My beloved Denon AV Amp

[Themis]

Now, why am I talking about this ? AH yes, because, as my amps are @Glenn's garage (subconscious pressure: hurry up Glenn ! :eyebrows:), I'm using my favourite A/V amp, the Denon 3808 (once more) for listening to music ! :)

Well, I have to say, I'm extremely pleased with it, and, although this is nowhere near the Crofts, it is a wonderful amp.

- Not because it can decode everything digital existing (even multichannel DSD) and has HDCD
- Neither because it has two very nice 24-bit/192kHz Burr-Brown PCM-1804A chips per channel for D/A conversion and a 24-bit/192kHz Burr-Brown PCM-1804 A/D converter
- Nor for converting all analog video to digital continuously, nor for the Adyssey room equalisation
- Nor for the network, the radio, the AL24 procesing, the USB, the multi-room or the 8x130w amp, the assignable channels for bi-amping, the 2 multi-room outputs, the Phono input, the...
- Nor the fact that it is one of the (VERY) rare Denon amps entirely built in Japan, the looks or even the price

But because this amp makes music, whatever you throw at it !
:gig:

Well ok, its not the best everywhere, but the midrange is absolutely perfect (whatever the input, digital or analog)with an extremely low distorsion and for me : the Midrange is almost everything. Almost. ;)

Thank you the Denon guys !!! :mex:

[Reid Malenfant]

I can't say i have heard a Denon AV amp, though i do own a DVD2930 DVD player (which sounds very good indeed i might add).

I think most people tend to forget that while you are probably listening to two channel stereo on it you have in effect an enormous power supply reserve. If it's designed to drive multiple channels at 130W RMS then it'll drive two channels with consumate ease ;)

The Japanese don't tend to use the largest storage capacitors so i'd hazard a guess & say that with just two channels being driven you'd get much more power output than would be hinted at as the PSU would be fairly lightly loaded, this should result in much better sound.

Enjoy your kit Dimitri :)

[Themis]

One day you should listen to one (from the mid-high market, not the very small ones). I've had six AV amps for quite long, the Denons are a bit special.

It has some difficulties with speakers which go well below 6 ohms (relative difficulties, I'm just being fussy), but that's all about it.
And the sound with all channels driven (for SACD, DTS or DD for instance) is excellent too (but then, Audyssey is a bit responsible for that, too).
I used to have an Arcam250, and... I feel sorry for Arcam to have to face such a competition. ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Maybe one day i will, though i severely doubt it'll be in this system ;)

I run a multichannel system to, but use an Audio Research MP1 multichannel pre amp feeding various power amps. You can probably see why it'd be a wasted journey :cool:

On the other hand i'll be setting up another AV multichannel system in another room & i'm sure a similar Denon would leave my Harmon Kardon AVR5500 somewhat lacking :lol:

I don't use any of the amps to do video processing, so there is no reason for any multichannel amp to go out of date, just as long as it does the business on the audio side that is :)

[Themis]

The HK has a very good amp section, imho. Less power, perhaps, but clean power. ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Yes i found that to :) I did use the pre outs on the front channels to feed seperate power amps though, centre & rears were powered by the HK which probably gave them a bit more grunt than they'd normally have.

I was very happy with it & am once again looking forward to getting it plumbed up :eyebrows:

I think Denon kit is generally better built though, the HK is a little plasticy for my liking (not that i'll beat it up with a baseball bat you understand). It's an aesthetics thing in certain respects, i like a nice aluminium fascia which of course the Denons tend to have.

[guyb]

I currently have a Denon 4310 and I am very impressed with it for both movie and music play back!

It is by far the best AV Amp I have tried for stereo playback!

I used to have a top of the line Onkyo AV Amp and although it was a beast it just couldn't compete in any way to the Denon for music playback!

[Jac Hawk]

I've had a HK but the Marantz sr5400 i have at the moment does a very good job of making music and the build quality is fab too. The way i see it my lounge system is a compromise, it has to do movies / TV, XBOX and music, i just don't have the room in the lounge for 2 systems, the Marantz isn't the final word by any stretch, but it does make a very nice sound so for me it ticks all the boxes:)

[YNWaN]

Once upon a time I used to sell Denon AV amps (among other things) - they were my favourite of the AV amps (but not my favourite amp).

There is a lot of power supply in the bigger AV amps, but essentially it's just a bunch of smaller separate amps - when you use it as a two channel amp only, the power supply doesn't become any more dedicated to that purpose than it is when driving all five (or seven) channels.