Beating the dead horse...Denon 3802 (1 Viewer)

[Tommy_N]

Popular topic these days...

Does anyone have anything negative to say about it? What is its worse feature(s)? Or better yet what one feature does it lack that would make it that much better?

Thanks

Tom

 

[Richard_M]

I have one gripe,

After a power failure when the amp is in standby mode, the amp comes back in the on position, every other piece of equipment and also the Yamaha amp that the 3802 replaced returned to the standby mode.

 

[Pete Jennings]

I had a Pioneer Elite receiver that did the same thing, it really made you keep an eye on the volume level when you turned it off from the remote. It can get kind of scary to come home and wonder if somebody broke in and is currently enjoying your setup!
I wouldn't let it scare you away from the 3802 though, it seems to be an excellent unit.
Pete

 

[Mike Bledsoe]

Did you say the Yamaha amp that the Denon replaced? Do you mean you had a Yamaha amp and replaced it with a Denon?

 

[Mike Bledsoe]

Well I own one and the only thing that I can say bad is I wish it had one more coaxial input, other than that I think that for the money it is a hard act to follow.

 

[Robb Roy]

Personally, I don't like the manual. Other than that, it's a hard act to beat for the money.

 

[John Royster]

not enough digital inputs
speaker terminals very tight
not enough video inputs
can't change video source with remote while maintaining current audio source

But I'd really need a flagship receiver to get all the audio/video/digital inputs I want.

I'm a little picky though. I really like mine. Movies sound great.

 

[itai]

remote issues:
Seting the bass and treble takes too many remote control navigating,
As is the subwoofer's db, i'd really like those accesible as separete buttons, just like the different procesing sound modes the remote offers.
Stupid, 2 speed volume button on the remote.
Too many weird and unused remote buttons. never had, and never will learn them i guess.
The volume's db display on the front panel is too small!
As mentioned, seting up those speaker wires, especially biwiring, is hell!
Yeah, maintainig video, and changing audio source or whatever, should be on the remote. where is it now?
Not enough bandwidth for HD switching. (get the 4802...)
that's it, great machine all in all, very happy with it!

 

[Tommy_N]

Not enough bandwidth for HD switching. (get the 4802...)

Wait I thought it was compatible with 480p, 720p, 1080i, what is HD going to be? And then progressive scan would be what type of component.

Thanks
Tom

 

[Henry_W]

The 3802 is a great addition to my system, but here are the things that bother me:
1. No D/A coversion from input to output - you have to be same to same to get sound to recording devices, wireless speakers, etc.
2. Less than full bandwidth component switching (not used so easily lived with)
3. DD snd DTS modes are combined so that you cannot set individual speaker volume levels for DD, DTS,DTS-ES,DPLII - this would be especially helpful on DPLII for the sub output.
4. I would like to see bass management go down to 60hz and could even tolerate 40hz (currently 80hz is as low as she goes).
5. No On Screen display when using the TV's internal tuner (not really sure how that could be accomplished since the TV is probably in control here, but you didn't ask for REASONABLE issues )
6. Volume front panel display larger - Yes, it would be nice to know because of the wide variance in levels between sources.
7. They should hire manual writers who use english as their 'first' language.
8. Tiny channel (disk, track, whatever you want to call them) buttons and numbers on the remote. A great many of us that can afford these things are already into reading glasses and are fatfingering keyboards, much less these tiny things.
9. Display panel and OSD does not always correspond to what is really happening on the input decoding (usually DD is happening, red light on front says so, sound is right, but DPLII is displayed)
Well that is a few of my favorite things. Remember, it is still a killer product.

 

[kevitra]

9. Display panel and OSD does not always correspond to what is really happening on the input decoding (usually DD is happening, red light on front says so, sound is right, but DPLII is displayed)

I have had this a few times and it annoys me. I know the sound is right, but it should be properly displaying the decoding type.

The remote, while better than the remote of the 2802, is still horrible. Thank god for Pronto.

I also wish it would keep different settings for PLII/DTS/DD. I usually have TV settings and DVD settings. They shouldn't be lumped together.

Still, it is a great receiver. Especially at $699.

 

[Dave Dahl]

Where are you buying a 3802 for $699? While I realize that it's probably an internet price I think it's important for readers new to the forum understand that the unit is not availible at that price (with associated warranty and service) at their local dealer.

-Dave

 

[Tommy_N]

My understanding is that 6ave.com is an authorized dealer. Yes, no?

 

[kevitra]

6ave is authorized. Check denon.com

 

[DanielSmi]

The reason it's likes is that most likely the DD source you're listening to is not 5.1 in fact it is probably stereo for ex. "Forbidden Planet" (really good 50's sci-fi if you've never seen it highly recommended) and "Enter the Dragon" are both in stereo, and the sound mode you have selected is one of the surround options (don't have a 3802 so don't know exact name) so it automatically takes the stereo and decodes it with PLII all receivers do this. Now if your watching like "Cast Away" or some other movie and you know the audio track is in 5.1 then you might have a problem, but it's very normal for a receiver to do this.

Daniel Smith

 

[Henry_W]

Hello Daniel - the source is really DD and is being reproduced in DD. The display will often stay DPL II - for instance, many trailers are DPL II on DVDs and when the source changes to DD the display does not change, but most definitely the 5.1 kicks in. You can force the reciever to recognize the DD for the display, but I have seen this happen often enough that I have grown to trust the little red LED for DD and go on about life.

Doesn't happen to me on DTS. Seems to only happen in auto modes.

 

[Bill_D]

remote issues: stinks!

 

[John Royster]

I'll stand up for the remote real quick.

I was listening to some music last night, watching TV, playing video games and realized I REALLY like the remote. works great with my CD player, TV, DVD - so much so that those remotes are in some drawer now. I can change sources with one touch and manipulate modes and settings very easily. volume buttons are nice and big, CD/DVDs are easy to manipulate thanks to the key pad, track and disc buttons.

guess I'm probably the minority though.

 

[Aslam Imran]

I think its a killer product overall. For the price/performance ratio it cant be beat. Not even by the 4802 or the 5803. Those are great products but for what you pay you only get marginally better performance that can be surpassed by adding separate amps to the 3802. Dont let anyone tell you about how much better dual 32 bit processors and the 8 DACs yada yada yada sound. Get the 3802 and later on add a 5/7 channel amp to it and be at par with the other flagships for much lesser amount of money IMHO. The preamp on this recv is pretty powerful at driving low impedance amps. I use the front two preouts to drive a Proceed HPA2 (11K input impedance compared to most amps with >33K impedance) and let me tell you when ever it plays 2 channel music its like attending a live concert with no signs of compression or congestion and its not even going to 0 db mark in my 22x19 room (with cathedral ceilings). My ears give up before the amp or the preamp in the 3802 gives up.

you wont have to look back for a long time with this product. Buy one !!!