Denon 3805 or 3806? Which one to buy? (1 Viewer)

[orestes]

OK, my Denon 3300 is at the end of its life cycle. Just today I took it to a service center to see if it can be repaired. However, I am now thinking about buying a NEW Denon receiver, but I am not sure whether to buy 3805 or 3806.

My video sources are:

DVD player
US PS2
JNP PS2
Xbox (soon to be replaced by 360)
Comcast Motorola HDTV box set
Toshiba TW40X81 HDTV unit
Energy Take-5 speaker and sub

Let me add that none of my video sources have HDMI, not even the Motorola HDTV box set. So I don't know if I really need such a feature in a receiver.

So I would like to hear the cons and pros of buying 3805 vs. 3806.

I appreciate any inputs and saving money tips too. Is it worth it to spend more money on the 3806? Thanks in advance.

Regards,
orestes

 

[Arthur S]

I think you might consider these choices:

1) Wait till you can find a nice used 3805 for $700, or;

2) Wait a few more weeks for the 2807 that won Best of Show at CES, or;

3) Save up a bit more for the 3806.

Like so many purchases, it comes down to being a money thing. A lot also revolves around how much integration of video into your receiver you plan to do. If video integration is not important to you, the 3805 becomes more attractive.

 

[orestes]

I do want as much integration as possible, and one thing I did not mention was that I would like as many audio digital inputs and video components inputs as possible. Since my TV unit only takes components, this is the most important feature in my purchasing one over the other.

I can wait until the end of April to see what the 2807 offers and where I can find it if it is ready available and offers me a god set of features at a more reasonable price.

By the way, when I put the 3805 and 3806 together, and I don't see the 3806 having any advantage over the 3805. Other problem I found is that I don't get enough years of extended warranty from the retailers. Since my 3300 failed at its sixth year of operation, 5 years of extended warranty does not seem to be enough anymore mostly when these units are very expensive.

Anyway, thanks for your comments, Arthur, and please keep all the advice and comments coming.

Thanks,
orestes

 

[Steve_Blazer]

There seems to be a few of these 3805/3806 threads popping up lately!


Maybe a search would help find you detailed answers so folks dont have to repeat themselves over and over.

Short version:

3806 has a ton more features than the 3805 if those features are of use (e.g. 3806 does HDMI, 3805 does not).

If theyre not, buy the 3805.

The comment about the 2807 is a good one.

I own a 3806 and if I hadn't bought before they announced the 2807 I would probably have waited to see how good the 2807 is.

 

[mylan]

Yes, I am waiting to see how the 2807 compares to the 3806 but i'm beginning to suspect that HDMI upconversion issues with the 3806 are not going to be that important and that the amp sections in the 3806 may be better than the 2807.

 

[orestes]

Well if I wait for the 2807 will it not be more expensive than 3805? This morning I went to best buy and I saw the 3805 for under $800. Since the 2807 is so new will it not sell for its retail price of $1099?

Regards,
orestes

 

[Arthur S]

orestes

Most likely, the 2807 will cost you about $300 more than the 3805.

That said, from what I have read, the 2807 is a considerable improvement in video integration and some other features.

For your $300 you will be getting a design that is 2-3 years newer with what I believe will be a much fuller feature set that should hold you for a good long time.

The 3805 can be considered trailing edge technology, that is why it is cheap. The 2807 is cutting edge technology, and that is where the $300 comes in.

If you buy the 3805 from BB, you do have 30 days to return it.

Since you plan to keep your receiver for, let's say, 6 years, that is about $50 a year for the 2807. How many days a week do you use your system?

Let us know what you decide.

 

[orestes]

Arthur S:

I plan to keep my receiver for as long as it keeps working. BTW, I own a Denon 3300 which barely made it to its sixth year. I am hoping that this new Denon will last longer.

I am planning to use this new Denon more often than my previous Denon. On avarage, I used my previous Denon 3300 about 3 times a week. However, this new Denon will be used possibly every day since I have comcast delivering HDTV, and I am planning to hook up the comcast box set into this puppy to get HDTV channels with DD 5.1 whenever it is available. This way, I will use the new receiver even when I am not watching HDTV channels so that I get a nice surround sound effect from my TV viewing. So the new receiver is going to get huge a workout this time around.

So I am hoping it does not fail a year after the extended warranty expires, for at $800 a pop it is not cheap to buy a unit every sixth year.

Thanks for you input.

Regards,
orestes

 

[Arthur S]

orestes

Since you plan on using the receiver every day with your cable box, the $300 difference is probably 15 cents a day.

 

[orestes]

Arthur

I have another question regarding HDMI. First, my HDTV does not have HDMI, and let's assume I buy the 3806 [or 2807]. If I go out and get DVD player with HDMI and hook it the 3806 via HDMI, but the 3806 video output is only COMPONENTS to my TV; then, my quesiton is: does this work? will I get the same resolution on my TV as the one the video source delivers? I am asking this, for I have read a few posts about problems with the 3806 and HDMI.

Oh one more thing before I forget; I wonder if I can have one source connected the 3806 via HDMI, and another 3 sources connected via COMPONENTS, and out to my TV via COMPONENTS [my HDTV only have 2 COMPONENT inputs].

By the way, I am actually thinking now to buy possible Toshiba HD-DVD player [$500], which does have a HDMI output. So I wonder if this all works fine. By the way, I don't like how the layout of all different inputs sources is in the 3806. I found that the analog audio output are too far from the video inputs. I may have a problem connecting my PS2's, Xbox, and GC to the video and analog audio since they all have a single cable which are the split into components, and analog audio. Hmm, I may have to buy new cables for these game consoles.

I will appreciate any comments regarding my HDMI question from either Arthur or someone else. Thanks.

Regards,
orestes
P.S. Sorry for the long post.

 

[Arthur S]

orestes

I don't know much about video connectivity to receivers. Someone else is going to have to answer your questions, either in this thread, or in a new one.

About the only thing I can say is that the 2807 is a generation newer than the 3806 and $200 cheaper, and seems to be a real advance as far as video connectivity. I think the 2807 is probably the way to go if you don't keep the 3805.

 

[mylan]

Orestes

I know maybe a little more about video but I am no professional to be certain, but I think the problem you are trying to get around is that your display does not have HDMI or DVI inputs. There would be no benefit to running an HDMI signal from the HD-DVD player-to-receiver-and component to the tv. Furthermore, You should not invest in an HD-DVD player until you do have a digitally equipped display because of HDCP(high definition copy protection) issues, which will give you at best down rez'ed progressive scan DVD quality, thus, negating the HD-DVD player's capabilities.
Another issue is that I am not sure that the 3806 will pass a 1080P signal, from what I read, the 2807 will. If it were me, I would buy the 2807 to be as future proof as possible, run components instead of HDMI and then wait and upgrade to a HDMI equipped display and HD-DVD when the dust settles.

 

[orestes]

I got the picture. I will have to throw away my HDTV in order to get a better picture eventually. I am not planning to throw my HDTV unit just now. I will pass down my unit in a year or so. So I guess I will have to buy the receiver with HDMI to prepare for when I get a new HDTV unit with HDMI. However, I will still have to get a HDTV unit wich will accept not just HDMI but components as well.

I have a new Japanese PlayStation 2 which can only be connected via components. I guess I will not have the problem with the upcoming PlayStation 3. Does anyone know if the Xbox 360 is HDMI ready? If the Xbox 360 is HDMI ready, I will only have my Japanese PS2 as a legacy system. So I think it will be wise to buy a receiver whether it is 3806 or 2807 which has HDMI. It seems to me that this cable/connectors game is getting out of hand.

Does anyone know when the 2807 is coming out? All I read is that 2807 should be out this month, but tomorrow is already March 10, and I have yet to see anyone selling the unit "in stock".

I guess I can wait a bit longer for the new receiver, but I hate when companies promise you a release date, and things do not get deliver as they promise.

I think now I understand enough about this new stuff to make an intelligent decision. Thanks.

Regards,
orestes

 

[mylan]

I too am waiting for the 2807, there was a slight delay with the 4306 so I imagine there may be one for the 2807 as well. I hate to bring this up but the 2807 will not decode the new audio format of HD-DVD, which is going to HD-Dolby. It is a bad time to be trying to upgrade on the eve of a new format to be sure.

 

[TimMc]

Orestes - here's another thought: With all of the relative uncertainty on the cusp of a technology change (HD-DVD, etc.) maybe it might make sense to just buy something to hold you over for a year or two? There are plenty of reasonably inexpensive used pieces that do fine w/ component now. Maybe try to fleaBay a cheap receiver now and get the real deal in a couple when prices & technology shifts settle down? Just a thought...

 

[orestes]

TimMc

After reviewing all the options, and finding out that HDMI technology is a mess and not ready for me, I will buy the 3805.

There are too many problems with HDMI. For instance, do we know which HDMI type the 2807 has? Is it Type-A or Type-B? Will my future HDTV unit have HDMI Type-A or Type-B? Who knows! There are two many variables in the confusing world of HDMI to make a correct decision and to try to predict the future.

BTW, I found this link which explains HDMI [ http://www.pacificcable.com/HDMI_Tutorial.htm ], and I don't like HDMI. Who knows, maybe next year someone comes out with a UHDMI [Universal-HDMI], and nothing works for this UHDMI now has a round shape connector with 50 pins inside and 3 screws to pin it down into your new HDTV unit with UHDMI.

So I stick with component cables which give me a reasonable HD image in my already old HDTV unit, and toslink cable for my DD 5.1 sound.

Thanks to everyone for his/her input. Now I understand completely what a mess DVI, HDMI and who knows next UHDMI (just kidding here) is or ARE.

Regards,
orestes