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Denon AVR-3808CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver with Networking
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Most Helpful First | Newest First | + Share5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Denon Is Not Compatible with Sony Televisions over HDMI
I own this receiver along with a Denon 2910 DVD player. I also own two Sony televisions, a KDF-E50A10 rear projection, and a KDL52XBR4 LCD.
When the Denon products are connected to the Sony televisions via HDMI, you will experience intermittent drop out of video and audio. The combination of Denon and Sony has problems with maintaining the HDCP handshake.
Otherwise, this is a great sounding receiver.
When the Denon products are connected to the Sony televisions via HDMI, you will experience intermittent drop out of video and audio. The combination of Denon and Sony has problems with maintaining the HDCP handshake.
Otherwise, this is a great sounding receiver.
Not for the everday idiot.
This Denon 3808ci is a monster when you take it out of the box, it has many ways to hook up your audio equipment, old or new. This unit is not for the casual user but one who will take time to learn the system and its many features,I have had mine since 08 and still I an messing with the controls and fine tuning it to my liking. To sum it up it well built and a solid performer, get ready to feast your eyes and ears on quality.
I LOVE This Product
ILove This Product. Customers sevice.is Grate The Sound is Grate The Power is NO.1 Reel Quality.Purchase The AVR3808CI and you Well LOVE it too.
All so good apart from...
I would underscore everything that the prior reviewers have mentioned. This is a truly magnificent piece of equipment and the soundstage is truly amazing.
I run all my video through it - my Denon Blue-Ray goes through native, DVD and Cable I was upconverting to 1080p. This does not work very well though on certain HD Channels if you have TWC. What happens is that the commercials keep switching output from 1080i, to 480p, and anything else that they are recorded in.... if you fast forward through them, the upconverter cannot keep up with the switching and blacks out.
I thought my cable box was hosed and had it changed, but after I stopped upconverting it got a little better (there is still a noticeable delay in the rendering). For grins and giggles I did try setting the cable box to output only 720P or 1080i... it was terrible.
I run all my video through it - my Denon Blue-Ray goes through native, DVD and Cable I was upconverting to 1080p. This does not work very well though on certain HD Channels if you have TWC. What happens is that the commercials keep switching output from 1080i, to 480p, and anything else that they are recorded in.... if you fast forward through them, the upconverter cannot keep up with the switching and blacks out.
I thought my cable box was hosed and had it changed, but after I stopped upconverting it got a little better (there is still a noticeable delay in the rendering). For grins and giggles I did try setting the cable box to output only 720P or 1080i... it was terrible.
This Unit Drives My Polk Audio Lsi's With No Issue!
I've owned this receive for approx. 2 months now. Although I tend to read a great number of reviews before making a purchasing decision, I rarely find myself writing one. I felt compelled to write one for the Denon AVR-3808CI.
Although this unit is rather inexpensive in comparison to many in it's class, it produces some spectacular sound. Originally I purchased this unit to drive my standard 7.1 speaker system. The speakers I had were of the generic in-wall 8 ohm variety. After listening to a few movies I figured out that weak link lied more with my speakers than with my amp. I replaced all the speakers with Polk's Audio Lsi series speakers all the way around (truly remarkable as well). The Lsi's are 4 ohm speakers. I had read in multiple locations that this receiver will handle a 6 ohm load at best. I took a gamble and I have to say I'm rather impressed. So far no clipping or shutting down. Since the Lsi's are a high sensitivity speaker, there may be a benefit there. The unit is driving two front Lsi-15's, an Lsi-C Center channel, 4 in-wall surround RTS-105's and two SVC subwoofers (amplified; I'm using a Y-RCA splitter). I do have 3 fans cooling the receiver, which may be helping matters a bit, but the closet in which I keep my equipment must get close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during movies. I don't typically listen to movies at THX reference level, but there seems to be no need. At -15 on the volume there is seat-pounding surround sound. The sound quality produced is clean and crisp with no noticeable distortion.
Overall I rate the amp a 5 out 5 for sound quality (which no doubt has a lot to do with Denon's Audyssey technology). Relatively simple to setup (gotta jump through a couple of hoops to enable 7.1) and very nice on-screen menu display. If I had to complain about one thing it would have to be the less-than-intuitive remote control supplied with the system. I'm a pretty tech savvy fellow and I've yet to figure out how to use the thing (I imagine I could read the destructions but no self respecting man would do such a thing ) Admittedly, since it's so easy just to program my Logitech Harmony One, I felt little cause to struggle with the oem unit. Back into the plastic wrapping it went.
If your are looking for a well designed receiver with a host of goodies for your listening and viewing pleasure, I'd have to say the Denon AVR-3808CI is an absolute winner in my book.
Although this unit is rather inexpensive in comparison to many in it's class, it produces some spectacular sound. Originally I purchased this unit to drive my standard 7.1 speaker system. The speakers I had were of the generic in-wall 8 ohm variety. After listening to a few movies I figured out that weak link lied more with my speakers than with my amp. I replaced all the speakers with Polk's Audio Lsi series speakers all the way around (truly remarkable as well). The Lsi's are 4 ohm speakers. I had read in multiple locations that this receiver will handle a 6 ohm load at best. I took a gamble and I have to say I'm rather impressed. So far no clipping or shutting down. Since the Lsi's are a high sensitivity speaker, there may be a benefit there. The unit is driving two front Lsi-15's, an Lsi-C Center channel, 4 in-wall surround RTS-105's and two SVC subwoofers (amplified; I'm using a Y-RCA splitter). I do have 3 fans cooling the receiver, which may be helping matters a bit, but the closet in which I keep my equipment must get close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during movies. I don't typically listen to movies at THX reference level, but there seems to be no need. At -15 on the volume there is seat-pounding surround sound. The sound quality produced is clean and crisp with no noticeable distortion.
Overall I rate the amp a 5 out 5 for sound quality (which no doubt has a lot to do with Denon's Audyssey technology). Relatively simple to setup (gotta jump through a couple of hoops to enable 7.1) and very nice on-screen menu display. If I had to complain about one thing it would have to be the less-than-intuitive remote control supplied with the system. I'm a pretty tech savvy fellow and I've yet to figure out how to use the thing (I imagine I could read the destructions but no self respecting man would do such a thing ) Admittedly, since it's so easy just to program my Logitech Harmony One, I felt little cause to struggle with the oem unit. Back into the plastic wrapping it went.
If your are looking for a well designed receiver with a host of goodies for your listening and viewing pleasure, I'd have to say the Denon AVR-3808CI is an absolute winner in my book.