Denon AVR-4308CI First Look

[fannatic]

I'm still relatively new to this whole AV world (that is, I finally have some money to spend), so you may have to bear with me. I still don't understand this whole upscaling/upconverting deal.

With this receiver can I plug in a PS2 (or really anything non-HD) via component cables and output to my tv at 720p/1080i/1080p resolutions with a HDMI cable?

Thanks

 

[avaserfi]

I'm still relatively new to this whole AV world (that is, I finally have some money to spend), so you may have to bear with me. I still don't understand this whole upscaling/upconverting deal.

With this receiver can I plug in a PS2 (or really anything non-HD) via component cables and output to my tv at 720p/1080i/1080p resolutions with a HDMI cable?

Thanks

Thats exactly what these newer receivers do. They take a lower quality image and up-convert it to a higher one (not adding quality but making it look better on an HDTV).

 

[BabelFish]

Babel, have you stopped talking to us all here..?

We have had several posts with your name on them, and you have been MIA...

Whats up bro... wondering how your equipment sounds...

Really??? I will have to look for the posts.. Work has been really busy I'm still kickin and breathen

 

[selfar]

Any news about the full review for the 4308ci?

 

[BabelFish]

Yeah... Where is the full review?!?!?! My local store just called and said that my receiver just arrived and is waiting for me to pick it up. I didn't want to get it until I read some reviews.. I was gone all last week and half expected to come home and find tons.. but I don't see a single one .. Is Clint going to update the review and really tear this beast apart????

 

[AVRat]

C'mon Babel, you've been whining about this for months. Now that it's available you hesitate? I know, I know, but the Integra really sounds like a good unit also. Why did all these great products have to be debuted at the same time. Only to make the decision making more difficult.

 

[BabelFish]

Why did all these great products have to be debuted at the same time. Only to make the decision making more difficult.

Yeah!! If they were spaced out by 6 months then this decision would be ALOT easier!! lol I would be fine if I could get just 1 review on the 4308 But the integra's sub out for zone 2 and 3 is pretty cool! That 8.8 looks really good

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Warp, I asked Babel the same thing and he just said he had a busy week. He's been missing for like 2 months so I dont know how a busy week plays into that...

Really??? I will have to look for the posts.. Work has been really busy I'm still kickin and breathen

 

[boe]

Sorry if this is covered but I'm missing it - is there a list of differences between the 4308 and the 4308CI?

Thanks

 

[BabelFish]

There isn't a 4308 as far as I know.. there is only a 4308ci.. when we say 4308 we mean 4308CI... the "CI" means Custom Installation... As far as I know, all the new receivers (##08) for the Denon's are "CI"

 

[kalock]

I picked up my 4308 and after a couple of hours of setup here is what I have noticed.

1. Setup via remote is very slow. There are a lot of fields to change for each input especially if you have HDMI audo.

2. Web setup is terrible. You can do the basics but its hard to tell if it saved or anything as there is no feedback.

3. Wireless has no power. The receiver got a signal strength of about 2%. The laptop next to it had 99%. Adding a boosted antennae had no effect.

4. When using wired connection my router would crash as well as the switch the receiver is attached to. Could be a bad Ethernet port. It won’t even stay up long enough to get a sniff to see what’s up. Return here I come.

5. Component fails to switch if multiple devices are powered. I am running my Comcast box and the Wii over component. When both are powered up neither will get a picture. Power one down and it works fine. Really bad mojo.

6. Massive audio error from HD-DVD. I can’t say this was the fault of the receiver but when I was verifying my Harmony settings the HD-DVD player had a horrible screeching sound during the opening film studio screen for Hot Fuzz. I had been testing it earlier with no issues. It hasn’t happened since but my ears still hurt

As for the good. Sounds great. There appears to be a lot more power out compared to my older 3805. More than expected anyway.

The really bad. Fry's should have 905's in on Friday and I may get one to compare and switch out. The lack of internet is a real killer for me.

 

[BabelFish]

4. When using wired connection my router would crash as well as the switch the receiver is attached to. Could be a bad Ethernet port. It won’t even stay up long enough to get a sniff to see what’s up. Return here I come.

I read somewhere that if you turn off UPnP on your router that it can fix your problem or assign a static IP for your Denon. Try either one of those solutions.

 

[kalock]

Ok turning off UPnP resolved the network issue. Of course thats no an elegant solution given the 360 and the PS3 both use UPnP for dynamic port mapping. Will have to see how they do after the change.

 

[Onac]

Ok turning off UPnP resolved the network issue. Of course thats no an elegant solution given the 360 and the PS3 both use UPnP for dynamic port mapping. Will have to see how they do after the change.

Just assign your receiver a static IP instead of turning UPnP off.

 

[selfar]

Can you please let us know the dates for the full review of the 4308 and 3808. I never bought an equipment before reading the Audioholics' full review.

 

[tedhontz]

Interested in 4308CI - But have questions - need advice first!!

Hi, I am new to this site. First post here. I am interested in purchasing a Denon 4308CI receiver but I have some questions to ask the users here. I am sure it is a good receiver and full of options but I don't use the receiver for the things most will use it for and therefore I am limited on what I can get. Here is my situation. I have BG Radia Ribbon Speakers that run at 4 ohms, not 8. I currently have a Yamaha RX-V3300 which at it's time was the second to best model they offered. Most importantly it has a 4 ohm switch on the back of the unit that I can force the receiver into 4 ohms. Most receivers at the time didn't offer any kind of 4 ohm stability and most still don't. Second, I listen to a lot of MP3's from my laptop. I bought a Linksys Wireless Music bridge that worked great but isn't compatible with my new windows vista laptop. I replaced it with a Sondigo Sirocco wireless music bridge but the output quality is altered unlike the linksys bridge. So, I'm to the point of looking into purchasing a new receiver. I like the 4308 since it has wireless music streaming built in. Now, I've owned a previous Onkyo 717Pro that crapped on me and I've owned a Denon that burned my house almost down about 14 years ago. I've also had Denon DVD players crap out on me as well as Onkyo DVD Players. Yamaha has always been reliable for me, but my unit does not offer HDMI which I need and I really would like music streaming. Also, many people say Yamaha receivers offer a much more colder sound compared to Onkyo and Denon and I notice that about my receiver. To complicate things more, I still use a Dbx Processor which requires a no longer available tape monitor jack. BUT, the processor can be ran into the pre-out MAIN IN on my Yamaha which makes the unit work flawlessly. I know it's outdated but it makes everything sound so much better and more alive. My Yamaha is 135W per channel which the manual said it dropped to 265W per channel when flipping the switch to 4 ohms. NOW, here is where my problems start. 1. New Yamaha RX-V3800 is 4 ohms but no switch so will it really be as powerful as my current receiver? 2. The new Yamaha receivers eliminated the pre-out MAIN IN jacks on my receiver which will prevent me from using my Dbx Processor. 3. MP3 streaming is not wireless. So, I find myself looking at other brands. I also would like to get a receiver with the WARMER sound. Before I got my Yamaha I had a Harman Kardon AVR85 that sounded nice but HK went down the drain and they are only 8 ohm stable. The Onkyo NR-905 doesn't have wireless music streaming but IS 4 ohm stable. It also doesn't have a pre-out MAIN IN jack so I can't use my dbx processor. The Denon 4308 does have wireless music streaming and DOES have the pre-out ext-in jack which I think is the same thing as the MAIN IN jack. The 4308 is also the most expensive option and is the only option that is NOT 4 OHM STABLE! You'd figure the most expensive receiver would be the highest quality amp. So, I called my speaker manufacturer and they said the Denon would work but I am leary. This is the company that I have had a ton of reliability problems with. Also, most of the use of this receiver will be audio use, but I still want the HDMI jacks and HD Radio if possible. I think the DENON looks cheesy and not professional. But even the Yamaha's looks are cheaper. I like black brushed aluminum with not alot of stupid icons and curves to the unit. But I really just want something for $2500 that would actually run my speakers and dbx processor with wireless music streaming. Also, I have a router in my room next to my receiver. Could I hook one of the other one's up to the router and still be able to wirelessly stream my music from my laptop to my router and then to my receiver wired from the router? That my open my options, a little. Please, everyone's advice is appreciated on persuading me. Thanks!!!

 

[Tvfisher]

Interested in 4308CI - But have questions - need advice first!!

I saw your post and just wanted to add my two cents. I just got the 4308CI replacing my 7 year old Denon AVR-3300. My speakers are 4 - Miller & Kreisel Bookshelf 75 and the center channel is a M & K CTR 750THX all five are rated at 4 ohms. When I first set up the 3300, seven years ago, I had to create a little better air flow in my cabinet but I have had no problems since and my 4308 sounds even better. I am still getting used to the unit, it has so many features, I am discovering things about it. The internet radio is fabulous, I spent a whole day surfing all the various sites. Hope my input helps, I've had many Denon products and have been very happy with my receivers. I still use my DRA-75 stereo receiver out in my garage driving a some Yamaha speakers and they are all over twenty years old!

 

[Hank355]

Ok, just picked up the 4308 from Best Buy, only one store in NYC had it, and they only had one. I am buying it cause I am setting up an additional surround sound system, but I am replacing my Rotel 1065 with it. I have the B&W 700 series 5.1 surround sound speakers. They are pretty incredible, with a price tag to boot! I will try the internet radio, but I am not really that into it. I am quite interested in HD radio being that the radio stations have really been pluggin away at it for months now. So I am curious how it will sound, and what kind of selection I can get in NYC. I am replacing my Rotel mainly b/c I don't have HDMI on it, and I just purchased the Sony BDP-s500, which sounded like crap until I realized that the "quick setup" skipped over the audio settings. When I set the thing right, it sounded amazing. I bought Rent and some IMAX thing about earth. The thunderstorms sounded incredible. BTW, I still haven't hooked up my Denon, so I am hooking up the Blu Ray to my Rotel using Component cables and the 5.1 analog outputs, to get the sound quality. I would have set it up but now with adding a blu ray player I have no space to put it. But I ordered a new stand from Racksandstands and I just ordered the Samsung 5689 DLP TV which has two shelves (after ordering the stand). So I will now have plenty of space, but the rack will come first, so I will set it up then, hopefully it will be here by Monday. Then I can add my two cents in. One other reason that I bought the 4308 is cause I thought that it had a front HDMI input, which would have been great cause I got a HD camcorder, and I could have just plugged it right into the front. Instead what I thought was an HDMI input is a USB input. It's no biggie cause I will just leave an HDMI cable out for my cam, but it was a disappointment. I thought it was amazing foresight on Denon's part when I thought it had it. If anyone has any tips on certain settings, or whatnot, please, I am all ears. Also, I have the Denon 2930 DVD player which I am going to keep in my system cause it's really a great machine, and it plays SACDs and DVD-Audios of which i have a significant amount of. So I am going to try to use that Denon Link, which Denon claims will give the best audio. Does anyone have any experience with it?

 

[PENG]

As a satisfied 3805 owner I am now seriously considering the 4308. The Marantz 8002 is an attractive option but I do like, and will use the 4308's WIFI feature. It will be great to see more posts by owners who don't mind sharing their latest experience in their extended use of the 4308.

 

[PENG]

I plugged in the FM antenna that came with the box same way I did with my old 3805 but cannot get any sound out of the tuner selection. Everything else seem to be working fine. Am I missing something?