Anyone using a network-enabled receiver?

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I was planning on picking up a Denon AVR-3808CI when they finally hit the market here but I'm getting impatient (it's been almost a week and a half my shiny new speakers are for the most part sitting silent).

I have to admit the #1 reason I want this receiver is it's built-in ability to stream FLAC encoded music. I have about 1200 CDs ripped to FLAC and stored on a 1TB NAS. The HDMI 1.3 is kind of interesting since I picked up a 1080P Sharp TV the other day too.

Should I stop whining and wait or does anyone know of another receiver that'll do the trick? Budget is around 1.5K but that's not written in stone.

The 3808CI is on the top of my list of things to buy once I move into my new condo (right along with my Axioms). I was going to get the 2807, but the ability to network the 3808 (specifically to a Mac) allows me to not need to buy a separate computer or AppleTV to connect my computers to my HT (I have no need for the video streaming ability, only audio).

There has been some talk about the network ability of the 3808 (and the 4308) over at avsforums. There appears to be a few issues like wireless from the 4308 not connecting to Apple brand routers, streaming of audio after source is changed (not playing, just transferring over network), etc. Mostly things sound minor to me. I'm just stoked to be able to use the ethernet jack that is behind my TV to connect directly to my receiver rather than needing another computer with an optical audio output.

I'm sometimes hesitant to buy products so new (when there are some 'bugs' or other firmware updatable things), but the moment that I need a receiver I will be getting the 3808CI.

-Todd...

I use the Slim Devices Squeezebox 3 to stream music. I have around 11,500 tracks ripped to flac (with a few mp3 stragglers) and stream using the squeezebox. You can either control it via the box it self or via a web based GUI. If you have multiple squeezeboxes you can sync them together for whole house audio. You can stream Pandora, Rhapsody, and internet radio.

www.slimdevices.com to find out more info.

The base model Squeezebox is 300. There's an upgraded model called the Transporter thats 2000 that's aimed at the audiophile market. If you use the Squeeebox with an external DAC you should be fine.

I'm about to take delivery of an Onkyo 905 which is comparable to the 4308. Both companies had to make a decision about one year ago with product planning.

Denon went with "cheaper" video scaler and put more into the GUI which has more mainstream appeal. Onkyo went with the best (Reon) processor and less with their GUI.

Networking will become a huge standard in the next few years and this will eventually trickle down (e.g. the first TVs have it now but most will have it in a few years) but right now, it's gonna cost you.

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Denon went with "cheaper" video scaler and put more into the GUI which has more mainstream appeal. Onkyo went with the best (Reon) processor and less with their GUI.

too bad they chose to implement a MS-based streaming solution

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Networking will become a huge standard in the next few years and this will eventually trickle down (e.g. the first TVs have it now but most will have it in a few years) but right now, it's gonna cost you.

funny you should say that, that's exactly what I said to the folks at Axiom. Hope they were listening

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If you use the Squeeebox with an external DAC you should be fine.

I took a good long look at the Squeezebox...it was my solution of choice until I saw the specs on the 3808ci. I like the hardware alot, it's the software side that eventually turned me off of it.

I even bought a fanless itx system to run slimserver (under linux) but I found the interface to be sluggish at best. Twonky outperformed slimserver by a huge margin on the same equipment.

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Denon went with "cheaper" video scaler and put more into the GUI which has more mainstream appeal. Onkyo went with the best (Reon) processor and less with their GUI.

Onkyo has a better processor, but it's certainly not the best--look to the Realta for that distinction. Also, have you read about the speaker pops and 4x3 images unavoidably being stretched to 16x9? The new Onkyo's aren't all they're cracked up to be.

Seems Denon finally released Canadian pricing for the 3808ci - $2,225! That's a 39% premium versus what's charged in the States. Just doesn't make sense.

The 4308ci comes a slightly more reasonable 19% above the US MSRP (still no where near the current exchange rate).

I have two choices it seems; buy from a grey market internet retailer or buy another brand & get something like a squeezebox.

I'm swearing, big time...and having a hard time not calling them every sort of name in the book here.

I've found that in many cases stores such as Soundsurround here in Calgary sell for less than MSRP. Hopefully this will apply to the 3808CI. Due to warranty issues, I won't buy anything over a couple hundred bucks from anyone besides an authorized distributor.

I don't know why, but sometime in the past day or two the Canadian MSRP on the 3808CI dropped from $2,225 to 1,949. That's a little easier to take.

Just 6 more weeks until I can order two M2's and some ceiling mounts, and 7 weeks until I can buy my 3808CI. 7.1 here I come!

I am guessing they finally realized the cdn dollar is almost on par with the American dollar, or there is a new model coming out, as it seems a large monetary jump from the 3808 to the 4308.

Just picked up my 3808ci last night from a local retailer here in Barrie...paid 13% below MSRP if that helps anyone shopping around.

Spent the entire evening (until the very wee hours of the morning acutally) streaming FLAC encoded files from my HP NAS. I couldn't be happier with the convenience and more importantly the sound.

My wife is in love with the simplicity of the control point that runs on the Nokia 770; it's like having a 1TB iPod that happens to play on the best sounding system we've ever owned.

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Just picked up my 3808ci last night

What mains are you running with the 3808? You wouldn't happen to have M80s would you? I'm planning on getting the 3808 but wanted to know how it performs with the 4 ohm load of the M80s. Sounds like a great receiver!

-Todd...

Nope, M50s...although I don't doubt it could drive the 80s fine

What SPL do you want to achieve and at what distance? I achieve 85dB at 8 feet away with less than a half watt into each M80 using my cheap 90W/channel Denon 2105.

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What SPL do you want to achieve and at what distance? I achieve 85dB at 8 feet away with less than a half watt into each M80 using my cheap 90W/channel Denon 2105.

I imagine that the 3808 will be more than adequate for my listening needs, but I find it a bit troubling when things are only rated for 8 or 6 ohm speakers. From what I hear here (I've read your post about the 2105) it really seems like no problem... but it's always nice to know someone who is running the setup I'm after before I drop the cash myself

-Todd...

Todd, not being "officially" rated for 4 ohm operation should almost never be a concern in home audio usage. The FTC power rating regulations require that receivers and multi-channel separate amplifiers be driven with at least two channels operating simultaneously at the full rated power for at least five minutes continuously. This laboratory test is something that would never occur in ordinary home use.

Any receiver or separate amplifier can be forced to shut down with any impedance speaker if it's driven too loud for too long, but yes, the 3808 should be more than adequate for your needs.

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Todd, not being "officially" rated for 4 ohm operation should almost never be a concern in home audio usage.

It's a good thing you put almost in your sentence. There was one instance I know for certain that a receiver shut down no more than a few seconds after turn on when a set of M80s were hooked up to it. No it was not a Denon.