avr 4308ci

[2008xle]

I just got the Denon Avr 4308ci and I am very disappointed with the sound. I got it to replace
my arcam 300 because I was looking for HDMI conectivity. I hear good reviews about it, but the denon really pales in comparison to the arcam. Maybe I did not set it up right.
I only have two front speakers right now.

Any suggestions on how to set it up right?

[nightflier]

That's not a simple question to answer. You might want to spend some time trying different settings and following the manual. What have you tried so far?

[canuckle]

The nice thing is that it sets itself up ;-) Problems typically stem from when people don't run Audyssey properly:

=> Make sure that the mic is oriented perfectly and completely flat, preferably on a tripod at ear-level.

=> Use all 8 positions and set them up as recommended (#1 in the prime listening position, #2-4 across the listening area, #5-8 ~3 feet in front of the listening area).

=> Ensure all background noise is gone during the setup procedure. You want silence. Turn off the fridge, the air conditioning, etc.

They don't sound a lot truer than the 4308. It is far more likely that you're used to a sound that isn't especially true with exaggerated bass and treble and now a flat signal sounds strange to you. You can adjust the equalizer as desired to alter the sound more to your liking.

[enrique]

I just got the Denon Avr 4308ci and I am very disappointed with the sound. I got it to replace
my arcam 300 because I was looking for HDMI conectivity. I hear good reviews about it, but the denon really pales in comparison to the arcam. Maybe I did not set it up right.
I only have two front speakers right now.

Any suggestions on how to set it up right?
This is why i havent jumped to a new receiver just for hdmi.I'm not willing to sacrifice SQ just for conveniece.Not saying the new receivers arent as good but i wonder sometimes if they sacifice the Quality of the receiver for the added bells and whistles of convenience.Is it worth paying 1,500 for a quality hdmi rec.just for HDMI capabilities?