Crazy Denon 3300 does it again

[Tom Adams]

Some of you may remember me posting a message earlier this year concerning my Denon 3300 automatically shutting itself down in the 5ch stereo & surround mode. Well, when I tore down my system in order to introduce my latest HT weapon (Mitsu 46" widescreen), I took the opportunity to trouble shoot any possible problems with my in-wall wiring. I did a basic continuity check and ensured that the wall plate wiring was ok. I also performed a 9V battery test to ensure correct polarity to all speakers. To my comfort everything was fine and as it should be (of course it was Tom, you did the install and we all know you're perfect. Shyeah - right )

The next step was to install banana plugs on all my fat monster cable speaker wires to ensure there would be no stray wires touching other binding posts. I know, it's next to impossible for that to happen, but I wanted to eliminate any possibilities.

I do all my hook-ups, power everything on, check to make sure everything that's suppose to make sound does and presto - everything is working fine. After shoving the reciever into it's temporary home, I stuck in a CD, turn the volume up and CLICK - it shuts down!

So I turn it off, turn it back on, and quickly select 2ch stereo. The unit plays fine all the way up to ear-bleed level. So I turn the volume all the way down, select 5ch stereo and start bumping the volume up a little at a time. Everything is cool all the way up to a -30 volume setting, but at -28...CLICK, it shuts itself down again. ARGHHHH!!

After performing this test several times with CD's, DVD's, tuner, etc. (and getting the same results), I pull the Denon back out and do what I did the last time this happened. I swap the + & - surround speaker cables - i.e. the + leads are connected to the Denon's - terminals and the - leads are connected to the Denon's + terminals. Turn everything back on and guess what? Everything works fine. No auto shut downs at any volume setting with any input. What the *^#%@% - over????

I know - you're all thinking I quite mad and looney. Hell, I'm thinking that way too cause it defies all logic. All I know is that everything is playing correctly.

Tom Adams

[dougdrake]

Tom - Sounds mysterious, for sure. And it doesn't sound like it's the Denon at fault. If it were, why would it play with the leads one way and not the other? If it's still under warranty, can you take it in for service?

I guess you also could reverse the wires on the front speakers, too, so they are all in the same polarity and call it quits...

Doug

[SeanP]

I dont know if this will be of any help but I ran into the same problem after setting up my system for the very first time. In an attempt to conceal my speaker wires I had stapled them up into the corner of the ceiling, carefully I might add. When I went to fire everything up and hit a certain volume, my reciever (a Denon 3300) would shut off. I thought it was the reciever but after very close inspection of my stapling job, I had noticed that one staple had gone through the wire and was actually touching both parts of the speaker wire. So instead of using staples now, I use tiny little speaker clips which are screwed into the wall and hold the wire in place and now I dont have any problems.

It's possible one of your speaker wires might have pinched together and is forming a type of circuit sending power right back into the receiver. I'm not an expert but I think it's just a safety shutdown. My first pro-logic receiver did it for the longest time but I thought it was simply my speakers and they were overloading my receiver. With the ratings on the Denon however, it peaked my interest so I examined further and found my error.

Of course it was a surround speaker for me so when I had 5 CH and any surround modes running it would shut down. Stereo however was fine because it wasnt sending any power to the surround speakers.

Hope this helps,

Sean Prior