Greatings to all, first time posting to this forum.

You guys have been very helpful in my decision to go with Axiom. Just ordered M80s, QS8s, VP150.

Now I'm wondering if the Denon AVR 2808 can do the job???

I know that most of you are strong on the AVR 3808, but with a great deal on the 2808 right now, (half the price) can i go wrong?

If it has the features you want, it will do just fine. Denon puts quality amp sections in all their receivers.

Edit: unless, of course, you are in a very large room and/or like to listen to music at ear-busting volumes.

Weatherby,

The difference in power between the two will amount to a VERY negligible difference in maximum volume output. As Fred said, choose one over the other almost entirely for the feature/price combination, do not get hung up on power ratings.

If you do have a very large room and intend to listen at very loud levels, you'd probably want to buy separate dedicated amplification anyway, you would not want to upgrade to the 3808 solely for the minimal increase in power. If the 2808 has the features you want, I'd take advantage of the deal.

By the way, congrats on your purchase!

Jason

I think we are mostly tech freaks around here and liked the idea of the network connectivity and GUI of the 3808 vs standard interface and no networking on the 2808. I ran a Denon 1804 for 4 years before getting the 3808. If the 2808 has all the features you want and is the right price, then by all means purchase it. I have not heard of any problems in any of the receivers from Denon, they pretty much will drive any speaker you would want.

If it's not networked, it will be lonely.
Sorry, my lucky strike of a sale, 3806 is actually not networked either but I would never spend more to upgrade strictly for that functionality. Next time round, maybe...

The only thing you will really be missing is the ease of software upgrades to it. There are alternative ways to stream music to it, but that's a nice built in feature for sure if you don't plan on buying a PS3/360, or other music streaming device. I personally use the PS3 to stream my music collection to it and this works fine.

For streaming music, the PS3 works better IMHO. (they both stream music fine with no coloration of the sound, but I like the fact that with the PS3 you can overlay a music playlist with a slide show of photos from your computer) For simple straightforward music streaming, there's not much difference between the two.

The other reason the networking is nice is that you can access the Denon through a web browser on your network and control almost all of the settings.

I use this feature more than I would have anticipated to turn on different zones that I run from it and adjust sources so that I don't have to go upstairs to the media room to turn on the music on the deck. (admittedly, this is a pretty specialized case, so it probably doesn't affect you, but I thought I'd mention it as an idea in case you would ever be interested in doing something like this)

Jason

Thanks for the feedback so far guys.

i will have a PS3 hooked up to this system and the room dimensions will be 14.5 by 35 feet.

I just hope that the 2808 model of 110 watts per channel will be able to give me satisfaction for clarity. Is there is your opinion a big difference between the 2 models,for this question.

I`m planning on cranking it lound when time will permit it, kids & wife out shopping if you know what i mean. But for most of the time, this will not be the case.

P.S. the people i know, don`t have Axiom (Boston Acc...) and i want to blow there minds away with this new purchase.

Re:
The other reason the networking is nice is that you can access the Denon through a web browser on your network and control almost all of the settings.

Sweet! I didn't know you could do that.

Re: 110 watts enough
The 3806 is 120 watts per channel. My ears give up long before the receiver does. Due the way the amount of wattage required gets bigger for every db you go up the scale, by the time you get to the loudness levels 110 watts will pump out cleanly, the extra 10 watts would not likely be even detectable.

Ditto what Murph said. I'm sure it sounds different than the advice you've often heard about powering speakers (at least it was to me when I first heard it), but it's very unlikely that you could even detect the additional wattage once you get to that level.

Jason

In a 14 x 35 room the 2809 should do nicely to get much more spl you would have to look at seperate amps and have at least double wattage. so far as clarity, it is up to the speakers to do that not the amp.

So..

If I'm not going to network the AVR and am running a separate amp for the 80's, will the 2808 set me up as far as the same HD audio formats for Blu-Ray as the 3808?

I *really* need to update my AVR since I now have a Blu-Ray player but *really* don't want to fork out the 1100 or so bucks on one right at the moment.

Weatherby,

I have the 2808 and I am running M60's VP150 and QS'8s and am very happy with the receiver. Though I only have the 60's power is not a problem at all.

Greg

Rick,

The 2808 does both DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. Here is a link to the comparison chart between the two.

With that said, doesn't your Blu-Ray player do the decoding onboard before sending it to the receiver, or does it require an external source for decoding? Either way you'd be covered with the 2808 since it is capable of the decoding, but I thought the newer BR players were more frequently doing the decoding before sending the signal out.

Jason

I keep wishing the players would stop decoding so the prices could drop a little more.

Jason it was my understanding that if the AVR does not have an HDMI input it would not decode the formats, whenever I choose TrueHD for audio on a Blu-Ray disc it defaults the H/K to Dolby Digital which doesn't sound any different than a standard disc in DD.

To be honest, I can't tell if it's decoding the signal or not, I do not believe so though.

You're right Rick, the HD audio is only sent via the HDMI cable. I meant my comment based on people buying new receivers which no longer need a BR player that can decode the HD audio formats. You, my friend, still need a BR player that can decode.

Jason, do you mean a processor/reciever or the BR player itself?

I thought you had an older H/K with no HDMI? Do you have the H/K hooked up by HDMI or are you using the analog outs on the player?

I do have an older H/K 635 without HDMI ... I'm running HDMI from TV to PS3 and optical out to the 635 for audio from the PS3.

The optical out is only giving you standard def dolby and the like, no different than a regular dvd player. If you were to buy a new player that decoded and sent out the signal on analog out to the inouts on the H/K then you would get the new formats or buy a new avr which does the decoding and hook the PS3 upto it via HDMI.

I am rushing did that make sense?

Oh yea, that's what I'm understanding ... my intent is to buy a new receiver so that I'll have the capability to have the new audio formats since I did make the PS3 purchase for our BR viewing.

My first question was replying to the other Jason (myrison) ... I didn't realize there were two of you Jason's posting back to back until after I replied.

Just another part of that getting old thing I believe.

I think it is catching, the getting old thing.

Jason, it does get worse ... *sigh*.

Another thing to consider with the comparisons is that the newer 989/2809 receiver has 4 HDMI inputs as opposed to 2 inputs on the 988/2808. The list price is the same for both although real world pricing is probably different.

I have the 889/2309 in my upstairs system and it also has 4 HDMI inputs. What it doesn't have however is any pre-out connections.

Like we haven't had enough trouble with all you Ricks over the years!

Rick, Ricks not here. Open up, this is the police...

Looks like I'll have to at least get the 2809 to have the pre-outs, seems like pre-outs for amps should be something all AVR's should have.

*****

That other Rick is strange, very, very strange.

By the way the 2808 also has pre-outs however it only has 2 HDMI inputs while the 2809 has 4 HDMI inputs. Sorry if I confused anybody.

Post deleted by me....

Thanks to all for your answers,

It looks like the 2808 will do the job and the price is just too good to let go.

6ave is actually selling it for 580$ as of yesterday, got to figure how I can get it in CDN without running in to too many extra costs.

Rick, Jason (myrison) posting here....

Sorry about the confusion earlier on my post, I didn't realize (or read and immediately forgot) that you didn't have HDMI on your receiver.

Fortunately, the subsequent posts by my alter-ego cleared it up before it went too far in that direction.

Jason

From now on everyone can start calling Jay, like most everyone else I know.

Problem solved. Jay it is.

(though I did like briefly having an alter-ego...)