Upgrading from Kenwood 407 to... (1 Viewer)

[Sean Moon]

I just went by a locally owned HT shop and they have two Denon 3801 units left and were going to bargain down on the price with me(currently at $1000). I am using a Kenwood 407 right now and am wondering what to do with it. Maybe give it as a gift to a friend or my dad, or sell it off. Wont get much I know, but am in a dilemma, as I need to reduce the brunt of buying the new Denon.
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[Sean Moon]

Still wondering if I REALLY need to upgrade. Everything sounds wonderful as is, but wanted to do some upgrade for star wars in Oct. Will there be that massive a difference. I have a very small room where my HT is, not the best acoustically. Great bass response though.
Suggestions?
Wait?
upgrade now?
Thinking about waiting until my raise at work becomes official and upgrading to celebrate.
I need ideas folks!!!
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[Sean Moon]

Good to hear. I am really amazed at it too, but have been itching for a new HT toy for a while. Said the TV would be the utmost importance before receiver, but lack the space. Should probably just save what would have gone into the receiver and dump it into a TV. There is a sweet one just eyed that is pretty cheap and a good size for my room.
Still undecided as on what to do.
UUUGGHHH....
decesions decisions...
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[Sean Moon]

Was looking at PAN PT47WX49 47in 16x9 TV everywhere I go. Went into circuit city and messed with the DVD player they had hooked up to it.(Was a pro scan JVC with Toy Story 2 playing in PS and stretched. Set the player to WS and the TV correctly.) This is one awesome looking set, but I will be moving within a year and dont really want to move more than needed. So...
get receiver now or wait for the TV???
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[Sean Moon]

I have a 5 year old 27 in Magnavox. It fits snugly into my roomates ent. center which fills one whole wide of the room. I still have the Kenwood sub that came with the box set i bought, and the two fronts with the box set are now my rears. I have a Pioneer center, dont know the product number, and Sony fronts. Upgraded the speaker wire to 12 gauge monster cable with the gold plated twist crimps when I got the new speakers. Got all that when I was living on a budget. New speakers might be in line, but I dont think it will add as much as my last upgrade did, the speaker wire made the biggest difference that time.
Main problem with waiting to get the TV is moving the ent center somewhere else, and there is nowhere in this house this thing can fit..and I would have to buy a whole new rack to store my shit in too.
I definitely need to upgrade my player, but I was going to do that at the time of the TV purchase, as my Samsung is doing fine by me, especially since it is hacked to be region free. The player is a simultaneous upgrade with the TV in my opinion, since I will want to go for pro scan then.
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[Chris Rock]

Yeah,
I'll second that. I upgraded my speakers to the JBL NCenter and N26's and my 407 Receiver is still awesome!
Oh, and I'd also definitely ugrade the TV before the receiver.
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"You advance yourself only by my good graces."

 

[Norm Strong]

If you're going to change receivers, be sure the new one has Dolby Pro-Logic II. I don't think the Denon 3801 does. PL II is a worthwhile addition, unlike many.
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Norm Strong ([email protected])

 

[Jeremy Hegna]

SPEAKERS first!!!!
Definitely...you think you heard a difference with your speaker wires....wait'll you hear 3 timbre matched speakers in the front Phenomenal.
I started into this hobby a couple of years ago with a Kenwood HTB. I was gun-ho to upgrade my receiver but someone gave me the same speaker advice....Low and behold it sounded like a brand new receiver when I put my "new" B&W 602s up front...unbelievable difference. And you can keep 'em forever. When it does come time to put a new receiver to work, you'll have the speakers already.
Definitely go with speakers, then decide if you're missing something on the power end.
Jeremy

 

[Ray R]

I'll second the speaker recommendation. I lived with a VR309 as I upgraded from Bose to B&W302 to B&W602 and it did a hell of a job. Only when I got to the 602's did I notice the weaknesses of my Kenwood.
Keep in mind that old equipment can be the start of a nice little bedroom HT.
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HT pictures

 

[Eugene Hsieh]

Hmmmm... When I first started reading the thread I thought you were talking to yourself.

Yeah, get new speakers.
If you do end up getting a new receiver, definitely get something with DPL II, and also consider something with 4-channel stereo.
I just got the Kenwood 510, and it's a decent machine, although not as feature rich as the Sovereigns I had been spec'ing out.

 

[Sean Moon]

Ah yes, I was talking with myself, but I was really trying to raise this to the top of the forum without sounding TOO stoopid.
I have shot down the receiver idea, as money is tight for this month all of a sudden. The speakers I have been looking at for the past few days on everyones recommendation.
Any other advice on what to go for?
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