HK 635/435 firmware upgrade experience - Page 11

i upgraded my sister's 635 while visiting and got the verification error many times so i kept doing it until one last time i started it then got called out of the room and when i came back it was done and apparently no errors. the unit worked fine after that. is everybody else getting the verification errors too and just ignoring them?

I, too, lose the center channel when switching from any surround mode to stereo, then back to any other mode. (re: message 181..) Is this a common problem? I have not done the software upgrade yet. Don't know if this is going to fix the problem. My software version is 4.01.

The H/K firmware download website is down today (DRAT!)... is there an alternative download location or could it be of sufficient small size that someone could email me a copy? [edit - got the file via email! thank you!]

I have the house cleared out of family for a quiet day to calibration and DOH! no download available!!!????

Any help?

Thanks!
Doc Rings

PS: you don't realize how much background noise there is in a house until you want to calibrate: neighbor lawn mower, crickets in the backyard, cable box hard drive whirring, clock ticking...

I'm away from the house today...sorry... but I might be able to shoot it to you later in the day. 435 or 635?

A nice forum user emailed me the 635 file.

Thanks everyone!

Cheers,

Doc

Upgrade went well and no hangs during erase/transer/verification.

Now, back to re-Eq'ing!

Interesting experience with the HK435. I have an SVS Sub 20-39 PC + which was hooked up during my original EQing and each time after, set at around 1/2 volume on the Sub.

I never seemed to get sufficient volume out of my 435. Especially playing back DVD-A or SACD, but also on digital transfer from my cable box and DVD player.

Yesterday, i re EQed with the Sub volume at 1/4. WOW. Totally different amp now, volume is great at between -40 and -30DB. The 435 gave the sub a -1DB level.

It seems that because the SUB was overpowering the room when set at 1/2 level and the reciever was assigning it a -10DB after EQing, that if fact it was reducing the output to all channels as likely -10DB to the sub still wasnt enough.

Just thought i would share this if anyone has a volume issue with the 435.

Brad

I haven't experienced anything as drastic as that in terms of overall output...but on-sub output level is certainly a key variable using EZSet/EQ. In my situation, 1/4 turn adjustment trials yields in-room results which are certainly non-linear due to in-room issues.

Make sure you have the HP filter set correctly as well. I'm guessing you'd want it on it's largest setting (15in I think), so you can get everything down to about 15Hz to the sub.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Can you explain?

And another related question: Does it make any difference whether you adjust your sub volume via the HK's channel adjust or the volume knob on the sub? Rather than turning the level on the sub down 2 db, couldn't you just turn the volume down a notch or two?

Sorry if this is a noob question but I'm legitimately curious.

Sorry for being obtuse.

I mean that some room issues can be Eq'd and some cannot. And in attempting to do workarounds for problem issues I find there can be be situations involving Bass level which are not equivalent trade-offs...meaning the dB trade-off from on-sub output to receiver sub output and vice versa is not always linear.

I have a bad 100Hz push (10dB+) in my FL because of untreatable location issues. The EZSet/EQ process cannot fix that node specifically (or rather as I would prefer with my settings) as it is in-speaker and also in-room. The combination means that for best results I must set my towers to Small with a 120Hz X-over, no matter my personal preferences. It seems a waste of perfectly fine towers but it actually sounds very nice with the sub doing virtually all of the heavy lifting. Now, getting the Bass level and voicing to sound proper in-room means a good deal of experimenting with on-sub output when running EZSet/EQ. I can't just set and forget and as each sub has it's own characteristics it requires a certain minimum level of on-sub output to voice properly when EQ'd. Matching that with a pleasing receiver level output post EQ took just a few trials though.

I finally have some time to upgrade and the HK website is down.. Well the parent site is up where I can download the instructions but the harmondesign site that has the actual upgrade is down

Could someone email me the 635/us/120v version of the upgrade? I'd be very appreciative

Thanks much.

I, too, got a -10dB sub setting after the new firmware update and new mic location. This was with the sub set at "1/2" volume on the sub itself. I will try re-EQing with the sub at "1/4" setting, 0 degrees phase.

Update:

I emailed HK and they responded immediately that thier update server is down. They were nice enough to include the update file as an attachment. I was very happy with the response time from HK support

I have the 635 hooked up to a 5.1 mirage Avs 200/Rs8 setup, not my main Klipsch gear atm. After rerunning setup it set my sub at -8dB... and considering its in the corner of the room and not a very good sub at that it sounds better cranked down in reference to the center. Ie center is flat, l, r, and sides are slight 1 to 3dB boosts, sub is notched way down.

Its pretty optimum for the small setup that its hooked to. Manually playing with tweaking Xover (distance settings it nailed) and db adjustments I cant get a better response than EZ calculated.

Overall, I'm impressed. Its doing a great job with very substandard speakers.

Does anyone know the length of the audio delay feature on the 635?

thanks

80ms

Docrings,

Let me know if turning down the sub makes a diffence.... I do have a fair amount of treatment in my room... base traps in all 4 corners, 1" accoustic insulation 1/2 way up side and back walls and front wall but the SVS Sub 20-39 PC + is a bit of a monster in this room. (It will knock down anything on the walls at 1/2 level when the base really kicks in.)

Not really a bad thing, but the EQ didnt seem to like it up that high!

Brad

I recently got an AVR435 . It was manufactured in Feb '06. I am wondering if it has the software version 1 or II. I researched the HK website and I believe that mine is the version II. I have come to this conclusion based on the following:

1. According to the differences in the manuals, the version 1 tells you to set the master volume at - 28 before doing the EzSet/Eq and the version II tells you to set it at - 35. The menu on my receiver tells me to set it to - 35.

2. Also according to the manuals, the version 1 doesn't give you the option to set the auto poll on or off in the input setup menu. Mine has the option in the menu.

I have asked HK to confirm this and they couldn't give me a definite answer. Is there any way to know for sure? I don't want to waste the time to buy the cable and download the software update if not necessary. BTW, I have had 0 problems with the operation of the receiver.

Check the version number for the software by pressing the Standby/On switch to put the unit in Standby mode. Press the play button at the far right side of the row of buttons behind the front-panel door. Release it when the unit turns on, and check the front-panel display to make sure that either "Version 4.12" or "Version 5.12" is shown. After a few seconds, the unit will return to Standby mode.

If the version is lower than 4.12 or 5.12, you need to do the upgrade.

Thanks. I just checked it and it says it is version 4.05. Darn it!! I guess I will do the update.

Well I am now debating with myself whether to do the upgrade or not. I have had absolutely no operational issues whatsoever with the receiver. And I am one of the old school "tweakers" that prefer to manually set up my gear. So I am not sure that I would benefit from the upgrade. Plus I am a little concerned about frying my receiver by doing it after reading of it happening to others here. What other improvements besides EzSet/Eq could I expect to gain if I do the upgrade?

The biggest and really only reason I did the upgrade on my 635 was to keep the rear speakers on by default. Before the upgrade it would always revert to 5.1. If I had a 5.1 setup I probably wouldn't have bothered. Then again, I don't think I'm as particular as many users.

If your receiver is still under warranty, and there is something in the upgrade you want, do the upgrade. If it fries they will most likely replace it. Haven't seen any stories of them not replacing it. THey replaced mine. The funny part is the replacement that I was sent didn't have the upgrade either, so I had to do it again!

It seems odd to me that a unit manufactured after the update was available would still have version 1 of the software. By the looks of it the update for the 435 was available in Dec. ' 05 or Jan. '06 and mine was manufactured in Feb. ' 06. Kinda odd to me. At any rate, I think I will hold off for now on the update as I have not had any problems with mine.

While some have reported getting upgraded software with their units, HK considers this a user upgrade. Mine went smooth as silk on the 635 with no errors reported.

I haven't had any luck trying to download the firmware from HK's web site. Could somebody send it over to me, please? I appreciate it.

Thanks,
Bruno.

My refurbished 635 came without the upgrade. No problem installing the new firmware but you have to wonder why they didn't do it.

how are you guys getting the firmware? the site just times out every time

Apparently I deleted it from my desktop or I would shoot you a copy. Keep trying and order the CD in the meantime. It should be free. Also fire off an angry e-mail to HK support. This broken website nonsense is getting ridiculous.

eh, found out mine already have 4.12 on it but still was having MAJOR issues, so I took it to the nearest service center.

It seems the site is STILL a broken link or timing out.

Does anyone out there have the AVR435 file? If it was sent to me, I'd be happy to host a mirror to it on my server so that when people google it and find this forum they'd have a link besides HK to follow.

Thanks in advance.

By the by, I called both the Canadian and US support numbers, even actually talked to someone (who couldn't help me and sent me to someone else's voicemail), and I sent two emails, one to the US and one to the Candian support groups.

Now my Amp is sitting completely disconnected on a table next to the computer, thank you Harmon Kardon's web development team, thank you.