Denon AVR-X3800H Review

[Sylvia]

What's the primary source of your music?

Apple Music and Spotify

 

[antcollinet]

Depends on how you like your music. If you prefer music streamed in Dolby Atmos surround (and have the source capability), your "movie" setup should suffice. If you are planning to listen exclusively in stereo using your full ranger towers, then you may want something beefier like dedicated amp(s) or the 6800.

What's the primary source of your music?

The 3800 is fine for 2.x as long as 100W or so is sufficient for your room/speakers/listening level.

 

[Sylvia]

...you may want something beefier like dedicated amp(s) or the 6800.

Well I am planning to use the 3800 mainly as a preamp to a couple poweramps I already have (I mightuse internal amplification for small surrounds which are easy to drive, Emotiva B1+)

 

[antcollinet]

What would be the doiference if one wants to build a surround setup with the 3800 for music instead of movies?
I mean, is there some factor one has to keep in mind?
In my case I want to listen to music in dolby atmos and use the upmixing options

The 3800 is fine for 2.x as long as 100W or so is sufficient for your room/speakers/listening level. That is how I am using it (as well as for 5.1.4 Atmos movies)

If it turns out it doesn't have enough grunt, then the pre-outs exist to add a more powerful external amp.

 

[Sylvia]

If it turns out it doesn't have enough grunt, then the pre-outs exist to add a more powerful external amp.

Yes that's the plan

 

[EWL5]

Apple Music and Spotify

I think you should be fine w/the current setup!

 

[EWL5]

What does it mean "the clearance to deploy the enclosure in vertical orientation"?
Does it mean to have enough free space to place them vertically?
Also: could it perhaps be better using 2 bookshelf speakers with an rca splitter?

Yeah, I think he meant space to put the speaker vertically (typical for bookshelves) vs the horizontal of a typical center channel.

I wouldn't use splitters to accomplish what you want. It adds an additional level of complexity that doesn't need to be there!

 

[antcollinet]

Yes that's the plan

I'd try it without the external amps first. You may be surprised.

 

[Sylvia]

I'd try it without the external amps first. You may be surprised.

Thing is, I'll be using Wharfedale Aura 2 speakers on the rear, and they are very power hungry . Also the R700 seem to sound better when they have plenty of power. And then 2 more speakers on both sides of the listening position, I think it may be too much to ask from the 3800...

 

[Power Pop 23]

What does it mean "the clearance to deploy the enclosure in vertical orientation"?

Does it mean to have enough free space to place them vertically?

Yes

Also: could it perhaps be better using 2 bookshelf speakers with an rca splitter?

Usually not, unless one is viewing a very wide (projector) screen. Two loudspeakers as a center channel can interfere with each other. In most instances a single bookshelf loudspeaker can do the job as the center channel loudspeaker.

 

[antcollinet]

I'll be using Wharfedale Aura 2 speakers on the rear, and they are very power hungry

88dB sensitivity - 6ohm nominal dropping to 3.5. Don't seem that power hungry to me.

Like I say - try it. Doesn't cost you anything, and can save a whole hell of a lot of complexity in the setup, including risk of ground loops. You avoid the need to gain match different amps also.

 

[Sylvia]

88dB sensitivity - 6ohm nominal dropping to 3.5. Don't seem that power hungry to me.

Like I say - try it. Doesn't cost you anything, and can save a whole hell of a lot of complexity in the setup, including risk of ground loops. You avoid the need to gain match different amps also.

Will do, thanks a lot

 

[cdx47]

As long as you are happy, IMO that’s really what matters. Enjoying the content is really the ultimate goal.

What ruins happiness is to go and question it from all sides. Happiness is not an engineering term or entirely scientific, so many people on the forum will ask all these questions to verify if the state of happiness is justified. And than there are various levels of happiness which might or not matter depending on the goals you set and capabilities or your system.

As your system gets more capable, it will be progressively more difficult to adjust it to the higher or highest levels of happiness. And of course at that level people will start to diverge as their preference might take them in different direction. It is great though that number of solutions is increasing.

Apologies if I've already said this, but right now I'm at the tiring but fun stage of "it can't get any better than this!" then it does I know that will come to an end once I've reach the limit of my equipment. But what's great is when you thought you knew the limits and are proven wrong time and again

Yes @Power Pop 23 I've "borrowed" your signature format

 

[peng]

On sale again for $949.

Thanks for sharing the good news, at least to those in the US. This AVR is really of unbeatable value at such this below $1,000 price point wish I can get that in Canada. 11.1(4), richest bass management, Auro3D, avove average power amp output, reasonably good SINAD, IMD, flat FR, Audy XT32 SubEQ compatible with the $20-$200 app, DLBC, potentially upgradable to ART. Packed with such an amazing feature set, all for below $1K, can't really complained, even with 2 year shorter warranty than it's better looking cousin Cinema 50, at almost $1K less in NA, it is unbeatable. In a few other countries, the Cinema 50 would beat it, obviously, because of the 5 year warranty, and better looking (apparently to most people) and... the easily imagined Marantz sound to those who believe it subjective hearsay haha..

 

[Sylvia]

You avoid the need to gain match different amps also.

If I may ask this just out of curiosity: how does one do gain match of different amps on the 3800? Does the software include some feature for it?
I mean, I find it really interesting and of course it totally makes sense: If one uses different amps with different specs such an issue is likely to arise

 

[Sylvia]

...a whole hell of a lot of complexity in the setup, including risk of ground loops.

Is my understanding correct that using XLR imstead of RCA would prevent ground loops?
What about power conditioners? Or do those devices per se belong to the realm of Audiophile-Hocus Pocus?

 

[peng]

If I may ask this just out of curiosity: how does one do gain match of different amps on the 3800? Does the software include some feature for it?

If you know the specs, you can adjust the levels yourself, takes seconds to do. Otherwise, the easiest and quickest way to find the difference is to run autosetup’s first mic position to find the required adjustment to the levels, then quit, to save time and adjust the levels manually.

 

[peng]

Is my understanding correct that using XLR imstead of RCA would prevent ground loops?

Yes, n most cases.

What about power conditioners?

No, in most cases.

Or do those devices per se belong to the realm of Audiophile-Hocus Pocus?

Imo yes.

 

[peng]

The x3800h can do almost anything the typical HT would ever need. I don’t need one, but have been tempted to get one just for fun, not for music or movies, but for tweaking and measuring.. Could be an expensive toy, like around C$3,700..with all accessories, but could do it in stages.

 

[Sylvia]

The x3800h can do almost anything the typical HT would ever need. I don’t need one, but have been tempted to get one just for fun, not for music or movies, but for tweaking and measuring.. Could be an expensive toy, like around C$3,700..with all accessories, but could do it in stages.

Can you buy it in the US for a better price?