Denon AVR-X3700H AVR Review

[Benedium]

Well for one it doesnt do mqa songs...

Oh I see. Thanks for illuminating.

 

[Bear123]

Well for one it doesnt do mqa songs...

Tidal plays MQA.
Tidal/MQA
Not that it probably makes any audible difference.

 

[TomekNet]

I've ordered Denon x3700 and I'm concerned about this:

Well, I tried to test this scenario but failed completely.

Hooking up the output of 3700 to Purifi using RCA to XLR adapter generated worse results than the internal amps! Some of this I traced to increased ground loop. But even when I filtered this out, the Purifi still performed worse.

I then tested the Purifi using my Audio Precision unbalanced (RCA) outputs. To my surprise, its performance was worse than it was with balanced input. It was still much better than what I could do with 3700H though.

After an hour of messing with it, I gave up. It is possible there is ultrasonic noise from the 3700H DAC that is disturbing the Purifi amplifier (wild guess).

In abstract, you need to have the amp be 10 dB better to have it almost be transparent (0.5 dB loss in SINAD). In your scenario we don't have that so the SINAD will drop to around 96 to 97 dB (my guess).

As I plan to buy Purifi amp some day in the future, I'd like to ask if anyone has evaluated this any further.
Could it be the case of Purifi implementation? Or no use of Purifi with Denon at all?
Is anyone using such configuration?

 

[eduardw]

I planning to do the same, with one exception. Before connecting the 3700h to the purifi I will use a stereo preamp. Maybe with ht bypass and then use the purifi. I hope this will give me best of both worlds. The bypass for surround and for serious listing the topping d90 connected to another input of the stereo amp. Maybe even using the new topping pre90 as the analog pre. I can use the volume memory as a form of ht bypass.
Did not decide yet which pre and which purifi I will by. For now I happy with parasound 2100 and ice based amplification together with the 3700h

 

[ririt]

I've ordered Denon x3700 and I'm concerned about this:



As I plan to buy Purifi amp some day in the future, I'd like to ask if anyone has evaluated this any further.
Could it be the case of Purifi implementation? Or no use of Purifi with Denon at all?
Is anyone using such configuration?

I have an March Audio Purifi P452 amp associated with the Denon 4700h used in full preamp mode. RCA to XLR cables were provided by March Audio with the proper connecting scheme. It works nicely. Alan from March Audio already highlighted in several threads the proper way to avoid any noise issue.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

Can I get a quick poll from the members here.. If someone were going to hand you either an X3700H or an Arcam AVR30 and you had to pick one, what do you pick? Don’t worry about pricing, just going on features and measured performance..

Big differences in my understanding are much worse measured performance from the Arcam, two less channels of amplification, no 8k video switching, but it has Dirac Live in place of Audyssey XT32. Does Dirac carry the day here, or is XT32 enough with the phone app that the Denon wins?

 

[Roland]

The Arcam, because it’ll sound better. It weighs 18kg against the Denon’s 12.5 kg so it’ll have a much beefier power transformer and its max power consumption is 1500w against the Denon’s 660w. SINAD on either will be inaudible, but the Arcam’s ability to drive speakers will be. I was unimpressed by the sound quality of the Denon’s amplifiers, so I sent it back.

 

[ririt]

The Arcam, because it’ll sound better. It weighs 18kg against the Denon’s 12.5 kg so it’ll have a much beefier power transformer and its max power consumption is 1500w against the Denon’s 660w. SINAD on either will be inaudible, but the Arcam’s ability to drive speakers will be. I was unimpressed by the sound quality of the Denon’s amplifiers, so I sent it back.

An cost effective alternative will be to associate the denon (in full preamp mode or in 11.2 mode by re-assigning the L&R channels de depending how much channels you need to power) with appropriate Ncore and/or Purifi amps. Your speakers will be nicely drived.

 

[oupee]

Arcam AVR30

 

[peng]

I would take the Arcam, sell it and buy the Denon. Can't based output on those meaningless power consumption figures, meaningless because everyone seems to be using their own test protocol/standards. Arcam's could well be what some referred to as "Maximum", whatever that means, may be based on 10% distortions (like Yamaha), peak, or both and who knows how many channels driven??, whereas Denon's may be based some a version(they are more than 1,2..) FTC rules, or again, their own.. Weight would work across the same product line such as comparing Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Arcam within the same series, but would be again meaningless, or anecdotal if compared among different brand/models because some us lighter customer made transformers, fans vs no fans, larger enclosure vs smaller enclosure, maximizing output under more channel drive vs less, and the list could go on..., yes there is some validity on this one, just can't based on it alone though.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

I can say conclusively that I’ll be using separate Rotel THX amps (RB985) to Bi-Amp all three speakers of the front soundstage regardless of which receiver I choose. How does that affect the calculus here?

My original questions still seem to be the most relevant. How much better is DiracLive than Audyssey XT32? How much does it matter that the Denons have HDCP 2.3 and HDMI 2.1 with 8k handling? Since Amir did test multiple Arcam products from this range as well as the Denon in question and the findings for the Arcam stuff were abysmal in some tests, it makes me wonder why you’re all still recommending them, what gives?

Is it because the AVR30 is four times the price and you can’t imagine that it isn’t a better product?

 

[Matt S]

I can say conclusively that I’ll be using separate Rotel THX amps (RB985) to Bi-Amp all three speakers of the front soundstage regardless of which receiver I choose. How does that affect the calculus here?

My original questions still seem to be the most relevant. How much better is DiracLive than Audyssey XT32? How much does it matter that the Denons have HDCP 2.3 and HDMI 2.1 with 8k handling? Since Amir did test multiple Arcam products from this range as well as the Denon in question and the findings for the Arcam stuff were abysmal in some tests, it makes me wonder why you’re all still recommending them, what gives?

Is it because the AVR30 is four times the price and you can’t imagine that it isn’t a better product?

Can't answer all your questions but you're assuming that Dirac is better than XT32?? I think its safe to assume that any room correction, particular for lower frequencies, is better than none ... it certainly makes a bigger difference than some of the other measurements regularly discussed here.

Personally, whilst I doubt we can actually hear the difference between some of the poorer and better measurements, I think that they do expose poor engineering. I actually emailed Arcam to express my concerns; people are paying high end prices for implementation that is far, far from it. No answer. At least Denon appear to answer (Amir).

 

[anandrajk]

Just an update: I used Audyssey to remove a lot of the harshness I felt of this receiver (relative to the Marantz SR6014). Now it is very usable. It is a shade more revealing at higher frequencies but I feel that I can make out the low noise floor (not sure if this is bias or not) and can listen to music at a bit lower levels than before.

Now, I need to donate to Amir either ways (for all the work he does).

I do like a few more changes that the new lineup brings:
1. 2 presets for storing settings (like Audyssey settings, pre-amp only mode)
2. Pre-amp only mode. I am on the lookout for a 3-channel amp with matching gains to my A21 so I can switch off all 3700h amplification and use as a pre-amp only.

How Did you remove the harshness using Audyssey. would love to get tips?

 

[reg19]

How Did you remove the harshness using Audyssey. would love to get tips?

Because it flattens the in-room frequency response and also lightly rolls off the high end.

 

[eduardw]

Today I found some kind of bug. Not sure it is the already reported down mix bug.
I have my htpc connected to 3700h with HDMI and sound is setup for 7.1 output. When there is no sound from the pc the denon input shows multichannel input 7.1. When I play a stereo stream from the pc. And use the surround multi in +Dsur.
The the sound of the center channel is very distorted. When i choose multi channel stereo the sound of the center channel is also fine. But when I setup my sound card in the pc for seteo only so no 7.1 output. The I can choose dolby audio dolby surround the sound of the center channel is fine.

Any suggestion.

Today after 2 month discussing this problem with denon, I got an answer from Denon. They told me sending 2 channel audio using 7.1 output configured from PC, then surround up mixing is not supported. They could have told me this 2 month Ago. I asked them why the up mixing option are available when it is not supported. I do not think they will continu to answer me.
I think they should change the software so if the denon detects only a 2 channel signal on 7.1 input that then surround option should not be available to choose.


Eduard

 

[valerianf]

It seems to me similar to the upmixing audio bug found by Amir during its tests.

 

[Burro]

Hello, new around here but hope i can get some help regarding AVRs. I've bought the NAD 758 v3i about a week ago but somehow missed this forum's reviews before the purchase.

A bit of a background, before the AVR purchase i bought a Cambridge AX61 which somewhat disappointed me in the bass section (thundering bass or not at all depending on how loud i set the amp). AX 3700h and 758 v3i were recommended being around the same price. Since the Denon was not in stock i got the 758, i enjoy it more than the Cambridge but not sure if i should keep it based on this forum's experience.

Should i wait for the Denon's and send back the NAD? I got the 758 v3i for about 1000$. Thank you for any help and have a great new year.

Equipment: SVS PB2000 PRO + 2 MA Bronze 500

 

[Roland]

Trust your ears. The measurements don’t tell you how how good an amp sounds to you with your source and speakers in your room. I sent an X3700h back because the sound it made through my system really wasn’t all that! A Yamaha RX- A3080 sounds far better, although it probably doesn’t measure as well.

 

[truwarrior22]

Trust your ears. The measurements don’t tell you how how good an amp sounds to you with your source and speakers in your room. I sent an X3700h back because the sound it made through my system really wasn’t all that! A Yamaha RX- A3080 sounds far better, although it probably doesn’t measure as well.

I have to say, I’m pretty let down by Sound United offerings. I stepped up to the SR8015 because I didn’t care for the lower models after listening sessions in pure direct. With the SR8015, I’m still trying to figure it out. Overall it’s pretty good with Audyssey enabled.

I will say Yamaha, at least the one I listened to, sounds a bit more tilted in bass and something in the mids or highs feels a bit more energetic. Not sure if it’s good or bad, mostly preference.

 

[Roland]

Unlike all other AV receivers on sale here in the UK (even others in the current Denon range), retailers have recently increased the price of the X3700h from £999 to £1099. It just shows the power of ASR influencing the level of demand!