a couple different devices. Airplay still works but I no longer get the song titles on the display. Just 0:0:0
and my iphone 4 and itouch 2nd gen and an ipad2 all say check the device.

I know I didn't change anything and I can't find anything in the menu to select if I wanted to...

My IP is the same and I can use the web browser feature from the above devices.

Anything else you think I can check? Do a reset maybe?

Well, I turned the internet connection on and off and it's working! on all devices.

^^^

cool!

sometimes, that's all it takes... i don't know why the error gets thrown, but a reset often seems to clear whatever error has occurred...

newbie, thinking about going to this from a Onkyo 805,

1. Do you guys think its worth waiting a few months for anything better thats coming out worth waiting for within its price range.

2. I notice the only thing it doesnt have is the ISF calibration, and THX surround modes, does the 4311 suffer in any way by not having these?

Thanks

^^^

imo, no, as it doesn't appear that anything with as complete a feature set is coming along anytime soon at anywhere near the same price.

imo, no, as i never used the thx modes on previous avrs that had them ( experimented, preferred dolby processing).

imo, no, as calibration should be done in the display or in an exretnal processor...

As with anything, the longer you wait, the less you will pay and the better options other "things" might have

I don't miss or feel I need either of those two options.

This AVR has been rock solid, very reliable and sounds great. I highly recommend it. The XT32 is very nice and the airplay is worth it if you have apple products. The amps are solid. The interface is a little tricky but batbig's page will help you figure that out.

My only complaints, no airplay as a source for 2nd/3rd zones and the fact that the amps aren't completely assignable.

note that while the 4311 doesn't have "ISF calibration" video options, it does have plenty of video tweaks available (brightness, contrast, color, tint, noise reduction, "enhancer") so you can adjust individual inputs. As Chris said above, the fundamental calibration should be done at the display. Then, if you want to tweak sources independently (for example you want video games from your Xbox to have a little more "pop" than movies from your Blu-ray player) you can always customize the inputs a bit.

I have both. The 805 is a workhorse, no doubt. Still in service in the living room. When I began building my theater room (1.5 yrs ago) I knew I wanted something with more options (11.2, networking, etc.), so I sprung for the 4311. I had the 4311 in place of the 805 in the living room (7.1) while finishing the theater room. In that scenario, the extra features of the were the main benefit. However, with XT32, you could instantly tell the sound was more seamless.

One of the most important benefits for me in the theater room is the dual sub calibration. Makes all the difference.


One other thing that may be minor. I got used to the on screen display on the 4311. The 805 does not have on screen display with HDMI. Last night the wife and I were watching TV in the living room and I instantly missed it. Had to look at the 805 panel to see the status of surround mode, volume, etc.

So, in short, get the 4311 and relegate the 805 to secondary duty. For 7.1, it is a fine AVR with alot of power.

Edit...of course, I'm wrong about the on screen display with the 805...I use an antenna, and send the audio back to the AVR, so hence, no display. At any rate, the 805 doesn't get nearly as much use as it used to.....let's see.....65" screen and 7.1 or 120" and 11.2? No contest.

Ok guys...still working on the 4311. Still not getting the airplay update....says I'm not registered....how long before my registration kicks in to allow this update?

I'm trying to get my speakers set up properly. I want to use the front height amps to bi-amp the front speakers.

I want to use the front wide amps to do zone 2.

So I have to go in to amp assign every time I want to use zone 2...which seems to steal the biamp signal to my front speakers.

My old Onkyo 705 had dedicated zone 2 speaker posts that just stole the rear back surround amps when you turned on zone 2 and returned the rear back surround speakers when you turned off zone 2....seems much easier!

The sound is very clear but the subs seem to be much lower than I'm used to....any advice.

you cannot simultaneously assign internal amps to both bi-amping AND another zone. But that's OK, because the internal bi-amping is essentially useless. So just set AMP ASSIGN to ZONE2 and then enjoy 7 channels of goodness in the main zone.

many people think the subs are low at first... it is most likely a result of the extra correction power of XT32 getting rid of some "lumps" in the bass that you have grown used to, but some have also reported the subs actually being set low through measurements. So go ahead and bump them up a few dB if you want.

(BTW, I do agree that Onkyo's system is a bit better for Zone 2, but it's less important with a 9ch model. More useful for 7ch receivers.... although you can always just get a cheap amp for Zone 2 if you want, so not that big a deal)

Can I run a 7.2 main zone setup with an XPA-3 running the fronts....and then power 2 speakers to zone 2? And power two more to zone 3?

Yes to zone 2.... No to zone 3

If you are running a 7ch setup you only have 2 assignable amps available.

Curious if the 4311ci has a parametric or multiband eq that is user adjustable. I know it has a bass and treble but it would be nice to have a user defined eq.

I'm still finding my way through the maze of menus so please forgive me for asking....is there a way to set one input (say, the DVD input) to use DPLII Movie and another (say, the CD input) to use DPLII Music by default, for stereo sources?

Yes it does have a std 9 band graphic EQ, for a "nice" revisit to mid-20th century technology . To use it you have to be in Manual EQ which disables Audyssey- see OM p91. If you have run autosetup you can use "base curve copy" to apply a very coarse, very simplified "shadow" version of what Audyssey is doing irt FR to the graphic EQ. I find that curve useful (it's "fairer" than no EQ at all) when demonstrating to other listeners the effect of Audyssey itself.

BTW the tone controls can be used with Audyssey but not at the same time as the far more sophisticated DEQ.

Hi. Do you mean Personal Memory Plus? See OM p71

Even though I am running a 3 channel amp? Wouldn't my main zone then only be using 4 of the internal amps? Shouldn't I have 5 left for zone 2/3?

Running zone 2 speakers from an external amp that is being fed from pre-outs of 4311. Have digitial and analog feeds going from sources to 4311 so they can feed zone 2. Question -- can I independently control the volume for zone 2? My external amp does not have a volume control and I would like to listen to a different souce (or even the same source) than the main zone and independently adjust volume.

Thanks

^^^

yup...

did you figure out how to do what you wanted with your remote controls? if not, lemme know...

I just did this last night and it was nearly instant. I logged on to the Denon website on my PC, entered the required information and I received the confirmation from Denon that it was registered within a few seconds.

I then went into the other room and proceeded with the download via the 4311. The actual downloading and updating part that the AVR did took about 20 minutes or so.

^^^

I wonder if the fact that he bought it in the USA and is trying to register it from Canada is the issue?

dunno, just throwing it out there...