Denon Owners A Few Questions & Your Recommendations

[hershon]

To anyone who owns or owned a Denon receiver, a few quick questions if you don't mind me asking. I live in an apartment & my system is in a normal sized carpeted living room, if that affects your answers.

1. Did you have any problems with the Remote or is it just me getting use to it? Did you use a Universal Remote and if so, what model? Does the remote always have the word Amp on it even when you try to turn it off or am I doing something wrong?

2.. What bass & treble setting number did you use? (I have it on 4 right now).

3. How about DB's. What DB level did you set your sub and your front and rear speakers?

4. What Dynamic Range Compression (Off, low, medium or high) did you use?

5. Did you use Cinema EQ?

6. When listening to regular CD's did you set at direct(2 channel) , 5/7 channel stereo, Matrix, or Pro Logic?

7. When watching TV did you set at direct (direct), 5/7 channel stereo, Marix, or Pro Logic

8. What cable brand(s)& model did you use for the Denon

Thanks for your help and input.

[chimera128]

To anyone who owns or owned a Denon receiver, a few quick questions if you don't mind me asking. I live in an apartment & my system is in a normal sized carpeted living room, if that affects your answers.

1. Did you have any problems with the Remote or is it just me getting use to it? Did you use a Universal Remote and if so, what model? Does the remote always have the word Amp on it even when you try to turn it off or am I doing something wrong?

Just getting used to it. The remote has the device you selected. If you have amp then that means you are currently set on the receiver. Dvd on the dvd player etc... It's a fairly simple remote after you use it for a while.

2.. What bass & treble setting number did you use? (I have it on 4 right now).

I use direct/pure direct mostly which defeats the tone controls.


3. How about DB's. What DB level did you set your sub and your front and rear speakers?

This will be different for you because you have to use a meter and set it up at your house. You can't just use someone elses db settings.

4. What Dynamic Range Compression (Off, low, medium or high) did you use?

OFF

5. Did you use Cinema EQ?

No

6. When listening to regular CD's did you set at direct(2 channel) , 5/7 channel stereo, Matrix, or Pro Logic?

Pure Direct. I play somethings back in 7 channel but my mains have a huge soundstage on their own so it's not really needed.

7. When watching TV did you set at direct (direct), 5/7 channel stereo, Marix, or Pro Logic

I have digital cable so I mostly use auto. I have it so on stereo it will use NEO:6 Cinema and automatically use Dolby Digtal or NEO:6 on the digital channels.

8. What cable brand(s)& model did you use for the Denon

I'm just using some inexpensive cables right now.

Thanks for your help and input.

[hershon]

I'm on Time Warner HD Digital cable & 5 speakers 1 sub set up. So you're suggesting that I should listen to stereo broadcasts on Neo:6 Cinema whatever that means I'll have to look up and it will go to Dolby Digital on 5.1 broadcasts or am I misconstruing something? Thanks

I have digital cable so I mostly use auto. I have it so on stereo it will use NEO:6 Cinema and automatically use Dolby Digtal or NEO:6 on the digital channels.

8. What cable brand(s)& model did you use for the Denon

I'm just using some inexpensive cables right now.

Thanks for your help and input.[/QUOTE]

[drseid]

My responses follow each of your questions in your quote below:

To anyone who owns or owned a Denon receiver, a few quick questions if you don't mind me asking. I live in an apartment & my system is in a normal sized carpeted living room, if that affects your answers.

1. Did you have any problems with the Remote or is it just me getting use to it? Did you use a Universal Remote and if so, what model? Does the remote always have the word Amp on it even when you try to turn it off or am I doing something wrong?

drseid: My old Denon was a different model (the 3300)... The remote was ugly and not particulaly well-designed... but it was not too dificult to use the main functions after a day or so of playing around with it. There was no LCD screen on the 3300's remote, so I can't comment on that.

2.. What bass & treble setting number did you use? (I have it on 4 right now).

drseid: I never used tone controls (don't use them with my Cary currently either). I always used "pure direct."

3. How about DB's. What DB level did you set your sub and your front and rear speakers?

drseid: Truth be told, I can't remember, but it would not have helped you anyway. You have to adjust these based on your own speakers (they may have different sensitivity levels than mine), and listening position, not to mention your own hearing abilities... The best place to start is to buy an analog SPL meter from Radio Shack... They cost $25... Adjust the DBs at your listening position using the meter, and then tweak them (if necessary) by ear.

4. What Dynamic Range Compression (Off, low, medium or high) did you use?

drseid: Off.

5. Did you use Cinema EQ?

drseid: No.

6. When listening to regular CD's did you set at direct(2 channel) , 5/7 channel stereo, Matrix, or Pro Logic?

drseid: Direct about 99% of the time...
Once or twice I tried out the 5 channel stereo, but I prefer 2 channel direct.

7. When watching TV did you set at direct (direct), 5/7 channel stereo, Marix, or Pro Logic

drseid: I used the "Auto" feature, and it did a good job of detecting the right format for TV.

8. What cable brand(s)& model did you use for the Denon

drseid: For interconnects, I use mainly cheap AR brand and mid-priced Monster Silver Series. I am not a big "cables make a lot of difference" guy... I probably would buy all AR (only due to their higher quality construction to super cheap cables) and save money if I were buying from scratch now...

Speaker cables used at that time were the relatively inexpensive Tara Labs Prism Omni cables that I got at $2/foot.

Thanks for your help and input.

---Dave

[shokhead]

1Denon remote is rated about the same as the manual although the new ones are a tad better,no little door on them. Yes,the amp should light up.
2 Bass and treble is a each to there own. To many different things go into the settings so whatever you like. Mine is -2 on treble and +2 one bass.
3 RS meter and 75db for speakers and a tad more for sub is basic.
4 DRC OFF
5 EQ OFF
6 I love 5 channel stereo.
7. Hardly use it for reg tv watching.
8 Mid priced monster and RS.
9 Speaker cable. A good wire with the right gauge. Not some $3 a foot stuff.

[paul_pci]

Hershon, it is useless to ask others what their channel levels are set to. This is NOT a matter of personal taste but the exact acoustical relationship between a specific set of speakers, how they are being powered by the receiver/amp, and finally, the specific acoustic traits of the room. Unless another person has the exact same receiver, exacct same speakers, and is setting up camp in your living room in the exact same spot you sit in, their channel levels are NECESSARILY different from yours.

Now on to the remote. Specifically what didn't seem to be working on the remote was the input selector buttons, which basically makes the whole concept of the remote pointless. So when we tried to hit DVD or TV nothing happened. Either, it has been programmed differently, its shot, or we just don't know the magic word. So, as Hershon has pleaded, what is the magic word to get the input selector buttons on the remote to work? Most of the other buttons seem to do what they are designed to do.

[anamorphic96]

As far as what sound mode to use when watching TV. Use what you like. The auto feature is nice because it should choose what the program is being played in. As far as Neo 6 and Pro Logic 2. There both doing the same thing. Taking two channels and making six. There both good. Go with what your ear likes.

[shokhead]

Hershon,after you have it around how you like it,write everything down,speaker levels,distances,treble,bass,everything so after that you wont be affraid to play around and if you need to reset,you'll have it handy. Backup and security untill you can do it by yourself from scratch in 2 minutes. Just a suggestion.

[hershon]

You read my mind. Just did that.. I wasn't putting down your Denon 2805 as I never heard that. The one I took home and returned right away was the Denon 2105 and the Denon 1710 (the one without DVD-A) DVD player. If I hadn't paid I think $950 with tax on sale at Magdellan for them by Victory Avenue new & had gotten my $1,900 UPS insurance refund which I wasn't expecting, I may have given it a few more days chance. But with the 3801 & the HK DVD player, I basically tested and connected them the same way I did the 2805 & 1710 DVD player and as I said there was a drastic difference. What amazes me is that if a Denon model like the 3801 is discontinued after a year- 2 years, you can get one in excellent shape, albeit used, for about $800 less than the retail price.

Hershon,after you have it around how you like it,write everything down,speaker levels,distances,treble,bass,everything so after that you wont be affraid to play around and if you need to reset,you'll have it handy. Backup and security untill you can do it by yourself from scratch in 2 minutes. Just a suggestion.

[topspeed]

1. Did you have any problems with the Remote or is it just me getting use to it? Did you use a Universal Remote and if so, what model? Does the remote always have the word Amp on it even when you try to turn it off or am I doing something wrong?

The remote on my 3803 was horrendous. I did some research on remotecentral.com and bought a Sony RM-AV3000 which has tons of Macros (allows you to do a bunch of commands with one touch) and more functionality that I'll ever need. It has been replaced by a new model that fixes a glitch mine has and you can usually find them for around $100 at bhphotovideo.com. I've heard the Harmonys are also very good. Proto's are popular but very pricey imo.

2.. What bass & treble setting number did you use? (I have it on 4 right now).

It doesn't matter what any of us use; different room acoustics, tastes, etc. Whatever sounds best to you is what it should be set at.

3. How about DB's. What DB level did you set your sub and your front and rear speakers?

You'll need to do your own calibrations. Get an analog SPL meter from Radio Shack ($30) and either use a S&V or AVIA test disc or simply the pink noise from your Denon to match spl. It will also ask for the distance from the speakers to your listening position. This will give you uniform sound, which is what you want.

4. What Dynamic Range Compression (Off, low, medium or high) did you use?

Off

5. Did you use Cinema EQ?

I don't even know what this is. I guess not.

6. When listening to regular CD's did you set at direct(2 channel) , 5/7 channel stereo, Matrix, or Pro Logic?

Pure Direct, sub off. You'd better leave your sub on though for the Orbs.

7. When watching TV did you set at direct (direct), 5/7 channel stereo, Marix, or Pro Logic

DPLII, cinema.

8. What cable brand(s)& model did you use for the Denon

Various Monster, Esoteric, and Marsh Labs BUT, I bought them all before I knew the difference between cables...which is that there isn't any.

[hershon]

So, as Hershon has pleaded, what is the magic word to get the input selector buttons on the remote to work? Most of the other buttons seem to do what they are designed to do.[/QUOTE]

Well by hit or miss, I discovered that the yellow buttons on the bottom which say Tv, DVD, etc., exactly as buttons on the top says which ih think are the ones we tried, do function as the inputs. Very bizarre.

[hershon]

After playing around a bit, I discovered that for me personally when listening to TV (right now its stereo through my cable HD DVDR- the model I'm waiting for does 5.1) 5 channel stereo sounds best to me rather than prologic or anything that electronically alters the sound. I also have to set my db's (or volume balance) which start at 0 on my system, to "4" each on my 5 speakers. Anything below that for some reason seems to thin out the dialogue's presence). For me, I prefer listening to CD's at the All 5 channel natural sound
option. Thanks for everyones advice.

I'll have to check out Top Speed's remote and see if I can get it for half on Ebay or online.

The remote on my 3803 was horrendous. I did some research on remotecentral.com and bought a Sony RM-AV3000 which has tons of Macros (allows you to do a bunch of commands with one touch) and more functionality that I'll ever need. It has been replaced by a new model that fixes a glitch mine has and you can usually find them for around $100 at bhphotovideo.com. I've heard the Harmonys are also very good. Proto's are popular but very pricey imo.

It doesn't matter what any of us use; different room acoustics, tastes, etc. Whatever sounds best to you is what it should be set at.

You'll need to do your own calibrations. Get an analog SPL meter from Radio Shack ($30) and either use a S&V or AVIA test disc or simply the pink noise from your Denon to match spl. It will also ask for the distance from the speakers to your listening position. This will give you uniform sound, which is what you want.

Off


I don't even know what this is. I guess not.

Pure Direct, sub off. You'd better leave your sub on though for the Orbs.

DPLII, cinema.

Various Monster, Esoteric, and Marsh Labs BUT, I bought them all before I knew the difference between cables...which is that there isn't any.