Denon receiver volume issue
NeilGabriel
Posts: 1,487
I was so impressed with the Denon 3802 that I got, that I picked up a used 2803 (almost the same). The 3802 is 110 watts per channel and the 2803 is 90 watts and a few supposed upgrades, including the remote.
The 3802 plays DVDs plenty loud at about -24 to -20. This 2803 seems to need to be on about -8 to -6 for similar volume. I doubt this is because of the difference in watts. The receiver display on the 2803 shows "M.Volume" when it gives the receiver volume. I wondered if there was some governor on the volume in the setup, which I haven't found yet.
Any help is appreciated while I download and print out the manual. Thanks.
The 3802 plays DVDs plenty loud at about -24 to -20. This 2803 seems to need to be on about -8 to -6 for similar volume. I doubt this is because of the difference in watts. The receiver display on the 2803 shows "M.Volume" when it gives the receiver volume. I wondered if there was some governor on the volume in the setup, which I haven't found yet.
Any help is appreciated while I download and print out the manual. Thanks.
Post edited by NeilGabriel on
Comments
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More current out of the 3802. better power delivery (more beef)engtaz
I love how music can brighten up a bad day. -
Yep, as you climb up the denon ladder, 3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx, one of the biggest improvements is in the amplifier section. Even though many of the paper features between the 2xxx and 3xxx receivers are the same, the amp sections are very different. I've never owned a 2xxx receiver, but my 3803 has similar volume characteristics to your 3802 after calibration.
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huh...that seems too easy...so I shoulda gotten another 3802, or a 4802? Actually, this is the downsized living room set up....it should be fine. Thanks.
...maybe it will be a xmas present come December....! -
4802 now your talking. LOLengtaz
I love how music can brighten up a bad day. -
All I can tell you is that on the 3803 there isn't any trick to calibrating it besides test tones and an spl meter. And it has similar characteristics to your 3802. What you pay for in the step up to the 3xxx over the 2xxx is the amp section. The 4xxx and 5xxx start adding a whole new level of bells and whistles.
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Interesting. That's good to know.Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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I'd make sure the channel trim levels are set the same so that you are comparing apples to apples. Set the mains and center to zero and compare. If that doesn't equal things out, then they might just have different sensitivities to the inputs (because they are different model years)
I don't buy that the power output difference and amp section will make that much difference. I say that because I went from a 2802 to a 4802 and my volume levels for normal listening remained about the same (or within a few ticks. The 4802 has much more punch in the loud passages, but the dialog levels are similar.
Oh yeah, M volume probably stands for 'Master' volume or 'main' volume if you have the multi room activated.For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore... -
Well, I would think that calibrating the 3802/03 series and 2802/03 series would be very similar, especially without a mic input and with test tones and an spl meter. And I doubt whether they made that big a change between the 3803 and the 2803 models with input sensitivity. I do know that source inputs vary a lot in their output. Depending on what source I'm listening to, I can set my volume from -35 to -20 and achieve a similar volume. So you should really just swap the receivers in and out of the same rig (source to speakers) to really know if you're comparing apples to apples.
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Just had another thought. You probably already considered this, but are the small/large speaker settings the same? Do you use a different subwoofer configuration with either receiver? I know it's possible on the 3803 to send the main subwoofer output to both the l/r mains and the subwoofer. If any of these settings are missing on the 2803, I'd imagine there would be a noticeable drop in speaker output.
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This is the back of a 4802. They came in 2 flavors 4802 THX and 4802R added THX2.engtaz
I love how music can brighten up a bad day. -
Just had another thought. You probably already considered this, but are the small/large speaker settings the same? Do you use a different subwoofer configuration with either receiver? I know it's possible on the 3803 to send the main subwoofer output to both the l/r mains and the subwoofer. If any of these settings are missing on the 2803, I'd imagine there would be a noticeable drop in speaker output.
I will play around with this a little more. The 3802 was in the exact same position as the 2803 now is. I wondered if there was something in the set up that controlled output (other than speaker volume levels)...like a mster volume output. I do hear a difference in the two amp sections' SQ....the 3802 seems a bit less jagged/metallic...
I did set the speaker size and don't have a sub. Thanks.
P.S. the 3802 is 8 pounds heavier....beefy...