110 W/Channel, 7.1 Channels - MPN: AVR3803
Strengths: excellent sound, ease of use, multiple sound options and awsome sound.
Weakness: awkward remote
the system was an ease to set up. As soon as I set it up and worked through the onscreen menu, I was up and running. The sound difference was immediate and striking over my yamaha. I had looked at many different models and manufacturers. Found this system to be the best value, with the same dsp's as there highter models, only less watts per ch. Very satisfied will always have a Denon rec.
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TopStrengths: Fabulous sound reproduction, surpasses THX standards without having to pay extra for the THX brand. Solid construction. Intuitive controls on the deck.
Weakness: Remote is a bit confusing. Helps to have a little bit of experience to set up and calibrate the system out of the box, but not necessary (if you can read and follow directions, you will be ok).
I currently have it set up in the 5 speaker configuration, 2 front, 2 back, center and sub. Running it into all Velodyne speakers, including sub. Additionally, I run the 2 front speakers thru a Harmon Kardon 2 channel amp (200w/ch). Honestly, the latter is an overkill. I found the amp on clearance for $90 and justified its purchase by hooking it up to the theater config! The 110W per ch can handle the most demanding movies with no problems.
I am currently upgrading to an HDTV (Sony KDS 50XBR-SXRD) with an HD DVD (Samsung HD960) with HDMI outputs and briefly considered upgrading to the 3806, but besides the auto calibration and the ability to run HDMI thru the reciever, (nice conveniences) I could not justify dropping the extra $1000. The 3803 has the optical inputs to support HD audio and I will run the HDMI directly to the TV. So 3 yrs on, the 3803 remains relevant to the current technological improvements in the home theater market. Thats what you get with Denon. Its worth the small premium you pay over competitors ... more on that below.
I did a lot of research on Home Theater surround sound processors when I went out to buy in 2003. And to give you background, I am a stereophile of sorts. In the 2 channel world, I own or have owned Macintosh, Conrad Johnson, Rega, McCormack, etc components. I believe that engineering trumps looks always and that most people don't realize that with a little research one can get the same (or very close - tenths of % points) performance of $30,000 systems for a tenth of the cost. From that perspective Denon AVR series can hold its own with some (not all) of the best engineered systems out there and simply blows away most of the retail names (Harmon Kardon, Bose, Yamaha, Sony, Phillips, JVC, etc) it shares shelf space with at the local electronics store.
My test DVD at the stereo store was "Out of Sight", (1998)with Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney, Directed by Steven Sodeberg. imdb.com/title/tt01207... The scene where Karen Sisco (Lopez) was held hostage in the trunk of the car by escaped inmate Jack Foley (Clooney) as the car speeds along the freeway. The background noises - squeaks, rattles of the car, the clicking of the wheels over ruts in the road and the muffled engine noise is a real workhorse for any sound processor. The 3803 reproduced the richest most realistic sound effects compared to the Harmon Kardon and Bose. The latter tended to sound "loud" and the expense of reproducing the mix of subleties. Hands down winner. I would highly reccomend taking this movie for any evaluations you may undertake before you buy a surround sound processor.
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TopStrengths: Powerful amp. Lots of inputs for the novice and stereophile alike. Informative flouresent display and you can easily navigate through the onscreen display, it's very cool.
Weakness: None that I have found, I would buy one or many if i had the money. I would recomend this to anyone
Denon has never let me down before and the AVR 3803 is no exseption, Just buy a Denon and you'll never need another recever again.
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TopStrengths: Great back-lit remote control. Fantastic sound and a very well thought and laid out remote hand unit.
Weakness: Instruction manual.
This is my third Denon component that I have owned in 5 years. I purchased it to upgrade the new sourround parameters that my older receiver did not have.
The unit is fairly easy to wire up, but the manual could use an upgrade!
The sound is utterly fantastic. Crisp, and very clear.
The back-lit remote is a very nice touch. No more reaching for the lamp switch to see what button I need to use.
If you're in the market for a new receiver, go out and get one of these before they're all gone.
Beleive me, you will not regret it for a moment. I'll always own a Denon.
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Top
Denon AVR-3803 Receiver
Strengths: rich feature set, reliability and adjustability
Weakness: the remote was a bit confounding at first and not as well explained by the manual as I would have liked
This is my second Denon AVR and my fifth purchase of Denon components in the last ten years. My first AVR was still going strong, but did not have support for the surround sound protocols developed in the last decade (i.e., Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, etc.). I have been enormously satisfied with the brand and get excellent value for my dollar. Once I swapped in the 3803, I upgraded my speaker system from a 5.1 to a 7.1 configuration and the difference is delightful! I also route my main video signals from the cable box and VCR through the AVR's optional video pathways, although I run composite cables direct from the DVD player to the TV for the best quality picture.
My only beef is related to the remote and manual. With an all-Denon system, I am able to use the master remote to control all devices. It's awesome now that I've got it figured out, but it took me a couple of days before I stopped accidentally turning off the DVD player!
Summary:
sound quality in both 5.1 and 7.1 configurations is truly excellent
surround sound modes are great, as is the direct sound option which bypasses sound shaping and plays original mix as recorded on CD or tape (or radio, etc.)
can adjust volume for all eight speakers (2 front, 2 side, 2 back, 1 center, and 1 subwoofer) independently or use fader to shift emphasis to the front or rear
multi-function remote means I only need two remotes to manage all six devices
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