Denon AVR-X4800H AVR Review

[peng]

I had trouble getting REW measurements from my laptop with a UMIK-1 and the REW software. I can try it again. Do I need another piece of equipment?

The Umik-1 should work well with REW. What kind of trouble are you getting?

 

[techsamurai]

Please clarify, when you use the 4800's amp you can't be using 2 vol controls, there would have been no need to??

When I got the unit, I played only the 4800h and I could tell things were not the same.

Denon 4800h only (DAC, preamp, audyssey + bi-amp) + subwoofer

In order to compare, I power the LR with the SR 8002 and have been using the following 2 options:

Denon 4800h (DAC, preamp, audyssey) + Marantz SR8002 (bi-amp) + subwoofer
Marantz SR8002 only (DAC, preamp + audyssey + bi-amp) (no subwoofer)

 

[techsamurai]

The Umik-1 should work well with REW. What kind of trouble are you getting?

I'll give it another try - see what the issue was.

 

[techsamurai]

I have not tried to use REW with live music but I believe you can do something with pre recorded music (hopefully someone will chime in on that). There is no need to complicate things, just do the sweep and you have the whole audio bandwidth covered. Are you doubting the merit of such FR plots that all reviewers do, including Amir? What is your concern?

The thing is, doing it this way, you would be able to have some idea as to what to do, regarding the question you asked in your post#1526.

It should be enough - I bumped 100hz to 1khz by 3 db with a bit of smoothing. Dire Straits's Sultans of Swing 9th minute from the Alchemy (Hammersmith Odeon), the guitars are even more elevated on the Marantz but the Denon is getting closer. I feel like the sound of the solo highs are between 750hz and 1khz. Anyone know what frequencies they span?

It's actually interesting how the soundstage is dependent on the curve especially in the golden range of sound because other instruments like drums are now given less presence and the guitars and voices are given the spotlight.

It's tough to use the iPad but you get the hang of it eventually. The annoying part is that the 1st point you add changes the entire curve forcing corrections at the low and high frequencies to get the original curve. I think 1 point requires 4 more points to isolate a frequency but once you pin the other frequencies, you can mess with a range.

 

[evert]

Anyone got a native auro-3d file to play in the x4800h? I downloaded a demo disc and it displays as DTS-HD + Neural:X.
Maybe that's correct? I expected it to say Auro-3d.. I can always chose that manually, but once I go to the Auto mode it always goes back to DTS-HD + Neural:x.
I run a 9.1 setup in the amp assign saying it's capable of Auro-3d. Feeding it with a Nvidia Sheld (Dolby Atmos and DTS:X works perfectaly btw).

 

[Steve Dallas]

When I got the unit, I played only the 4800h and I could tell things were not the same.

Denon 4800h only (DAC, preamp, audyssey + bi-amp) + subwoofer

In order to compare, I power the LR with the SR 8002 and have been using the following 2 options:

Denon 4800h (DAC, preamp, audyssey) + Marantz SR8002 (bi-amp) + subwoofer
Marantz SR8002 only (DAC, preamp + audyssey + bi-amp) (no subwoofer)

Denon 4800h (DAC, preamp, audyssey) + Marantz SR8002 (bi-amp) + subwoofer

This pathway is likely compromised. Running the 4800 pre out into the 8002 aux in will most likely result in ADC / DAC, as most inputs will be digitized.

I am not going to read back over the thread, so I apologize if this has been asked and answered, but have you compared the two with level matching to 0.5dB in pure direct mode?

Have you measured both with REW and a measurement mic using unfiltered pink noise to compare frequency responses? If you can do that, upload the REW files here for us to look at.

Only tangentially related, and I plan to post a more comprehensive review later, but I have a 4700 and 4800, which have different countries of origin, different DACs, and different amp topologies, and I cannot hear any difference between them in pure direct mode. I can hear slight differences in setup / Audyssey results when Audyssey is enabled.

 

[peng]

Denon 4800h (DAC, preamp, audyssey) + Marantz SR8002 (bi-amp) + subwoofer

This pathway is likely compromised. Running the 4800 pre out into the 8002 aux in will most likely result in ADC / DAC, as most inputs will be digitized.

I am not going to read back over the thread, so I apologize if this has been asked and answered, but have you compared the two with level matching to 0.5dB in pure direct mode?

Have you measured both with REW and a measurement mic using unfiltered pink noise to compare frequency responses? If you can do that, upload the REW files here for us to look at.

Only tangentially related, and I plan to post a more comprehensive review later, but I have a 4700 and 4800, which have different countries of origin, different DACs, and different amp topologies, and I cannot hear any difference between them in pure direct mode. I can hear slight differences in setup / Audyssey results when Audyssey is enabled.

I don't know why he worded it that way, as I thought he was going to connect the Denon preout to the Marantz multi channel analog input, and was going to compare them in 2ch stereo mode only. That way, there shouldn't be double converting. If he did not do it the way I thought he did, then sure, the issue wouldn't be just the double vol controls, but potentially something else as well.

 

[techsamurai]

I don't know why he worded it that way, as I thought he was going to connect the Denon preout to the Marantz multi channel analog input, and was going to compare them in 2ch stereo mode only. That way, there shouldn't be double converting. If he did not do it the way I thought he did, then sure, the issue wouldn't be just the double vol controls, but potentially something else as well.

I'm using the Pre-outs on the 4800h to the Marantz AUX2 Multi-channel inputs. Am I missing something?

 

[techsamurai]

I'll give it another try - see what the issue was.

I was trying to use ASIO4ALL and my Realtek soundcard showed a status of Beyond Logic with a red exclamation mark.

I was trying to measure all speakers back then. What's the easiest way to do a 2 channel REW calibration? Can I use the headphones jack with a 3.5mm to RCA instead of HDMI?

 

[peng]

I was trying to use ASIO4ALL and my Realtek soundcard showed a status of Beyond Logic with a red exclamation mark.

I was trying to measure all speakers back then. What's the easiest way to do a 2 channel REW calibration? Can I use the headphones jack with a 3.5mm to RCA instead of HDMI?

For 2 channel, you may find it easier to use java instead of ASIO.

Yes you can use 3.5mm to RCA.

 

[techsamurai]

For 2 channel, you may find it easier to use java instead of ASIO.

Yes you can use 3.5mm to RCA.

More stuff to buy that I'll never use but it will save me time ;-) How do I calibrate the sound card? Do I need to do that for 2 channel?

 

[AdamG]

More stuff to buy that I'll never use but it will save me time ;-) How do I calibrate the sound card? Do I need to do that for 2 channel?

Start a new thread and ask for help there. This us an Official Review Thread and posts need to remain on topic and about the product tested and the test results.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

 

[kryptonite]

Anyone got a native auro-3d file to play in the x4800h? I downloaded a demo disc and it displays as DTS-HD + Neural:X.
Maybe that's correct? I expected it to say Auro-3d.. I can always chose that manually, but once I go to the Auto mode it always goes back to DTS-HD + Neural:x.
I run a 9.1 setup in the amp assign saying it's capable of Auro-3d. Feeding it with a Nvidia Sheld (Dolby Atmos and DTS:X works perfectaly btw).

DTS-HD is being used as the transport medium. Once you start playing the Auro3D file and you see DTS-HD, on the remote under Sound mode, click the Movie button and select Auro 3D. It will then switch to use Auro3D decoding, and you can confirm that by pressing the Info button the remote. What used to say DTS-HD under the Input source, would have now switched to Auro3D, and you'll also now see Auro3D controls under Setup->Audio->Surround mode

Typing all this from my laptop, I'm not with my X4800H, but should be close enough for you to figure it out.

 

[rocketroberto]

Just for information, if you bought an Integra 8.4, you would have a separate SW output for both zone 2 and zone 3.

Thx guys. Man, I’m bummed. I just got a pair of KEF R7 metas to use for dedicated music listening; they are in the same room as my tv (the tv left/right speakers are separate bookshelves…it’s a large room) So, I have 3.1 for my tv/movies. And I want 2.1 on a zone-2 for music. (Using the KEFs in zone2, but using the SAME subwoofer)

If my music is coming in through an HDMI-2 input, does the denon allow you to select 2 different speakers (the surrounds or heights) to use instead as left and right? Meaning, reassign different speakers to use on different channels, for each input? Probably not…

Or is my only option to get something like the integra which allows subwoofers on zones 2 and 3? Hmmmm.

 

[antcollinet]

Thx guys. Man, I’m bummed. I just got a pair of KEF R7 metas to use for dedicated music listening; they are in the same room as my tv (the tv left/right speakers are separate bookshelves…it’s a large room) So, I have 3.1 for my tv/movies. And I want 2.1 on a zone-2 for music. (Using the KEFs in zone2, but using the SAME subwoofer)

If my music is coming in through an HDMI-2 input, does the denon allow you to select 2 different speakers (the surrounds or heights) to use instead as left and right? Meaning, reassign different speakers to use on different channels, for each input? Probably not…

Or is my only option to get something like the integra which allows subwoofers on zones 2 and 3? Hmmmm.

Can't you just use the R7s for movies also? Or are they in a separate listening space in the one room? If so, do they need to be?

 

[evert]

DTS-HD is being used as the transport medium. Once you start playing the Auro3D file and you see DTS-HD, on the remote under Sound mode, click the Movie button and select Auro 3D. It will then switch to use Auro3D decoding, and you can confirm that by pressing the Info button the remote. What used to say DTS-HD under the Input source, would have now switched to Auro3D, and you'll also now see Auro3D controls under Setup->Audio->Surround mode

Typing all this from my laptop, I'm not with my X4800H, but should be close enough for you to figure it out.

Thanks!
Changing output to Auro-3d actually also displays Auro 3D under input. And I can select Channel Expansion or Direct under Auro-3d settings.

 

[rocketroberto]

Can't you just use the R7s for movies also? Or are they in a separate listening space in the one room? If so, do they need to be?

Separate listening space.

I realized I could also get a simple 2.1 dac, have my mac go into that, and hook that up to 2 of my amplifier channels. But still no solution for the subwoofer in that case: I’m using a wireless SVS subwoofer transmitter. So I can’t run a sub cable with an rca switch, for example. (And I don’t want to get a second sub…nowhere to place it).

I wonder if the anthems can have a 2.1 in a zone 2. (Anthem MRX or AVM models). Sigh…

 

[ban25]

Separate listening space.

I realized I could also get a simple 2.1 dac, have my mac go into that, and hook that up to 2 of my amplifier channels. But still no solution for the subwoofer in that case: I’m using a wireless SVS subwoofer transmitter. So I can’t run a sub cable with an rca switch, for example. (And I don’t want to get a second sub…nowhere to place it).

I wonder if the anthems can have a 2.1 in a zone 2. (Anthem MRX or AVM models). Sigh…

They do not. You need the DRX-8.4 for that. To be fair, I don't think it's a great idea to try to hook the same subwoofer up to two different zones because you could have both of them playing at the same time and I'm not sure what that would do to your subwoofer -- probably nothing good.

 

[rocketroberto]

They do not. You need the DRX-8.4 for that. To be fair, I don't think it's a great idea to try to hook the same subwoofer up to two different zones because you could have both of them playing at the same time and I'm not sure what that would do to your subwoofer -- probably nothing good.

Thx. Gosh, this Avr limitation seems crazy to me. So I think best option is to :

- get a separate 2.1 dac for music listening (mac mini running iTunes lossless will go into this dac), and run its left/right preouts into my amplifier (and this will power my separate KEFS).
- get an rca 2-into-1 connector. Have the dacs subwoofer out go into 1 of those inputs. Have the avrs subwoofer out go into the other input. Have that 2-into-1 cable’s output go into my SVS wireless subwoofer transmitter input. (I’ll only ever be using music listening through the mac mini into the dac. Or I’ll be watching tv. I’ll never ‘accidentally’ do both). Basically, I’m creating my own separate zone 2, in a sense.

Yes? Am I cooking with grease? Am I a genius? Or is this a fail. Hahhh.

 

[ban25]

Thx. Gosh, this Avr limitation seems crazy to me. So I think best option is to :

- get a separate 2.1 dac for music listening (mac mini running iTunes lossless will go into this dac), and run its left/right preouts into my amplifier (and this will power my separate KEFS).
- get an rca 2-into-1 connector. Have the dacs subwoofer out go into 1 of those inputs. Have the avrs subwoofer out go into the other input. Have that 2-into-1 cable’s output go into my SVS wireless subwoofer transmitter input. (I’ll only ever be using music listening through the mac mini into the dac. Or I’ll be watching tv. I’ll never ‘accidentally’ do both). Basically, I’m creating my own separate zone 2, in a sense.

Yes? Am I cooking with grease? Am I a genius? Or is this a fail. Hahhh.

I would not recommend a Y-splitter. A Y cable with two different sources could cause problems. What you want is an RCA switchbox, something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Passive-selector-switcher-Splitter/dp/B089FX2NRR?th=1

That way, when you want to switch from listening to zone 1 to zone 2, you just need to turn the switch to get your subwoofer input.