Denon 3806 Competition (1 Viewer)

[timNG]

What models from Yamaha, Pioneer, and Onkyo are the competitors to the 3806?

Leaning towards the Denon 3806, any suggestions on reputable and resonably priced online retailer?

 

[JohnnyKwok]

Onkyo 803
Yamaha 2600/4600
Sony 7100ES

 

[SethH]

There's also the H/K 635, but it's a little older so is missing some features that the 3806 has such as HDMI.

Also, I don't think Denon allows online dealers, but I could be wrong about that. Either way, I know they're pretty strict about online sales.

 

[mylan]

Denon does allow online sales, Crutchfield is an authorized dealer. I have also seen Denons AVR 985 series recievers listed on other sites like www.bhphotovideo.com.
If you live near a Magnolia at Best Buy, they have the 3806 on sale for $1235. Crutchfield doesn't normally discount, I think that is Denon's problem with online or other unauthorized sales is that they discount them too much. They are strict about their pricing.

 

[Shane Harg]

Get the Yamaha. I was also leaning toward the Denon - having previously owned a 3805 while living in America - but found it to be lacking both in my own comparisons and according to reviews I've read. I've both seen and heard what the Yamaha 2600/4600 is capable of and it is head and shoulders above the Denon 3806, especially in it's video switching capabilities. At least until the 3807 comes out.

Shane Harger
Yamanashi prefecture, Japan

 

[Steve_Blazer]

You mean the 2807 by any chance?

I own a 3806 and have had NO problems with it.

The HDMI thing is a problem regardless of whos receiver you buy, not just Denon.

 

[Jongyoon Lee]

I own a Sony DA5000ES, the predecesor to DA7100ES, and am very satisfied with the audio quality. Prior to Sony, I've owned Panasonic XR55, and Denon AVR 5700 before that. If I hadn't liked Sony, I would have considered Harman Kardon AVR 635 or upcoming AVR 640, and Marantz SR-7500.

Marantz and H/K receivers are typically recommended for better audio quality than their peers. Sony, from what I can hear, is very articulate and detailed, and exhibits none of those cold tinny sounds typically associated with the mid range receivers.

The authorized or not authorized dealers will concern you if you worry about the factory warranty. More often than not, $$$ saved from non authorized dealers will be enough to cover extended warranty if wished.

 

[Shane Harg]

Denon recievers are fantastic. The 3806 does what it's supposed to do, I'm sure, and does it well. For my own purposes, however, (and for $100 more, retail), I wanted something that could upconvert DVD's native 480i into the HD realm of 1080i/720p onto HDMI. The Yamaha 2600 does this, whereas Denon's 3806 will only upscale to 480p on HDMI.

 

[timNGY]

Thanks guys for all the response. I have actually turned my attention to the Pioneer Elite VSX-74TXVi, a receiver that was not mentioned by anyone yet. Seems to have comparable features as the other receivers mentioned, and can be purchased little over 1K by a reputable dealer on ebay. Anyone that has the Pioneer can share their experience?

 

[Steve_Blazer]

To my knowledge theres no such thing as a Denon 3807.

I've seen both the 3805 and the 3806 (I own the 3806) .. and theres the upcoming 2807, which IF I had waited (doh) I would have bought instead.

The only model above the 3806 is the 4306.


Any more info ?

 

[mylan]

I think what Shane is talking about is there probably will be a 3807. It will come out right after I get the 2807, which I have been waitng for.

 

[Shane Harg]

I only made reference to the "3807" above to make a point. And a tongue-in-cheek one, at that. I just meant to say that although the 3806 is surely a great unit, the Yamaha RX-V2600 is a bit more advanced until Denon's next offering at that level, which will most likely be the 3807.

 

[Ruben A]

"Denon recievers are fantastic. The 3806 does what it's supposed to do, I'm sure, and does it well. For my own purposes, however, (and for $100 more, retail), I wanted something that could upconvert DVD's native 480i into the HD realm of 1080i/720p onto HDMI. The Yamaha 2600 does this, whereas Denon's 3806 will only upscale to 480p on HDMI"
Sorry to hijack the thread but as a new Denon 3806 owner I have a question on the above mentioned. If the Denon 3806 does not upscale can the receiver stil be used and get the upscaled resolution if the TV or the projector upscales to 1080i or 1080P such that it is not so bad that the 3806 does not do it? thanks everyone

 

[Steve_Blazer]

Personally I play DVDs at 480p.

I think just about every DVD player from wallyworld $40 specials up have progressive scan and they too, play at 480p.

HDTV comes in at 1080i natively.

I guess I am wondering what the benefit of upscaling from 480i to 1080i is, or under what circumstances it would come into play unless your talking about converting SDTV into 1080i.

The 3806 will pass 1080p when that format becomes more commonplace and it already converts from component to HDMI. So, apart from the HDCP woes that every manufacturer is seeming to have I dont really see why the Yamaha is 'a bit more advanced'.

Maybe some extra clarity here would help me understand.

I'm not trying to be a Denon Fanatic here but I fail to see the point of the 3806 bashing.

 

[mylan]

From what I understand, and I think to what he is referring, is that the 3806 does not pass upconverted "near 720P" DVD resolution through its HDMI outs, only 480P. If, like me,you have a Denon 2910 which does upconvert, then you would have to connect from the DVD player to the tv to be able to utilize this function, bypassing the switching on the receiver. Many here would bypass anyway for a better quality picture but some want the convienence of the receiver doing the switching. He shouldn't be bashing too hard, he owns one. Me, i'll take either one, i'm just waiting for the 2807.

 

[Ruben A]

Just so I nuderstand, when the HD format war is settled and I buy a HD DVD player it will be able to connect to the 3806 and then have the 3806 connect to the TV via HDMI and 1080P resolution will be displayed on the screen, meaning the 3806 will not be a hinderance to the high deffinition picture. Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[Steve_Blazer]

As far as I know.

I thought it was stated on the Denon website but I cant find it, though the 3806 manual says 1080p pass through is supported for both component and HDMI.

 

[mylan]

This is from CNET's website concerning the 3806 va. 2807 HDMI upconversion problems. It's the analog upconversion the 3806 has a problem with, such as VCR to 480P(but who cares, right?). I can find nowhere about 1080P passthrough but I don't think any of us have a problem, when that time comes, i'll just bypass the receiver and go straight through to the display if the 3806/2807 will not pass it. See if you can figure this out:

http://www.cnet.com/4831-11405_1-6413272.html?tag=next

 

[Shane Harg]

I'd like to make something VERY clear. I am NOT bashing the 3806 or ANY Denon reciever. I LOVE Denon components and I even used to own a 3805 until I left the U.S. I didn't mean to cause any controversy here, nor did I mean to rub 3806 owners the wrong way.

I did state, however, "for my own purposes" that the Yamaha 2600 is a better reciever. This is because I am going to run a projector in a remote location from the reciever and I only want to run one cable - HDMI - and I want the reciever to be doing all the video switching. Also, since I will be watching all DVD movies in 100" widescreen, I want the picture to look the best it can possibly be without any digital artifacts, which is why I wanted a reciever that could upscale from my DVD player's native 480p to 1080i/720p. This is the best solution I could think of, for myself, short of buying a DVD player, which upscales internally and outputs hi-def signals natively. Denon's new flagship DVD player, already available over here in Japan, upscales to 1080p, but I'm just not ready to blow 3 grand on a DVD player yet.

The 3806 can PASS signals of up to 1080p. i.e. native 1080i or 1080p signals can be passed through the reciever w/o any loss of quality. It just can not upscale past 480i (if I'm not mistaken) on HDMI. That just doesn't work for ME. That's all I'm saying. No bashing intended. Okay, so "get the Yamaha" and "I found the 3806 to be lacking" were strong statements, on my part. My mistake.

Tim (the original poster) may not have the needs I have, so he may be just as well off with a 3806 - again, very nice piece. I just wanted to bring the capabilities of the Yamaha to his attention.

 

[Ruben A]

Once again sorry if I am taking this thread a different direction but so I fully understand is it the case then that the "upscaling" can be done by either the DVD player, the receiver, or the TV/Projector such that in the signal path ONE of these components must be capable of doing it if the display is to be of the highest resolution. Is this the way it works?