Denon S-301

AndyGwis

Hey Guys,

Needed something to replace my old NAD / Mirage (with torn grill cloth) / Cheap sub setup in my office.

Ended up getting a Denon S-301 for a reasonable price. Like the looks, does everything I need it to do and more, works great. Few questions, though. . .

No remote with the setup. Wonder if I need the original or can just get a universal. Anyone have the original remote and can tell if it does anything special?

Unsure of the Laptop - Denon hookup as well. Usual 3.5MM to RCA adapter cable sounds like hell. Probably the poor audio card in my Laptop. Any other solutions? It does have Optical, Coaxial, RCA, USB, and Ipod connections available. Is it possible to just hook up a USB cable from my laptop to the Denon? What would I need to do to make this thing sound good from my laptop as a source?

Thanks, guys! If you know where I can get a remote or the proprietary iPod connector cable on the cheap (ie, not Denon's website), let me know.

AndyGwis

Soooo. . . feel free to still answer my questions above.

Initial thoughts - for a home theater in a box type deal, it actually sounds pretty good. Music has good clarity, good detail, nice highs and mids. Lacks punch and "presence" as one review put it. For having a subwoofer that weighs about 35 lbs and seems solidly built, not much bass to speak of.

While the dynamics lacking for music, they don't take away from it too much. For movies, however, they do seem very noticeable. For a HTIB, it lacks for HT.

Upconverting DVD player is pretty decent. Not up to the level of my old PE 59avi or Toshiba HD-XA1, but equal to my Samsung HD-850.

So, a solid bedroom / office / third setup. . . but nothing I'd want as my main music or HT rig. Listening to movies / music on the Denon was nice, but made me want to rush home with those same CDs / DVDs and put it on my main systems.

4 of 5 stars at the price I got it.
3 of 5 stars at street / used prices.
2 of 5 stars if you managed to drop $1500+ (retail) on it.

sucks2beme

AndyGwis wrote: »

Soooo. . . feel free to still answer my questions above.

Initial thoughts - for a home theater in a box type deal, it actually sounds pretty good. Music has good clarity, good detail, nice highs and mids. Lacks punch and "presence" as one review put it. For having a subwoofer that weighs about 35 lbs and seems solidly built, not much bass to speak of.

While the dynamics lacking for music, they don't take away from it too much. For movies, however, they do seem very noticeable. For a HTIB, it lacks for HT.

Upconverting DVD player is pretty decent. Not up to the level of my old PE 59avi or Toshiba HD-XA1, but equal to my Samsung HD-850.

So, a solid bedroom / office / third setup. . . but nothing I'd want as my main music or HT rig. Listening to movies / music on the Denon was nice, but made me want to rush home with those same CDs / DVDs and put it on my main systems.

4 of 5 stars at the price I got it.
3 of 5 stars at street / used prices.
2 of 5 stars if you managed to drop $1500+ (retail) on it.

For mini to rca, get an AQ adapter, and use standard i/c's.
AQ also makes a mini to rca cable that's not too pricey.
Might be time for a DAC instead of a laptop soundcard.
I don't know squat about Ipods.

Holy crap. I just looked it up. It does SACD?!?!?!

RuSsMaN

The laptop 1/8th inch jack is a variable output, make sure you turn it (or your main volume) down at least halfway before sending it to an external amp.

Cheers,
Russ

AndyGwis

let's say I did have it up too high. What could it potentially damage?

Just trying to figure out what is currently causing this serious buzzing it has. I will try the iPod to the Denon with the same cable tomorrow, which (if it sounds good as I assume it will) will mean my current adapter/cable and the input of the Denon is okay.

That means the signal being sent from the Laptop will be the issue. So, without getting a new sound card (company computer so not an option), can you use the USB as an output? Get a better cable and help its shielding / etc helps? Any other idea?

AndyGwis

Holy crap. I just looked it up. It does SACD?!?!?!

I think it does everything. SACD, DTS, DD, DVD-A, has HDMI output, you can hook up your iPod directly to it (using the Ipod cable I don't have) and navigate the iPod with the remote (I don't have) and it even shows Ipod navigation on the TV screen.

Lot of cool feature. Solid build quality. Great looks. Decent sound. Bad value, though, in my mind. Who needs a $1500 2.1 HTIB?

RuSsMaN

I've never had a volt distort or clip, but it could be simply over-driving the input, making everything sound like ****.

Also, if you are using Winamp, or something with a graphic equalizer, boosts, or dsp's built in - disable them, or use very very cautiously.

AndyGwis

It is more of a loud buzzing than general clipping. Sounds like when you accidentally leave the amp on and unplug the rcas. . . also, it usually doesn't happen right away, sounds good until I move the mouse or something else (even very gently) moves on my desk.

So, I think it is probably a bad / super sensitive headphone out from my laptop or the cable somehow has gone bad.

Yesterday, I ordered the cheapest sturdy looking adapter cable I found on amazon (Monster cable 7' for like $6). I looked at the AQ adapter, but would be expensive to hook up ICs to that thing, and I don't like having that many points of contact (handoffs). Tried those in the past and they never seem to work as advertised.

Thanks for the responses. I was hoping doing a straight USB connection would be possible, but I guess I'm missing something (software or hardware) to do that. The Denon does have a USB input and my computer obviously has USB outputs. I guess PC USBs are inputs and not outputs, but didn't know if you smarties knew something I didn't.

sucks2beme

AndyGwis wrote: »

It is more of a loud buzzing than general clipping. Sounds like when you accidentally leave the amp on and unplug the rcas. . . also, it usually doesn't happen right away, sounds good until I move the mouse or something else (even very gently) moves on my desk.

So, I think it is probably a bad / super sensitive headphone out from my laptop or the cable somehow has gone bad.

Yesterday, I ordered the cheapest sturdy looking adapter cable I found on amazon (Monster cable 7' for like $6). I looked at the AQ adapter, but would be expensive to hook up ICs to that thing, and I don't like having that many points of contact (handoffs). Tried those in the past and they never seem to work as advertised.

Thanks for the responses. I was hoping doing a straight USB connection would be possible, but I guess I'm missing something (software or hardware) to do that. The Denon does have a USB input and my computer obviously has USB outputs. I guess PC USBs are inputs and not outputs, but didn't know if you smarties knew something I didn't.

The docs say the usb interface is for a music server. Not for a pc interface.
Time for a DAC!!! laptop outputs stink.

AndyGwis

what would the dac accomplish for me? How would I hook it up from PC to Denon or something else?

sucks2beme

AndyGwis wrote: »

what would the dac accomplish for me? How would I hook it up from PC to Denon or something else?

pc to dac via usb. Dac to Denon via analog input.
Dacs are normally much better than pc sound cards.
You also might want to see if there is software for your pc to emulate a
music device(ipod or mp3 player) so you can directly output around your soundcard. I may have to look at the docs some more. I'm old and forget things. But if what I think I rememer is true, the usb input is not really
very flexible.

sucks2beme

Could your mini output jack of the laptop be broken?
My understanding is some laptop brands jacks are easily
borken. The connection to the board cracks, and output
will be flakey. I re read your description, and remembered
someone who was going to start a business fixing output
jacks of laptops. Try a cheap set of headphones, and then try
the same test(using mouse, working around on desk).
If broke, call IS dept.

AndyGwis

That's what I was thinking it might be. Either the jack or the cable.

I did have this problem with my last laptop, too, but didn't have any headphone issues with either of them. I did use my new Dell laptop to watch a movie with headphones on my trip to Vegas and wasn't getting the buzzing then.

I'll look into the PC DAC thing. If you can recommend some places / brands to look at, that would be cool.

AndyGwis

Surprisingly enough, I received the Monster cable adapter ($6+ shipping from Amazon or something). And. . . it works! Been going strong for an hour now with none of that buzzing crap. I think there was just something funky with that last cable. . . must have had some internal issues in it.

Just need to find a remote and a Ipod cable for this bad boy and I'll be set. Listening to Snow Patrol SACD, then maybe some Beck on SACD later this afternoon. Hell, may even go with the Shins after that.