Here's the problems I see with the Denon 3800. It's $1699. The same price as the 4700 was new a year ago. It offers 10dB lower SINAD, multi-tone distortion is higher and it's optimal preamp output is 0.8V instead of 1.1 to 1.3 for the Denon 3700. These lower specs will be problematic for driving external amps in pre-amp mode at higher volumes. Amps with 25dB or lower gain won't be able to be driven to loud volumes without adding distortion. And later if you add Dirac it requires another 10db of headroom for EQ. The mediocre Denon 3800H design offers less for more money. Lightly used Denon 3700/4700/6700 models will hold their value better than the lower performing 3800/4800. If you like less for more the Denon 3800H is your AVR. Few people pay $1700 for an AVR and never watch action movies with loud explosions and car crashes. Limiting external amp performance with a mediocre preamp design is not what I'm looking for in a quality AVR.
Yes, all of those unlucky sods, that buy 3800H and will use low gain amps on reference levels.
They will go into the history of audio as "The Sad Five" , as this is how many people will probably be affected.