Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Sound difference: HK avr-525 vs Denon avr-3803

This is a tip that I have left before in this forum..... For those of you contemplating purchasing the Denon 2803, 6th Ave Electronics (Denon Authorized -check the Denon website) is offering the 3803 for the same price as the 3802 at around $650 shipped because they are out of 3802's . That puts the 3803 price range at almost the same level as the 2803.

If you go to the website, the price of the 3803 will still show $999. You have to call and speak to a salesman and ask to be upgraded. I did this about a month ago, and I am still seeing posts on other forums and the deal is still going on.

I.M.O. there is no better deal out there. This is a brand new (not refurb) 3803 for $650 shipped!

www.6ave.com

I agree that is a great price, however, the 2803 can be had for as little as $460 shipped(refurb) from an authorized dealer.

I wouldn't spend over $500 because this is a temporary receiver, I will be replacing the amps in about a year, then will be replacing the actual receiver with a good pre.

I see no point in spending anything over $500 in my situation.

John,

I have a Yamaha htr-5280 and my son has an rxv-495, but we both agree that his receiver has a brighter sound than mine. Surely, the cheaper receivers seems to lack the tonal quality of the upper models. I'm not sure if I can be convinced that there aren't any differences between brand x, y or z when there seems to be tonal differences within models of the same brand.

Thanks for the replies everyone. The whole thing seems to lack beautiful and decisive science.

I went to demo a 525 and 3803 at different stores. The 525 was hooked up to some really nice Cambridge, 300 watt $2000 pair of speakers, and sounded really nice. The center was underwhelming but the speakers and their integrated subs delivered clothes rumbling bass. At reference levels it was loud but not crazy loud. The 3803 was hooked up to some shitty speakers, and of course the salesman was a jackass. I prefer the 525 aesthetically but the video upconverstion of the 3803 is appealing. Does anyone know how it scales 4:3 compositve/svideo signals into 16:9? My TV can't do component 720 at 4:3, only 16:9. I'm guessing it adds black bars. How does the 525 work in the situation--with multiple low res/composite/s-video inputs and one component out?

WHAT does video up conversion do?

in same boat as you are1111

Hawk, video upconversion means that the receiver converts multiple video inputs so that they can use just one output cable to the TV. For example, many will upconvert a composite video input to S-video so that only a S-video output cable to the TV would be necessary. A few receivers will upconvert both composite and S-video inputs to a component video output. Note that this doesn't mean that the quality is increased, just that only one type of output cable to the TV has to be used.

Who told you they werent musical? They IMO are one of the most musical in the mid-hi price range...but ill always love Rotel too