Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

[LATEST UPDATE as of 23 December 2016: Subject unit appears successfully repaired, is fully reliable after warranty replacement of an internal HDMI board. For detail, see my reply to ladame's inquiry on December 21, 2016. The subject Denon receiver now works, and I love it. - SDM] Original text follows... Yes I like the AVR-S720W. However there is a major...and absolutely ridiculous...bug that has hit numerous users, and web searching this will get many hits, wherein NO SOUND comes from the speakers. The unit may have worked perfectly for the last five times you turned it on, but this time you might only see the Amazon video (or CD, or DVD, or whatever source you're using...) but you cannot get sound. No, the Mute is not turned on. Yes, the volume is turned up. No, the cables haven't been changed or jostled since last use. There is just plain No Sound through your speakers. The sound MAY return after shutting the receiver down and turning it back on. Or it may return after you've done several shutdowns. For me, it seemed to help if I switched from the Amazon movie I was trying to watch, to playing a DVD. Get the DVD started (which usually would get the sound back), then shut down, then restart the Amazon movie....and the sound probably works now. After finally searching online about this problem, I located a thread wherein another owner stated he had called Denon and spoken with a tech, who told him ~ "This is going to sound really weird, but try blowing into the headphone jack." That writer tried it, and it worked. The sound came back. Many other respondents to that same thread subsequently reported that they had the same problem, tried blowing into the headphone receptacle, and most of them also got the sound back. They also thanked the original writer profusely. I tried it....No sound. So I fired up the air compressor, lugged an air hose into the house, attached the air gun, gave the headphone jack a good, strong blast...and the sound returned! The sound remained for the next few cycles before the problem began coming back intermittently. So I fired up the air compressor....problem went away again. I should note that, after reading of the "fix", I had first tried using a non-metallic, physical probe in the headphone receptacle. I knew the receiver would reliably "see" that something was in the headphone jack because the status changed...reliably...on the LED display each time. But regardless of my seeing a reliable response on the front panel, by that method the sound didn't necessarily return when the "headphone" was removed, even though the electronics saw the change. My best guess is that the triggering threshold of some internal component is getting a signal to switch states, that is too weak. That's what the defect acts like anyway. Other reviewers have given the product enough valid praise; I'm giving one star just to draw attention to the described major problem that I...and apparently numerous other owners...have encountered. I have one point of hope to offer: This review was written on October 2nd, 2016. Just last night and for the first time ever, a notice popped up on my viewing screen that overlaid the movie I was watching: A Firmware Update was available for the Denon AVR-S720W. The notice automatically disappeared after a few seconds and the family finished watching the movie then retired for the evening. I came back and turned the receiver (and viewing monitor) back on...and the same notice popped up immediately on the monitor screen. This time I accepted the upgrade. The notice said "about 28 minutes to install", and it actually took about 20 minutes. I've found no detailed description of what was upgraded but let's hope the "no sound" problem has been addressed. I'll mention that my AV system is controlled through a Logitech Harmony Ultra remote; the "no sound" problem has occurred while using that remote, while using Denon's own remote packaged with the AVR-S720W, and even when controlling the receiver directly at its front panel. All the same. One last point, I not only could not find that upgrade by going to the Denon website, but in their firmware upgrade list, the AVR-S720W does not even exist. The 710W is there, but not the 720W. Again this was encountered on October 2nd 2016. ADDENDUM 1: 06 October 2016: The firmware update did not help the problem. My unit continues to sporadically wake up with no sound. Also when web searching for help I found that: a) some other Denon models are also affected; b) this issue has haunted multiple generations of Denon products. Sounds great when working but imagine the angst of having company over to watch a vid, starting the program with your new Denon receiver and....No Sound. - SDM ADDENDUM 2: 19 October 2016: New Tactic Tried and Failed, "No Sound" persists: This time I ordered Hosa D5 contact cleaner from Amazon. I sprayed this into the headphone jack then inserted an uncoated, bare-wooden dowel of approx. 3/8" or 1/4" diameter. I rotated the dowel and ran it in & out several times. The dowel came out soaked with D5 cleaner so enough was applied. After final removal of dowel I gave the headphone jack another good shot of D5 then let it dry ~ 30 minutes before turning the receiver on. The sound worked right, for about the next five times I turned on the receiver. But it just failed again, returning after I shut the receiver off and turned it back on. No improvement. - SDM ADDENDUM 3: 25 October 2016: A NEW LOW - After ONE DOZEN Off-then-On sequences...of *all* connected electronics...still No Sound. I was trying to play the same DVD that had been fine at noon. After a 14-hour workday we were hoping for a vid with our dinner at 22:15 but instead I ended up fighting with the Denon again and had my cold dinner later. I had tried changing program sources, switching between FireTV and my Panasonic Blu-Ray player which has never failed me, but No Sound. And this time even compressed air in the headphone jack didn't work. But I remembered something to try, and it got the receiver back... Some time ago, when the system seemed as close to working as it ever did, I had backed up the configuration to my computer's hard disk. So I now Restored that backup to the Denon, and the sound was immediately back. Restoration took about ten minutes. For me, this also restored the thought that Denon might be able to eventually correct this problem with a firmware update but for now my system still has a problem. I did contact Denon CS via online text box several days ago regarding service or replacement. Their first response came by email today and was summarily to inquire if my purchase as an "Amazon Web Deal.", nothing more. No it wasn't. It could be a long road to getting a fully-functioning Denon receiver. ADDENDUM 4: 07 November 2016: SHIPPING FOR REPAIR - Brand new unit. No remedy has worked. Give your new Denon a good, hard workout during Amazon's 30-day return interval. Contact with Denon CS did get a timely and sympathetic response on the second volley. I asked about doing a cross-ship but got no response on this. I was provided a link to "Regional Denon/Marantz Repair Centers", which also lists two "National Repair Centers", the latter being termed "specialized Blue Ribbon" centers and recommended by my Denon contact to expedite diagnosis. Those two centers are: 1) Panurgy, in NJ, and 2) United Radio, in NY. UPS Ground shipping with Signature and Pickup cost me $77.15 out of pocket. UPS 3-day would have been ~$40 more for a 3-day reduction in arrival date and get there just in time for a weekend. (In my area even FedEx drop-off is a 75 mile drive. They deliver here but won't pick up.) Presumably I don't pay the return shipping but will update here on that as well as success of repair. ...But despite all the hassle, when that receiver works it's great. I did get the ~ DTS / Neural update (Addendum 1) and Yes, it's a beautiful addition, you can hear the difference and it's what I prefer now. Also after that update, Pandora works. I'd still buy another Denon but probably a 9.2 model, possibly an AVR-X because of the 3 year warranty vs. 2 year for my problem unit. ADDENDUM 5: 30 November 2016 11:50 PST - A: As I noted in a comment made around 19:00 last night, at that time United Radio's Status site still showed ~ "Waiting for Parts". B: As of 11:50 today, the same report says "SHIPPED"! Unit is likely coming back to Oregon by Ground from New York, so it will probably be another week before I can update again as to operational status of the returned unit. - SDM - SDM