Denon AVR-3808CI: An Overview

Ronald Epstein · 10-17-2007, 04:58 AM

You can read my overview report on this new receiver here

Bob_Chase · 10-17-2007, 10:30 AM

Great review Ron.

I've been eyeing up this unit for a while now. I was watching some of the early adopter discussions at the AVS Forum and it seemed like there were some issues early on. But once firmware updates were issued most of the bugs were squashed. The ability to update the firmware via the web is another incentive for making the upgrade.

Reviews such as yours are certainly getting me closer to pulling the trigger. Now if I could only convince the CFO that we need a new receiver.

I've always been intrigued by the Audyssey self-calibration feature. Could you just elaborate on the process of repeating the calibration in different areas of the room? Do you take a reading at each speaker location? Does it average the levels after these multiple tests?

Thanks.

Gregory Pauswinski · 10-17-2007, 01:35 PM

Congratulations on your new receiver, and thanks for the review, Ron!! What a fantastic price for such a good receiver!

I too am interested in more information about the Audyssey self-calibration. Pulling out the old SPL Meter is such a pain sometimes...

With the new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, I've been looking to upgrade my Denon AVR-5800. I've been looking closely at the 3808 and 4308. Can you or anybody else speak to the differences between these receivers? The biggest difference that I can see is WiFi and an HD Radio tuner. It doesn't seem to me that those features are worth an extra $1000.

I wish this receiver had more than 3 component video inputs. I already have 4 component devices. High Def cable, Blu-Ray Player, HD-DVD player, PS3. Unfortunately my TV does not have HDMI inputs, so I have to run everything through component.

Chris Maynard · 10-17-2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregory Pauswinski

Congratulations on your new receiver, and thanks for the review, Ron!! What a fantastic price for such a good receiver!

I too am interested in more information about the Audyssey self-calibration. Pulling out the old SPL Meter is such a pain sometimes...

With the new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, I've been looking to upgrade my Denon AVR-5800. I've been looking closely at the 3808 and 4308. Can you or anybody else speak to the differences between these receivers? The biggest difference that I can see is WiFi and an HD Radio tuner. It doesn't seem to me that those features are worth an extra $1000.

I wish this receiver had more than 3 component video inputs. I already have 4 component devices. High Def cable, Blu-Ray Player, HD-DVD player, PS3. Unfortunately my TV does not have HDMI inputs, so I have to run everything through component.

I just ordered a 4308 to replace my 5800. Besides the changes you listed you also get a bigger power supply, 10 more wpc and a second HDMI-out.

joseph westcott · 10-17-2007, 02:33 PM

Thanks for the review. What a great price considering all the bells and whistles, HD Audio support, and several HDMi inputs.

Enjoy!!!

**HTF Ads**

Raul Marquez,MD · 10-17-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregory Pauswinski

Congratulations on your new receiver, and thanks for the review, Ron!! What a fantastic price for such a good receiver!

I too am interested in more information about the Audyssey self-calibration. Pulling out the old SPL Meter is such a pain sometimes...

With the new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, I've been looking to upgrade my Denon AVR-5800. I've been looking closely at the 3808 and 4308. Can you or anybody else speak to the differences between these receivers? The biggest difference that I can see is WiFi and an HD Radio tuner. It doesn't seem to me that those features are worth an extra $1000.

I wish this receiver had more than 3 component video inputs. I already have 4 component devices. High Def cable, Blu-Ray Player, HD-DVD player, PS3. Unfortunately my TV does not have HDMI inputs, so I have to run everything through component.

Faced with the same situation after EMA Las Vegas, I bought a new receiver yesterday. I went with the Yamaha RX-V1800 which has 4 HDMI inputs, 3 component inputs, 3 Coax and 6 Optical, all of which are assignable and re-nameable. I too was concerned with early issues posted elsewhere about Denon, but I'm glad the're resolved. What finally made me decide for the Yamaha were: its lower price (list $1200, though I've seen it online for $950), and the fact that I'm upgrading from a Yamaha RX-V2400 which I really liked, and which allowed me to hook up to this receiver the PRESENCE speakers (smaller speakers located on the front wall above and lateral to the front main ones) that Yamaha uses for various sound fields.

Congrats to Ron on his new receiver as well!

Parker Clack · 10-17-2007, 08:25 PM

RAF and Adam where really impressed by the Denon models at CEDIA. In fact RAF has the 3808 for himself right after the show. The Audyssey self-calibration is a real plus. I definitely have this receiver on my short list.

Parker Clack · 10-17-2007, 08:50 PM

Greg:

Quote:

I wish this receiver had more than 3 component video inputs. I already have 4 component devices. High Def cable, Blu-Ray Player, HD-DVD player, PS3.

I was wondering. If you plugged in your High Def cable, Blu-ray and HD-DVD into the Denon using the HDMI inputs could you output them over the component? I'm not sure if it works that way or not. I know that if you put in a component, or composite input you can output this over HDMI. I'm not sure if the reverse works or not.

Gregory Pauswinski · 10-17-2007, 10:27 PM

Hey Parker!

It is my understanding that you cannot output an HDMI connection over component. I think it's because of copy protection concerns..