need info for a new reciever

dave shepard

I have been doing upgrades on my system and the reciever will be next. I've asked before and everyone says the Denon 3803 as the reciever of choice. I was wondering what kind of benefit will I see by changing my existing reciever to the 3803? Will there be a sound diff.? What makes that the best reciever I can get for my setup? I don't understand much about specs. except the power ratings and there are others with more that to me would be the more logical choice, can someone explain? I just don't understand.
Was looking at Denon 4803-5803/B&K 507.

Thanks
Dave

fireshoes

Dave, not understanding specs is a good thing, because most specs are BS. The receivers you are looking at would sound great with your current speakers. The 5803 is closeout some places so you might be able to get a reall good price on it. Best bet is to try it at home and see how it sounds to you.

mantis

the speakers you own the 3803 is the perfect choice.Sound quality I believe is a perfect match.

Owning a higher end receiver is fine but owning higher end speakers follow.

Dan

Dr. Spec

The 3803 will waste the Panny in SQ. I was amazed at the diff when I bought my 3803. You wanna talk about DETAIL? Holy smokes! It was like a veil was lifted. Dan speaks the truth.

The front end of the 3803 is really high quality stuff; comparable to the 5803 without all the doo-dads and THX stuff. 3803 = perfect for your set-up.

dave shepard

Originally posted by mantis

Owning a higher end receiver is fine but owning higher end speakers follow.

I'm not sure I understand that one.

What will the benefit in SQ be, more detail in both the highs and mid or just one. I am also wondering dosen't extra power give you better SQ in that the speakers are driven to their full potencial? That is why I'm thinking more power, the 3803 from another post had questionable power (70-80wpc for HT) and the speakers are rated for upwards of 200wpc. Without the benefit of an EQ, the control over the sound is left up to the recievers amp and how the manuf. has set it up is that correct?
Try to understand I am surtantly not questioning your knowlage of recievers, I'm just trying to better understand how you arrive at that one and why for my own benefit and understanding. My wife said go ahead but before I do I would like to understand how it would be better.

Thanks
Dave

dave shepard

I forgot to mention that there is nobody inside a 70mi radious that sells Denon and the HT store I have called about the Denon have talked about the lack of power of the 3803 and were pointing towards the Kenwood 7080 as being the better choice. Every place I call has a diff. answer to the same question and a diff. recomendation. You guys haven't steared me wrong yet in the upgrade I'm just trying to iron out the details.

Thanks again
Dave

Dr. Spec

Dave:

The 3803 has LOADS of clean power for ALL your speakers in a high passed mode at 80 Hz. It has a very decent amp section with a pretty heavy trans and discrete output sections for each channel. It will effortlessly power all seven speakers to ear bleeding volumes with the PB2+ in the loop.

The pre/pro section has very high grade DACs and DSP - the same used in the TOTL Pioneer Elite and similar to the 5803. With the RTi70's, it sounds neutral and very detailed with a nice wide and deep soundstage. The 70's will really benefit from hi-grade wire with the 3803. It even does AL24 processing on music, even though the owner's manual does not discuss that. The highs are extremely detailed and have natural timbre and the mids have outstanding clarity. I was truly amazed at how much better is sounded than my previous AVR.

You can set it up to force matrix any 5.1 movie, and it handles DTS 6.1 discrete and the true 7.1 Widescreen DSP mode is outstanding for older DPL and crappy 5.1 mixes (Excalibur springs to mind).

The set-up and on-screen GUI is awesome and it is very flexible. It has tons of useful features (not **** doo-dads), excellent BM, and the Personal Memory Plus is excellent for having different sub levels for HT and music if you use your DVD player for music.

It accepts 7.1 inputs DVD-A and SACD, and also has 7.1 outputs (which you will not need unless you go LSi).

Denon slammed one into outer space with the 3803. Nothing but stellar reviews over at HTF from some very picky owners. A large improvement from 3802.

On my say so, buy the 3803. I'll help you set-it up since I know it inside out by now. You will not regret it - a great match with the RT line and the PB2+ ad a big improvement over the Panny in features and SQ.

I'll say it again - Mantis has access to and personally tests ALL the popular AVRs. He consistently recommends one in the $1,000 price class - the 3803.

dorokusai

The Kenwood is a dog, keep the 3803 or go higher up the food chain if you must.

dave shepard

Thanks for the reply Doc, your recomendations have not fell on def ears. Coinsider it a done deal. Just doing my part to keep the economy going.:D

Thanks

Dave

Dr. Spec

Get some high grade cables for the 70's and get a decent calibration DVD and fine tune your system for audio and video and don't look back - huge improvements are in store. Are you DVD-A and SACD capable?

bigsexy1

Dave, good move. I concur with Dan, Doc, and Doro (man, there sure are alot of Ds in this thread). Go to 6th Ave, an authorized dealer which will include the warranty, and order the 3802 for $688.06 shipped, and you will instead get the 3803. For the money, and based on the speakers you have, you can't possibly do any better.

dorokusai

That 6th Ave. thing is a real nice deal.

dave shepard

I have a player with DVD-A and have only 1 so far (Faith Hill) and have yet to hear it on the new speakers.

For those that have ordered the 3802 and got the 3803 instead, I recieved the electronic reciept from 6th Ave, did yours say that the 3802 was ordered for a total of $648.06 and you will recieve a printed invoice with your order. Will they then send another E-mail about the 3802 being out of stock and request permission to substitute with 3803? I wonder if they have it in the new silver?