Denon AVR-3808CI: An Overview (1 Viewer)

[Cees Alons]

Another post about that same deal has now been removed. We got the message, we know who to call and we know the price, as well as the fact that there are no shipment costs.

Please stop posting new 'testimonies' on our forum. They will be removed and measures against the poster will be taken.

Thanks for understanding.


Cees


Edit:
Potential buyers at 6ave should also consult our Retail and Wholesale Vendors Feedback section, to find some additional info in relation to this dealer.
C.

 

[shanesj]

The Denon 3808ci for $1099 is still going, I spoke with David at x8474.

 

[scottS]

I'm looking at replacing my AVR-3300 which is getting a bit long in the tooth with a 3808, but wonder on a couple connection issues:

My Pioneer RPTV has 2 1080i DVI inputs w/ HDCP and currently I have a DVI stb and an HDMI stb through HDMI/DVI (video only obviously). The DVI stb is an older Sammy ATSC tuner I don't really need, just kept it hooked up since I have it. All my audio right now is optical, except for old tape decks and phono. I have a couple other pieces that are just garden variety component.

Can all these run through the 3808 and just have a single HDMI out with my HDMI/DVI cable? I don't really need to run audio to the RPTV. Is there any issue with displaying the on screen display? Seems like the 3300 would only display with certain sources in a mixed-input environment.

Is the remote control suitable for a multi-remote, or is something like a Harmony still needed?

Some audio quirks on my 3300: for example, if I have DD 2.0 coming in on optical, it seems like I can only set stereo out, but if I switch the source to PCM (or if there is 2 chan analog) then I can use the Denon processor "matrix" mode to output to all my speakers. I like that matrix mode on 2 chan sources and wish I could use it on DD 2.0. Can the 3808 do something like this?

TIA

scott s.
.

 

[YelNsx]

Hi,

I'm in the market for a new receiver. What do you guys think about the Yamaha RX-V3800? Thanks.

 

[MatthewA]

I'm trying to adjust the Hue setting thru the Denon, because my TV (Samsung HL-S6187W) cannot adjust hue on HDMI sources. But when I try to adjust it, the picture does not change. Same thing with brightness, contrast, and chroma (which are not as important as I can change them via the TV). I have switched between RGB and Y-CR-CB and that makes no difference. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[WayTooSmall]

Just ordered the Denon 3808ci (with the aforementioned deal), along with a Toshiba A35. Also bought the Mitsubishi WD-73734 yesterday to replace my old set. Can't wait to see 73" of High Def Movies with some amazing sound!

 

[Chris]

First, good to see despite warnings people still spam the thread with notes on the deal :rolleyes

Welp, I'm in the market to replace everything.. the bitch of having your house burn down But I've been considering upgrading to this regardless, and it is good to see some positive reviews. I'd be changing over from a 3805, so this looks to be a good upgrade from it... hell, just from the look of the GUI and data connections alone.

Now I just have to figure out speakers and everything else to go with.

I'm really going to struggle with that. I'm probably, since we're rebuilding the house, going to end up doing in-wall... but that's my next project. It looks like this is the deal to have.

 

[joseph westcott]

Sorry to hear about the fire. I know that no amount of insurance money can bring your life back to where it was.

I wish you luck this coming year and only urge you to reconsider in wall speakers. Not a good solution for optimal audio quality. Sheet rock and wall studs are no match for quality engineered/made speaker cabinets.

 

[TonyTone]

Adjusting Contrast/Brightness/Chroma Level/Hue settings do not have any affect on HDMI input signals per 3808 owner's manual.

 

[FrankP]

Glad to read the mostly positive comments on the 3808ci.
I am looking into upgrading my current Yamaha RX-V750 and had been looking at just getting another Yamaha.

After reading reviews and comments here and other forums, I thought the Denons were worth a look. I was not really familiar with them and bought
the Yamaha mainly on name recognition.

I went to the dealer where I had purchased my Yamaha and more recently
HD-tv since they carry Yamaha, Denon, Niles and some others. They have been Yamaha dealers for over 15 years and selling Denon for the last six
or seven years.

The salesman said that in the last three or four years they have been reccomending the Denon over the Yamaha. I hope to have a 3808ci in
the near future.

 

[WayTooSmall]

I am still confused on whether to use Bitstream or PCM from my PS3 to this receiver. I have it set to Bitstream right now and I am getting 5.1 surround but the True HD decoder light is not coming on (on the front of the Denon) when I watch "The Reaping" which has dolby true HD. I thought that to let this receiver do the decoding I needed to have it set to bitstream but only the Digital light on the input signal indicators is coming on. Thanks for the input.

edit: Also, one reason I bought this receiver was the optical outputs. I use pioneer wireless headphones for some movie viewing and usually just run an optical cable from my components to the base. I am now running an optical cable from the 3808ci to the base via the 1st optical out on the back but am getting no signal. If I unplug the optical from the receiver and put it directly into the ps3, i then get a signal. Does anyone here know how I can get the optical out to work on the 3808. The light is coming out of it but no signal is being sent.

 

[TonyD]

simple qestion on denon.

i have had denon for 8 years now starting with 3300 now 3803.
soon, hopefully a 3808.

question i have is on volume display.

it is always a negative number.

usually -22 for normal listening level.

why does it start as a neg number and continue as neg even while getting louder.
and while getting louder the actual number goes lower.

now i know since it is in neg, the number getting lower means closer to zero, or larger.
so why is volume display below zero to start.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Probably not quite right, but 0 dB typically represents unity gain level for the amp's output on the receiver, so less than the amp's "full" power output is denoted with -x dB for the volume level, where x is the value of the amp's power output in terms of decibel level. So there may be positive x values (meaning you are over-driving the amp past its nominal output, and scratching toward its amp headroom limit), most of the time, the volume level will be expressed in terms of a negative decibel value.

In other words, the low-level audio signals (generated from audio channels from the HDM player) are attenuated by the volume level control from its nominal signal level. When you are at the max low-level volume level, that corresponds to a value of 0 dB, the unity gain level for the amp, that's just how it's expressed in audio engineering circles based on the logarithmic math that describes sound levels in terms of decibels.

No one in their right mind listens at the max amp level unless they are aiming for premature deafness. Any level of attenuation of the low-level audio signal is expressed as a value less than zero dB, so that's why the volume levels are typically negative dB values. So you might have volume levels that start from -72 dB and go up the way to 0 dB in increments of 2 dB as the volume level is increased, and it might also go higher, like +12 dB (depends on the amp design and its limits). An easy way to find out the highest volume dB value is to pause the DVD player, and just turn up the amp's volume control and see how high the volume value reaches, but you'll probably hear some hiss from the speakers as you max out the volume as the amp is being required to amplify anything from the signal, but some electronics may introduce the hiss at the noise floor, but some receivers have good silencing protocols to eliminate the hiss if you turn up the volume on a "blank" audio signal.

 

[TonyD]

wow, um. hmm.

i guess i'm still used to old times when volume level started at 0 and on a really good radio could go all the way up as far as 11.

the denon 3308 lowers to -80 and goes up to 1, in .5 increments.

i was talking to someone the other day about my 3803 because i'm trying to sell it and i couldnt explain in simple terms to her why the volume moves in negative numbers

it was basically, 'i don't know"

 

[Patrick Sun]

Sorry, remnants of a EE education from a few decades ago, tried to explain it in layman's terms as much as possible.

 

[buzzfunk]

Hey Guys,

Just joined the Forum. Looks like great info everywhere.

I'm thinking about making the Denon my first avr but im still wondering about something. I get the 7.1 part but is it possible to use it with a 5.1 setup for right now?

Also could someone recommend some speakers for this unit, within the $1k range.

Thanks a lot!!

 

[joseph westcott]

7.1 will support up to 7 speakers and a subwoofer. Some receivers and speakers provide support for biamping. I believe this Denon does support this. You can power two speakers with the extra two channels to double the power going to the two selected speakers, if your speakers also support this capability.

Yes, you can just use 5 speakers and a subwoofer.

 

[MikeS]

Wow! Off topic a bit but it is great to see so many familiar names still posting here. I've been out of the game for a few years after building my dream system.

The old B&K Ref 30 is still working well but I'm ready for an upgrade. I've looked for a decent pre/pro in the 2-3k range but have come up empty with all the features I want.

I too have narrowed my choices to the Dennon 3808 (or 4308), The Elite and the Yamaha. I plan on buying this weekend after completing all my research but the Denon and the Elite are tops on my list. I've never much cared for the sound of the Denon amps but I'll be keeping my MM9000 amp and my Adcom 555's so the amps in recievers are less an issue for me. I like the ability to upgrade the 3808 but I like the look of the Elite more. Since listening in a store is damn near impossible I'll just audition at home and take back the one that comes up short.

I'm also planning on dumping my Samsung HLR-6178W for the new Samsung HL-T6189. Full 1080p here I come!! I was one of the first people to buy the HLR Sammy and got screwed on no 1080p HDMI inputs.

Wish me luck! I'll report back in a week or so.

 

[DaveF]

To paraphrase Patrick, it's a geeky way of displaying volume. "0" is set at some arbitrary volume and negative values (-10 dB, etc) are lower volumes than that, meaning the volume has been attentuated (reduced) by that many dB.

Frankly, it's a display either designed by marketing wizards who think geeks are more likely to buy a "dB" display, or it was created by engineers with too little contact with the real world (I say that as an engineer). It's a silly way to show volume for a consumer electronics device. But some companies do it anyway (and I suppose some consumers think it makes them smarter and have better audio to dial in dB than arbitrary units).

Me, I want my volume to adjust in a base-Pi system.

And I was really excited to learn about this receiver until I found it was $1500. I wish that had been noted in Ron's initial overview. That would have saved me the heartbreak of getting revved up for a purchase and then finding it's out of my budget.

 

[Adam_R]

First - You need to have the PS3 connected with an HDMI cable to get the new sound formats.

Second - You must set the PS3 to LPCM over HDMI, not Bitstream. The PS3 will decode the Dolby TruHD and send it as multi channel audio to the receiver. The end result is the same. Lossless multi channel audio.

Thrid - The PS3 (as it stands now) will never send any of the new sound formats (Dolby True HD, DTS-MA) over bitstream and let the receiver decode it. It is not supported by the hardware. This means that through the PS3 you will never see Dolby True HD or DTS-MA on your 3808. You will only see Multi Channel in or whatever.

Fourth - The PS3 cannot currently decode DTS-MA internally at all, so the best you will get is the 1.5Mb DTS core track with is basically the highest bit rate DTS 5.1 track possible. There WILL be an update that will allow the PS3 to decode DTS-MA soon from what insiders are saying.

I hope I cleared things up for you.