Questions about Denon AVR-3300

[SumGuy]

I've had a Denon AVR 3300 for about 7 years now (bought it new back in 2000 or 2001) and have never really used all of it's features or connections.

I have 4 large Paradigm speakers connected to it (Front left/right, and Surround-A left/right). No sub-woofer, no center speaker, no Surround-B Left/right). On the speaker setup screen I've told it what speakers I have and don't have, and have told it that they are all large speakers. On another screen I've told it to send the bass or LFE to the front L/R speakers. On another screen I've told it to use 5.1 (not 7.1) and have set the multi-out sound levels to a fixed value of 0 db.

My DVD player is a Pioneer Elite 47a. I have it connected to the Denon with 6 audio cables (Front L/R, Rear L/R, Center, LFE) and also with an optical cable.

Because of a limitation of the 47a (content rights or digital audio protection) the 47a will not play DVD-audio or CD-Audio content through the digital (optical) connection (or it will down-mix it or convert it to stereo).

Questions:

1) Because I don't have a center or SW/LFE speaker, will the Denon mix those channels such that I will hear them on the 4 speakers I have - and will it do it if the source is the Direct-in (6 analog audio connections) and/or the Digital optical connection?

2) The Denon has pre-amp outputs (multi-out) to send selected source material to another amplifier. I can't figure out how to select the 6 analog-in channels from the DVD player as the source - or perhaps I can't?

 

[Johnd]

1) 6ch to 4ch? I think not. It sounds as though you want a phantom center and sub, but you will be missing the sound sent through those discrete channels absent a speaker (for those individual channels).

2) Auto detect? I believe you want to press the multi zone fuction to utilize the pre outs.

 

[SumGuy]

> 6ch to 4ch? I think not. It sounds as though you want a phantom
> center and sub (...)

No. What I want (and I believe the 3300 will do) is to add the signals from the center channel and the LFE to the front L/R speakers. I think the 3300 will do this because I told it the front L/R are "large" speakers (it associates low frequency capability with the speakers being "large"). I'm asking for confirmation of this. What I'm not sure of is that it will take note of the fact that I don't have a Center-channel speaker and will simply add the contents of the Center channel to both the L and R front speakers.

Regarding multi-out:

> Auto detect? I believe you want to press the multi zone fuction
> to utilize the pre outs.

The back panel input jacks of the 3300 is separated into zones or sources like:

- Ext in
- DVD
- VDP
- TV/DBS
- VCR-1
(etc)

The front panel of the 3300 has a selector button (Rec/Multi) that when pressed allows you to choose a source (by rotating the function wheel above it). The source (as listed above) will be displayed on the unit's screen and output to the "pre-out" jacks on the back of the unit - except that I don't see "Ext in" as a choice - only the others (like DVD, VDP, etc).

So I'm looking for confirmation that the 3300 will, or will not, output the "Ext in" signals to the "pre-out" (or multi-out) jacks.

Side question:

In the same area as the 6 pre-out jacks (which are right above the speaker posts) are 2 jacks labelled "L/R Multi/Effect". I don't believe those 2 jacks are mentioned in the manual. What are they for?

 

[brulaha]

I don't think you can accomplish what your trying to do.

The Denon will down mix 5.1 channels to 4 if the incoming signal is digital. In your case, you are feeding it an analog signal. As such, you are bypassing it's digital signal processing and it can not do what you're looking for. If you fed it a digital signal, then it could definitely do what you want. However, you are now not going to be using the DSP's and DAC's in your pioneer elite player, and will lose DVD-A and SACD processing. If I were you, I'd invest in a center and sub and your problem will be fixed.

The Denon will be able to output multi-channel in's to the pre outs on the back.

L/R Multi/Effect are just for pre outs for the rear back surround speakers, if you had both rear speakers and rear back speaker.

 

[Johnd]

Setting the front speakers to Large does nothing for the center channel: It sends more bass to the fronts.

If you want a phantom center, you must select "no" for center in the speaker options. This will spread that information between front L and R for movies...I don't believe it will work for multichannel music. But you can try it and find out.

 

[brulaha]

Straight from the Denon Manual regarding Ext. In:

Once this is selected, the input signals connected to the FL (front left), FR (front right), C (center), SL (surround left) and SR (surround right) channels of the EXT. IN jacks are output directly to the front (left and right), center and surround (left and right) speaker systems as well as the pre-out jacks without passing through the surround circuitry. In addition, the signal input to the SW (subwoofer) jack is output to the PRE OUT SUBWOOFER jack. When 8CH EXT. IN is selected, the input signals connected to the EL (effect left) and ER (effect right) jacks are output to the PRE OUT effect (left and right) jacks.

It's pretty straight forward. I would suggest digging out your manual or downloading it from: http://usa.denon.com/avr3300_ownersmanual.pdf

 

[SumGuy]

> The Denon will down mix 5.1 channels to 4 if the incoming signal is digital.
> In your case, you are feeding it an analog signal. As such, you are
> bypassing it's digital signal processing and it can not do what you're
> looking for.

Will the Denon sample the Ext-in signals and convert them to digital? If so, then the mixing of the center and LFE signals could be done - no?

> and will lose DVD-A and SACD processing.

Yes, that's what I'm trying to avoid. Do newer DVD players still do that for SACD and DVD-Audio material?

> If I were you, I'd invest in a center and sub and your problem will be
> fixed.

Let me ask this:

Given an ordinary commercial DVD (dolby 5.1 or DTS or what-ever), if the audio is going to the 3300 via the optical digital connection, then will the 3300 mix the LFE and Center channels into my existing 4 speakers in that situation?

 

[SumGuy]

> Straight from the Denon Manual regarding Ext. In:
>
> Once this is selected, the input signals connected to the FL
> (front left), FR (front right), C (center), SL (surround left)
> and SR (surround right) channels of the EXT. IN jacks are
> output directly to the front (left and right), center and
> surround (left and right) speaker systems as well as the
> pre-out jacks

Yes, I've seen that (page 43) but it doesn't work. I can't get any signals from the Ext-in signals to appear on the pre-out jacks. If instead I connect some signals to the DVD or DVP jacks then yes I can get those to appear on the pre-out jacks.

 

[brulaha]

Will the Denon sample the Ext-in signals and convert them to digital? If so, then the mixing of the center and LFE signals could be done - no?

It won't do this.

Yes, that's what I'm trying to avoid. Do newer DVD players still do that for SACD and DVD-Audio material?

Newer players can output SACD and DVD-A over HDMI. Some denon player could output SACD and DVD-A over a proprietary connection called Denon Link, but that doesn't help you either. In both cases you would need a new receiver and a new player. I do not know of any player that outputs DVD-A and SACD over a normal digital connection like optical or digital coax.

Given an ordinary commercial DVD (dolby 5.1 or DTS or what-ever), if the audio is going to the 3300 via the optical digital connection, then will the 3300 mix the LFE and Center channels into my existing 4 speakers in that situation?

That is correct.

Yes, I've seen that (page 43) but it doesn't work. I can't get any signals from the Ext-in signals to appear on the pre-out jacks. If instead I connect some signals to the DVD or DVP jacks then yes I can get those to appear on the pre-out jacks.

I'm really not sure what to tell you in this instance. It should work. It could be a faulty connection, but I have no idea. I'm just going on what the manual says and intuition.

 

[mfinley13]

Pre-outs for Denon AVR-3300

I am having what I think is a similar problem with my Denon AVR-3300. This is a 5.1 system however I do have 7 speakers + sub connected using the Surround B channels. I then selected A+B and had simulated 7.1 surround.

Here is my problem and I hope someone can help me.

I just bought a 7 channel amplifier and using the Pre-outs connected the FL, FR, Center, Sub (directly to powered sub of course), SL, SR, Multieffect L and Multieffect R. HOWEVER.... when i play my DVD or anything for that matter, it does not seem that the Pre-outs for the multi-effect channels are working.

I have read thru the manual and played with changing the EXT.-IN & Multi and it doesn't seem either setting will allow those speakers to work.

Any advice?

 

[AVRat]

You'll need to use 2 Y-adapter cables (1M/2F) to split the surround pre-outs to your amp. http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=663&seq=1&format=2