Marantz AV8801 Preamp/Processor Official Owner's thread - Page 70

The RCA and XLR are shown in Setup but only as a guide on where to plug these into the unit, not as a setting. It is fine to mix RCA and XLR connections. Audyssey will measure and determine levels for reference or you can manually do this. With XT32 on this unit, I believe letting Audyssey calibrate is best.

I called my dealer and gave him a sob story and he extended the deal, so I picked up the amp today. I really only needed 4 channels (surrounds and heights) but who knows so I got a couple extra channels in case I get crazy down the road.

Setting up heights and the extra surrounds with some makeshift speakers took forever....but once done I was immediately impressed. I ran audyssey and it was much better.

Not sure if this is the same problem some were having, but on DTS-HD MA I am not getting the heights to activate on NEO X. They do activate though on DSX. What are you all preferring, NEO X or DSX? They sounded pretty similar when I switched between but I didn't put in a full test.

Yes, you are experiencing the bug I was, and that marantz is addressing. Try hooking up via RCA and then back to xlr and see if anything changed. That's the only thing I did with my replacement unit, and while it may have been purely coincidental, they started to work after doing that...that and cycling through pure direct and then back the neo:x...

I'm picky as heck and I like the 8801. Sounds good and if you prefer to bypass video processing....it won't adversely affect the image (unlike some others I tried).


I want to mention that there is a burn in period. I don't know how many hours it is but IMO it's definately there. I've had my unit for about a month now and it keeps getting better.

Can somebody tell me if Audyssey is disengaged when running playback in Direct and Pure Direct mode? I'm probably missing it, and I would assume it is disengaged (wouldn't that would be the point of Direct, no processing of any kind?), but I don't see a clear reference to this anywhere in the manual. Thanks much...

I would appreciate if any one can help on this.

Thanks in advance

This is a common issue on Marantz amps.
The input into the amps is considered too high, so you see this.
If you have variable input voltages you can adjust this, or if you don't play too loud, you can ignore it.
I have not seen it happen on HDMI inputs.

Bonjour,

IMHO and after checking both 4520 and 8801 manuals, I think that what is missing in the 8801's menu is something of the kind of "amp assign" (page 141 of 4520's manual).

In fact the 4520 and 8801 having (probably) the same processing structure, in the 4520 the path to the outputs can be split either to RCAs' (pre-amp mode only), either to RCAs' and internal amps (all other cases excluding pre-amp).

Now in the 8801, the same architecture has been (probably) kept but with XLR outputs being considered as amplifiers/speakers outputs. And at setup some sort of "automatic" process - based on some kind of "polarity" checking? - should determine if it's only RCAs' which are connected (this being pre-amp mode of the 4520) or if only XLRs are connected (internal amps use in case of 4520).

But then in an 11.x context, if in an 4520 all of its' internal 9 amps are used, the user has to indicate in the menu (through "main pre-amp assign" menu item) which channels are externally amplified. This is where (IMHO) the "automatic" detection of the 8801 misses the menu if only XLRs are used for connecting the amps. And there should be no problem if only RCAs' are used...

Solving this problem shouldn't be too complicated (for Marantz) as they can impose all 11+2 XLR and RCA outputs to be active all the time (but with the risk of a slight increase in noise), or they can introduce some kind of "RCA/XLR output assign" new item in the menu.

An RCA & XLR outputs all active mode being probably what made the second unit "suddenly" operate adequately, as it should have "automaticaly" switched into this mode through your connection of a single RCA, all other outputs being XLRs.

... and please don't ask why this problem appears only in DTS-MA and/or Dolby THD...

Anyway when my 8801 arrives (hopefully today), for the initial setup, I'll make an RCA connection for 2 channels - 1 Height and 1 Wide - so there can't be any "doubt" for an eventual automated detection system.

Hugo

It won't happen on digital inputs because the volume signal is digital, and the analoge is adjustment in voltage. The Peak indicator I bet lights up when the voltage is too high.

I am having a problem with my unit seeing the internet, it sees my internal network just fine but fails to connect to the internet at all.

How did you convince Marantz that you needed a replacement??

There is nothing missing in this regard because there are no amps to assign. You "assign" the amps based on what processor outputs you connect them to.

Have you tried connecting the unit directly to your modem, thereby bypassing all of your internal network, just to see if perhaps it's some sort of firewall issue?

Bear in mind you'll almost certainly have to power cycle the modem after you connect it directly to the processor so it can grab the processors MAC ID and allow connectivity.

Thanks for your input. I run balanced from my 105 to Pre/Pro and see this happen in my AV8003. When this happens sound seems distorted and shrill.

If that happens with 8801, I may have an issue.

Cheers

God, I hope not.
This is exactly what I will be doing.

- Rich
Edited by RichB - 1/23/13 at 6:57am

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately no joy.

Has anyone else had to return their 8801 because of a network issue??

I had problems re-loading saved settings last night. First, I saved the settings to config.dat (from a web browser). Then, I tried loading the saved settings. I tried 3 times, and each time I got this message back on my web browser:

"Load Not Completed
Please retry again"

After the 3rd attempt, I looked at the AV8801 and its front display said "Loading". I suppose I should have looked at the AV8801 after the 1st error message returned by the browser. Anyway, I waited about 35 minutes, and the AV8801's front display continued to say "Loading". I got impatiend and unplugged the AV8801. After plugging it back in, I confirmed that the AV8801 still had my settings (unfortunately, I did not change any settings between the time I saved the settings and my attempt to load the settings, so I could not confirm whether or not loading did anything).

I was using 64-bit Windows 7 and the latest Internet Explorer.

Did anyone run into similar problems as stated above? If not, can you describe how long loading took?

thanks.

I may get mine by friday as my 8003 is already sold. I will post if that happens. I will be disappointed if that happens.

Ah. I see that there's a "Flasher In" in the back of the AV8801. Looks like that's what I need to use, and not the "Remote Control In", which I now understand is for RC5 (and connecting Marantz devices amongst each other and not for connecting Xantech or other IR blocks to the Marantz). The AV8801's manual does not mention anything about the "Flasher In" port, which is how I missed it. But looks like that would work with a Xantech connecting block....

Where is this peak indicator? On your Amp?

Balanced have a 6dB higher output which would make it significantly louder unless the preamp is making asjustments for it (which it should).

- Rich

Its on my Preamp AV8801. My amplifier from Sherbourn works fine. When I feed balanced from 105 to AV8003, I have this issue. If I have to run through HDMI, no point having 105. 103 should be as good.

Cheers

Yes, Audyssey is defeated as indicated by the extinguishing of the Audyssey light on the display panel.

I just compared 8003 Manual and 8801 Manual from online. They don't mention about Peak and using Attenuation on 8801 manual, where as they did that in 8003. So I am assuming may be they fixed this issue. If its not the case, I may be forced to return it and then rethink my options. Honestly I hope it doesn't happen.

Cheers

I had the AV7701 that needed to be returned because of a network issue. Myself and the dealer could never get it to connect no matter what we tried. With the timing of it all, I exchanged it for the AV8801. The new unit connected with zero problems to the network.

The 8801 has source level adjustments. Described in the Owner's Manual, detailed settings, inputs section.

Hi,

Many thks for your concern and the "vital" information that the AV8801 is only a processor.

Now concerning what I wrote above, to understand it better please replace the notion of "internal amps" in 4520's case) by "HDAM modules" in 8801's case and you should get a better picture of what I'm talking about.

Anyway I received my 8801 this afternoon and after a quick initial set up (3 standard mic measures) with 2 RCA connections (WR + HL) and all 11 others in XLR, I can confirm that European 8801s seem to be facing the same DTS Neo X bug as thrang has discovered.

In my case with this quick initial calibration I couldn't have W&H active in DTS Neo X Cinema or Music while playing Dolby THD tracks and DTS MA ones. Even though all 11 channels are active if Audyssey DSX (+EX processing) is used.

But while writing this, I'm performing a Pro 12 points calibration - with all connections back to XLR- , I'll keep you informed if this eventually changes something in the DTS Neo X actual bug.

Finally concerning the Pro calibration itself, as I'm coming from the 4520 I'll say that subjectively the 8801 seems slightly quicker than the 4520 even after the FW fix.

Hugo
Edited by Hugo S - 1/23/13 at 10:45am

You're quite welcome.

So, just what is your point since there is no selection necessary to use either RCA or XLR or a mix of both?
Edited by whoaru99 - 1/23/13 at 11:19am

I use IR emitters on the front of all my hardware in the rack, not the IR/flasher out on the rear of any components. It works flawlessly.

Thanks much. I just saw the manual and yes it does say in Page 134. As the range is -12db to +12db, I may have to try using trial and error.

Thanks

Was the save being loaded at the same firmware version the AV is currently at?