Denon AVR-X4800H AVR Review

[EWL5]

This is based on ART reports on the Storm processors and Dirac on D&M. It may work well for some, but all I see at AVS are mostly complaints. Have a look here:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/dirac-live.3137722/?post_id=59508402#post-59508402

I’m in the Dirac thread and 2800/3800/4800 owner’s thread over at AVS. There are no issues that can’t be rectified by following the instructions on the mehlau.net website!

 

[dlaloum]

From Gene Delasala:

View attachment 405038

Dirac and Denon is a very bad combo and ART simply don't work as expected and only makes things worse. You can check out the comments on the A1 EVO and Nexus threads on AVS forum.

If you read Gene's other postings where he goes into more detail, his problem with ART is in systems (like his) with full range base layer speakers - it works fine with a standard Sat/Sub based setup where the Base layer is crossed over to the subs, but the rarer (and therefore less tested!) configuration where the base layer has full range speakers that do not require crossover (and where a crossover is undersirable!), this configuration exposes some ART bugs... which they are working on.

He has had no complaints with regards to more standard ART setups, but has delayed his detailed analysis / review of ART pending the resolution of those bugs.

 

[bigguyca]

This is based on ART reports on the Storm processors and Dirac on D&M. It may work well for some, but all I see at AVS are mostly complaints. Have a look here:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/dirac-live.3137722/?post_id=59508402#post-59508402

What is the relevance of the page, that appears to be out of date, referenced from your link? The current version of Dirac Live is 3.10.10, released on September 30, 2024.

A reading of much of the thread you referenced shows that most problems in at least the past six months are with the version of Dirac used by Arcam equipment.

You may not be aware, but Arcam equipment is not made by Denon or Marantz. Arcam is one of the many businesses owned by a large company called Samsung through subsidiaries.

 

[CapMan]

This is based on ART reports on the Storm processors and Dirac on D&M. It may work well for some, but all I see at AVS are mostly complaints. Have a look here:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/dirac-live.3137722/?post_id=59508402#post-59508402

I think you're creating a lot of a heat without any light. You need to back all this up with some data. I have great results with DLBC and have measured in REW.

 

[peng]

From Gene Delasala:

View attachment 405038

Dirac and Denon is a very bad combo and ART simply don't work as expected and only makes things worse. You can check out the comments on the A1 EVO and Nexus threads on AVS forum.

The "very bad combo" may not be a fact, just your, and may be a few others' opinions..

 

[Fahzz]

Quick question: I bought a new cabinet for my gear and I'm going to rearrange some things. Can anyone tell me if I lose all my settings if I unplug my 4800, or will it remember them when I power it up again? Thanks.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

Stereo and Direct mode:

Crossover settings does work in direct mode, exactly the same way, and same performance as Stereo mode, except of course in direct mode, Audyssey is disabled. So the subwoofer will work too obviously, though the AVR-X1800H does not have the 2ch stereo playback menu, I think only the AVR-X4800H, Cinema 40 and above have that feature.

Pure direct mode:

- Bass management, even the basic crossover settings will not work, you can still set it to whatever you want, but it would have no effects, based on the REW graphs.
- Subwoofer will not work, unless LFE is set to LFE+M
- Subwoofer will work with LFE set to LFE+M, but crossover settings would still have no effects.

Well this is confusing.
So, how would I set it for stereo when I want e.g.: sub and and room correction to be active?

Also, that would mean "Pure Direct" is a completely useless setting unless you have large, full range speakers.

 

[popej]

that would mean "Pure Direct" is a completely useless

It is a downgrade option.

 

[peng]

Well this is confusing.
So, how would I set it for stereo when I want e.g.: sub and and room correction to be active?

Also, that would mean "Pure Direct" is a completely useless setting unless you have large, full range speakers.

But you can use the LFE+Main setting if you want to use subs, but no room correction in Direct or Pure Direct mode.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

But you can use the LFE+Main setting if you want to use subs, but no room correction in Direct or Pure Direct mode.

Don't see the point when crossover settings apparently are not respected.
Then again, as Popej already stated: Pure Direct is essentially a downgrade option.

 

[Uixelas]

Well this is confusing.
So, how would I set it for stereo when I want e.g.: sub and and room correction to be active?

Also, that would mean "Pure Direct" is a completely useless setting unless you have large, full range speakers.

If you want sub and room correction be active, set Pure mode to Auto and they should be enabled. Pure Direct disables room corrections and crossovers.

Music -> Stereo option also enables subwoofer, but I'm no sure if it also has room correction enabled.

 

[peng]

Don't see the point when crossover settings apparently are not respected.
Then again, as Popej already stated: Pure Direct is essentially a downgrade option.

I don't disagree with the "downgrade.." comment, as it depends on one's room acoustics and other options to fix some bass issues without auto RC/EQ. Regarding the crossover settings not respected, your "apparently" is the key word. As I mentioned in some of my previous posts, my findings were based on using the AVR-X1800H that I owned for a few months. So it does not mean the AVR-X4800H would behave the same way, my guess it, it probably would respect the crossover settings when you do it on the "2 channel stereo" menu, that is only available on the X4800H or higher models.

I also mentioned that from memory, my X4400H, that also has the 2 ch stereo menu, did seem to respect the crossover settings in direct mode. I even asked Marantz tech support about that (also had the AV8801) at the time, and they confirmed that it did have functioning crossover settings in direct mode even when using analog inputs, the rep clearly understood my question about how that could be done when the ADC/DSP/DAC path would have been bypassed. Note that I also posted a link to Gene's finding that it did work in the old but not too old Denon flagship AVR (5805 iirc). It is a very confusing thing/feature that D+M really should to spell out the details clearly in their user manuals, but I doubt that would happen as most (probably 99%, as most would just run Audyssey or Dirac once or twice and then forget about the whole bass management thing) of their users don't seem interested, or care at all about such details and also the fact that the use cases that makes it relevant is probably rare.

 

[fzst]

Hi guys,

I'll probably pull the trigger tomorrow on either a 4800 or a 6800 to upgrade form my 4400h (mostly because I want to try Dirac). Is there a reason to get the 6800 over the 4800 if I don't need the higher channel count? I only have a 5.1 with dual subs in a living room and even though I'll probably upgrade to Atmos in the next few months, I'll probably never need more than 9 channels. I might get some dedicated amps for the front but or now I want to use the internal amps (I have XTZ Cinema M6 and S2 speakers). Would you get the 4800 or the 6800?

 

[Power Pop 23]

Hi guys,

I'll probably pull the trigger tomorrow on either a 4800 or a 6800 to upgrade form my 4400h (mostly because I want to try Dirac). Is there a reason to get the 6800 over the 4800 if I don't need the higher channel count? I only have a 5.1 with dual subs in a living room and even though I'll probably upgrade to Atmos in the next few months, I'll probably never need more than 9 channels. I might get some dedicated amps for the front but or now I want to use the internal amps (I have XTZ Cinema M6 and S2 speakers). Would you get the 4800 or the 6800?

I would get the 4800.

 

[Mort]

Is there a reason to get the 6800 over the 4800

Not that I can tell for 5.1

 

[peng]

Hi guys,

I'll probably pull the trigger tomorrow on either a 4800 or a 6800 to upgrade form my 4400h (mostly because I want to try Dirac). Is there a reason to get the 6800 over the 4800 if I don't need the higher channel count? I only have a 5.1 with dual subs in a living room and even though I'll probably upgrade to Atmos in the next few months, I'll probably never need more than 9 channels. I might get some dedicated amps for the front but or now I want to use the internal amps (I have XTZ Cinema M6 and S2 speakers). Would you get the 4800 or the 6800?

6800, because it is on sale, has much better dac that will not likely make it sound better but nice to know it has better specs. Also, it does not seem to have any reliability issues so far.

 

[fzst]

6800, because it is on sale, has much better dac that will not likely make it sound better but nice to know it has better specs.

It's indeed at a pretty good price right now but so are the 4800 and the 3800. Honestly, it's pretty hard to choose a model from Denon's lineup because they are so similar other than the A10H, which really is a major step up in terms of build quality, construction and quality of parts, - but it's also almost 2000 bucks more than the 6800. I'd love to get the A10H but unfortunately it's out of my budget so it's just the question of where to make the cutoff between these 3 models, where it makes the most sense.

I kinda was set on the 4800 because I'm very happy with my current 4400h but I would be willing to spend a grand more if it's "worth it". Honestly, from a logical standpoint, getting everything other than the 3800 from Denon right now is actually stupid - it's on sale for 750.- right now But I don't want to "downgrade" my amp section since I'm planning on using it and the improved DAC on the 4800 and of course the 6800 is also appealing...

it does not seem to have any reliability issues so far.

That's good to hear because I remember reading about some Hdmi issues when it first released.

 

[ban25]

It's indeed at a pretty good price right now but so are the 4800 and the 3800. Honestly, it's pretty hard to choose a model from Denon's lineup because they are so similar other than the A10H, which really is a major step up in terms of build quality, construction and quality of parts, - but it's also almost 2000 bucks more than the 6800. I'd love to get the A10H but unfortunately it's out of my budget so it's just the question of where to make the cutoff between these 3 models, where it makes the most sense.

I kinda was set on the 4800 because I'm very happy with my current 4400h but I would be willing to spend a grand more if it's "worth it". Honestly, from a logical standpoint, getting everything other than the 3800 from Denon right now is actually stupid - it's on sale for 750.- right now But I don't want to "downgrade" my amp section since I'm planning on using it and the improved DAC on the 4800 and of course the 6800 is also appealing...

That's good to hear because I remember reading about some Hdmi issues when it first released.

Honestly, I would get the 3800 for your use-case and use the money you save to buy the DL + DLBC license on Black Friday. The 3800 has the same TI DAC as the 4800 and if we take just the anecdotal sample size on this forum, the Japanese assembled 4800 does not appear to be more reliable than the 3800.

 

[fzst]

Honestly, I would get the 3800 for your use-case and use the money you save to buy the DL + DLBC license on Black Friday. The 3800 has the same TI DAC as the 4800 and if we take just the anecdotal sample size on this forum, the Japanese assembled 4800 does not appear to be more reliable than the 3800.

Yeah it's insane value right now but since I don't have any external amps atm, I don't want to get a weaker amp section than I have right now in the 4400h even if it's only a minor downgrade. I will buy Dirac in any case since it's the main reason I want to upgrade my AVR.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

Honestly, I would get the 3800 for your use-case and use the money you save to buy the DL + DLBC license on Black Friday.

I wish they'd make silver 3800s. The device color was a major reason why I opted for the 4800 instead.