Denon AVR-X4800H AVR Review

[phn]

Proac's awesome! Never heard them but owners seem to love them.

About the sub, I measured its level with a test tone and its 10db lower at least. It plays it at 75db before the sweeps, then sweeps at ~50db in the calibration. I have to call them to see what the issue is. I also have the SVS3000 Micro.

Are the test tone levels incorrect for the sub? That's another possibility. Did you measure your sub levels after calibration?

The strangest part was that it set the sub's level to -3.5db, lower than all other speakers. I would have expected it to bump it up.

Thanks, I've had the speakers since 90's, they still seem to be going strong. Micro 3000 is a sweet match to them, in particular as I have a relatively small listening room.

No, I haven't measured sub levels separately after Audyssey setup, if that's what you asked. Initially, I had to set it to -20dB from the -10dB default per the Audyssey subwoofer level test in the very beginning.

After having set the sub in said -20 level, Audyssey further set it back -1.5 dB which I then after some listening for a week or so brought back up to 0dB.

All speaker levels are relative to your room and each other, so as long as none of them reaches the +/-12dB level all should be good. Audyssey does not set levels beyond 12dB so that should be an alarm sign that somethings not right.

My current levels are FL +4, FR +5, Center 0, SL -1, SR -0.5, and SW at said 0 having initially been -1.5.

Looking at the original results of my latest run, Center was originally -1.0dB, I must have brought it up a bit to have dialog a tad more clear. Must have been watching a Nolan move

 

[techsamurai]

Thanks, I've had the speakers since 90's, they still seem to be going strong. Micro 3000 is a sweet match to them, in particular as I have a relatively small listening room.

No, I haven't measured sub levels separately after Audyssey setup, if that's what you asked. Initially, I had to set it to -20dB from the -10dB default per the Audyssey subwoofer level test in the very beginning.

Looking at the original results of my latest run, Center was originally -1.0dB, I must have brought it up a bit to have dialog a tad more clear. Must have been watching a Nolan move

That is so funny - I had at -20db and it was ok with it for the 1st calibration. Then I heard the sub playing low so I bumped it to -10db and guess what? It forced me to put it to -20db!

My sub's level is -3.5 db- I'll bump it up eventually but Dynamic EQ makes that a bit tough.

My center is 0.0 and surprisingly all my channels are so close. I noticed Dynamic EQ is less clear for dialog. I had to bring up my center by a few db and I used the Option to do it which doesn't affect the speaker setup Levels I believe and are specific to that input. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[peng]

That is so funny - I had at -20db and it was ok with it for the 1st calibration. Then I heard the sub playing low so I bumped it to -10db and guess what? It forced me to put it to -20db!

My sub's level is -3.5 db- I'll bump it up eventually but Dynamic EQ makes that a bit tough.

My center is 0.0 and surprisingly all my channels are so close.

Sub at -3.5 is excellent, makes it easier for the sub out to stay lower, great for peaks without clipping.

 

[ivo.f.doma]

Thanks, that's a flagship class avr.

Yes, but not expensive. And even A1H doesn't have something like that...

 

[techsamurai]

Out of curiosity, what controls the agility of a receiver? Essentially, the ability to play hundreds of piano notes at the right cadence and sustain them for the perfect duration with the correct dynamics for each note (of course, the speaker will affect that but with the same speakers, it's the receiver that would control the rest).

 

[EWL5]

Out of curiosity, what controls the agility of a receiver? Essentially, the ability to play hundreds of piano notes at the right cadence and sustain them for the perfect duration with the correct dynamics for each note (of course, the speaker will affect that but with the same speakers, it's the receiver that would control the rest).

Additonal detail will come from amp power and any preference (like "warm" or "Marantz sound") will be the high frequency rolloff setting.

I prefer glass shattering to sound realistic so no high frequency rolloffs for me!

 

[evert]

What am I doing wrong, if I play an Atmos track the AVR (X4800H) displays Dolby Audio - DD + Neural:X. It seems I'm stuck between different upmixers? Have I done some setting wrong somewhere?

 

[techsamurai]

What am I doing wrong, if I play an Atmos track the AVR (X4800H) displays Dolby Audio - DD + Neural:X. It seems I'm stuck between different upmixers? Have I done some setting wrong somewhere?

Can't you use the music or movie button on the remote to see all the options?

 

[ban25]

What am I doing wrong, if I play an Atmos track the AVR (X4800H) displays Dolby Audio - DD + Neural:X. It seems I'm stuck between different upmixers? Have I done some setting wrong somewhere?

What's the source device that you're playing Atmos from? Is the source set to downmix to DD+ or decode to LPCM by chance? Which input is it on?

 

[evert]

It's a Shield, tested both through the TV via ARC and directly HDMI to the Media Player port on the AVR.

 

[ban25]

It's a Shield, tested both through the TV via ARC and directly HDMI to the Media Player port on the AVR.

You'll want eARC for TrueHD Atmos, so you may want to run through the AVR to be on the safe side. Check the output/format options on the Shield, there should be an option to bitstream Atmos. It may be set to decode to LPCM or such. I also use a Shield, but I don't have it in front of me at the moment to check.

 

[Jack B]

Duuh, what is a Shield?

 

[peng]

Duuh, what is a Shield?

He probably referred to a Nvidea device.

 

[peng]

Out of curiosity, what controls the agilihttps://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/do-damping-factor-slew-rate-and-the-like-have-possibly-any-influence-on-the-sound-of-an-amplifier.34392/#post-1200760ty of a receiver? Essentially, the ability to play hundreds of piano notes at the right cadence and sustain them for the perfect duration with the correct dynamics for each note (of course, the speaker will affect that but with the same speakers, it's the receiver that would control the rest).

I guess you may be thinking of slew rate, and/or damping factor. It is highly unlikely for either to be an issue for your avr. So, don't overthink it enough to start imagining thing lol..

Also, hundreds of notes or a single note would make no difference to an amplifier, except for voltage and current requirements. The amp will still see the multiple notes/tones as input voltage at one single value, one moment at a time anyway.

Do damping factor, slew rate and the like have possibly any influence on the "sound" of an amplifier?

I am aware that a state of the art amplifier should not have a specific sound, the mystical wire with a gain. Most important features to grant this are linear frequency response, low SINAD, IMD and crosstalk and a high SNR. But often the damping factor and the slew rate are discussed (mostly in...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[pogo]

This is the main reason why an AVR usually sounds better with an external power amp: Link

 

[evert]

I want to use a 5.1.4 setup in my Main Zone and 2.0 in Zone 2, but that seems impossible to configure.
I thought I could assign any of the "assignable" outputs to anything, but thats not the case.
I don't use Surround Back, and ideally I'd like to assign that to my Zone 2 speakers, but they HAVE to be assigned to the Heights outputs for some reason.
I guess I have to use an external amp after all, even though I'd never use more than 9 channels at the time.

 

[hiphop_odc]

I want to use a 5.1.4 setup in my Main Zone and 2.0 in Zone 2, but that seems impossible to configure.
I thought I could assign any of the "assignable" outputs to anything, but thats not the case.
I don't use Surround Back, and ideally I'd like to assign that to my Zone 2 speakers, but they HAVE to be assigned to the Heights outputs for some reason.
I guess I have to use an external amp after all, even though I'd never use more than 9 channels at the time.

Yes, it only have 9 channels of amplification and you want to use 11.
But you can just buy a cheap class D amp and you're good

 

[peng]

I want to use a 5.1.4 setup in my Main Zone and 2.0 in Zone 2, but that seems impossible to configure.
I thought I could assign any of the "assignable" outputs to anything, but thats not the case.
I don't use Surround Back, and ideally I'd like to assign that to my Zone 2 speakers, but they HAVE to be assigned to the Heights outputs for some reason.
I guess I have to use an external amp after all, even though I'd never use more than 9 channels at the time.

You can do it, just a little more work changing your settings back and forth. For simplicity, use of an ext. amp if the best way. Just grab one of those Fosi Audio V3 amp and you are all set.

Fosi Audio V3 300W x2 2 Channel Hi-Fi Stereo Audio Amplifier

This compact yet powerful amplifier delivers a maximum power output of 600W into two channels, ensuring a captivating and high-fidelity sound experience.

fosiaudio.com

 

[rocketroberto]

I’ve a question about Dirac on the denon vs PC. (I guess I don’t understand ‘how’ it runs).

Big picture is that i noticed there’s no DLBC for the x4800h yet. If I’m planning on exclusively streaming 2.1 music from a MAC via hdmi to the denon (only using denon for 3.1 tv/movies) can I just buy Dirac live and dlbc for the Mac? Does Dirac ‘recommend’ settings for me to make with my speakers? Or does it actually tweak the audio stream real-time as it’s being sent?

Or does Dirac it have to be supported by (and ‘running on’) the denon?

DLBC is interesting to me because I have a sub that I can’t move around, and the room setup is a little funky.

The x4800h is now $1800 on Amazon but I’m also still very tempted to get the anthem mrx740 at $3k since its arcg is all included and apparently very close to Dirac.

 

[peng]

I’ve a question about Dirac on the denon vs PC. (I guess I don’t understand ‘how’ it runs).

Big picture is that i noticed there’s no DLBC for the x4800h yet. If I’m planning on exclusively streaming 2.1 music from a MAC via hdmi to the denon (only using denon for 3.1 tv/movies) can I just buy Dirac live and dlbc for the Mac? Does Dirac ‘recommend’ settings for me to make with my speakers? Or does it actually tweak the audio stream real-time as it’s being sent?

Or does Dirac it have to be supported by (and ‘running on’) the denon?

DLBC is interesting to me because I have a sub that I can’t move around, and the room setup is a little funky.

The x4800h is now $1800 on Amazon but I’m also still very tempted to get the anthem mrx740 at $3k since its arcg is all included and apparently very close to Dirac.

I am not sure I understand your question. If you meant running DLBC on your Mac, then of course you can have the sound output from the Denon via HDMI, that's if you already have the PC licence for DLBC.

The MRX 740 includes ARCG but it has only 1 sub channel, the 2nd one is paralleled with the 1st one, just like a Y connection. Also, DLBC, imo is more effective and easier to customize.