Denon 3808 MA RS6 - Any suggestions?

gmeeta

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Hi,

1) After some research I narrowed down on a Denon 3808CI receiver-
Why?
It has almost everything from a feature set perspective.
Network connectivity and it is a Denon. My only other options were Onkyo and for Audio it seemed like Denon was the best bet.

I want to invest in a good receiver since I am a complete audio freak. However, maybe I am shortsighted and did not evaluate enought. Hence wanted to understand from others in the forum, what else can I look at, at this price range.

2) Now speakers are rather important and I plan on driving two rooms with this denon- My living room for video and an audio room with some sound proofing for audio.

Due to budget constraints I plan on actually buying an ok set for my video room for now - Any suggestions?

And buy two good speakers for my audio room atleast.

I listen to a lot of jazz, classical, drumming, rock, techno and indian music. I have listened to speakers and for the budget that I can afford narrowed down on Monitor Audio - RS6 (really loved them) and an Usher - love it, but it is expensive.

Again maybe I have not evaluated enough and experts around here can help me understand if I have other options.

Please let me know if my thought process is right and what other options do I have?

PS: I plan on picking both of these from Singapore where the prices seem reasonable. Any suggestions on where to buy them at a competitive price in Bangalore?
 
Please let me know if my thought process is right and what other options do I have?

So far so good. MA RS6 is indeed a very nice pair of speakers. Excellent bass response and good overall sound. The other options I would like to suggest are Dali Ikon 6 as well as the Messo 6 from MS. These are good start points where you can build your complete HT around.

Cheers.
 
Denon 3808 is a great receiver and for movies, its hard to beat. But since you want the receiver to double for music too, I would recommend Marantz in case if you have not tried already.

Monitor Audio RS6 is highly reviewed speaker; lot of positive feedback from users in many forums. For music, B&W is another brand I can heartily recommend. Paradigm also has got many positive reviews.

One of the other things you could do is have different gear for HT and stereo set-up. a reasonably good receiver for HT and a good int amp for stereo.
 
Hi,

1) After some research I narrowed down on a Denon 3808CI receiver-
Why?
It has almost everything from a feature set perspective.
Network connectivity and it is a Denon. My only other options were Onkyo and for Audio it seemed like Denon was the best bet.

I want to invest in a good receiver since I am a complete audio freak. However, maybe I am shortsighted and did not evaluate enought. Hence wanted to understand from others in the forum, what else can I look at, at this price range.

2) Now speakers are rather important and I plan on driving two rooms with this denon- My living room for video and an audio room with some sound proofing for audio.

Due to budget constraints I plan on actually buying an ok set for my video room for now - Any suggestions?

And buy two good speakers for my audio room atleast.

I listen to a lot of jazz, classical, drumming, rock, techno and indian music. I have listened to speakers and for the budget that I can afford narrowed down on Monitor Audio - RS6 (really loved them) and an Usher - love it, but it is expensive.

Again maybe I have not evaluated enough and experts around here can help me understand if I have other options.

Please let me know if my thought process is right and what other options do I have?

PS: I plan on picking both of these from Singapore where the prices seem reasonable. Any suggestions on where to buy them at a competitive price in Bangalore?

Hi gmeeta:

I cannot comment much on the Denon. But, you cannot go wrong with MA RS6 or Usher. There is one friend in the forum who sold his MA RS6 for the Usher. Yes, its purely subjective.

Having said that, I own the MA RS6 for the past 8-9 months, and I'm really happy with them. I think its now fully run-in. Bass is excellent and goes very deep for music, and treble is sweet, but i have CA component to run the RS6. A word of caution is, do not match RS6 with a bright amplifier, i fear Denon could be on the brighter side, and this might affect the overall sound of a brighter speaker like RS6. Some might argue that CA is also brighter amp, but I have been having the combo for a year, and never a trace of brightness anywhere.

Some choice of speakers that could go very well with Denon could be from the following:

1. KEF IQ7/IQ9
2. Wharfedale Diamond 9.5/9.6
3. Dali Ikon 6
4. MS Mezzo 6


Please listen to the entire speaker range with your Denon and decide.
 
Hi,

1) After some research I narrowed down on a Denon 3808CI receiver-
Why?
It has almost everything from a feature set perspective.
Network connectivity and it is a Denon. My only other options were Onkyo and for Audio it seemed like Denon was the best bet.

I want to invest in a good receiver since I am a complete audio freak. However, maybe I am shortsighted and did not evaluate enought. Hence wanted to understand from others in the forum, what else can I look at, at this price range.

2) Now speakers are rather important and I plan on driving two rooms with this denon- My living room for video and an audio room with some sound proofing for audio.

Due to budget constraints I plan on actually buying an ok set for my video room for now - Any suggestions?

And buy two good speakers for my audio room atleast.

I listen to a lot of jazz, classical, drumming, rock, techno and indian music. I have listened to speakers and for the budget that I can afford narrowed down on Monitor Audio - RS6 (really loved them) and an Usher - love it, but it is expensive.

Again maybe I have not evaluated enough and experts around here can help me understand if I have other options.

Please let me know if my thought process is right and what other options do I have?

PS: I plan on picking both of these from Singapore where the prices seem reasonable. Any suggestions on where to buy them at a competitive price in Bangalore?

Hi
Which Ushers did you listen to? Did you hear the MA RS6 and the Ushers in the same setup?

cheers
[email protected]
 
I own MA RS6 speakers and am very happy with them. I use the RS6 with NAD C372 amp, but I also own a Denon 2809 receiver. I use the NAD amp for the front two channels. I have tried these speakers with the receiver directly, so I can confirm that the Denon does not sound bright with these speakers. The NAD amp is more powerful and adds a lot of mid-range detail and emotions to the vocals. The Denon is not bad as a stereo amp in pure direct mode. I would prefer that to CA 640 amp I use in my bedroom. The Audessy MultiXT also works wonders with movies and some music. I had Onkyo 905 on top of my list till Denon released the 2009 models. The Denon is a much more refined product.

I am sure you cannot go wrong with Denon 3808CI and MA RS6. It is a great combination. Go ahead.

Thanks,
Sharad
My Setup:
- Sources: Panasonic BD30 Blu-ray, NAD C542, C521 CD players, Project Debut III TT+NAD PP2, Denon DRW-585 Cassette Deck
- Amps: Denon AVR 2809, NAD C372, Cambridge Audio 640
- Speakers: Monitor Audio RS6, Definitive Technology Supercube II subwoofer, Acoustic Energy Aesprit 309
- Projector: Plus U5-111 (Next on the line for upgrade), Samsung LCD LA46A550P1
 
Hi All,

Thank you for your responses. I posted my question and ended up being very tied up last week.

I have not listened to the Deli Ikon series. I will surely listen to them.
A lot of people have told me that a high end amp might screw up MA RS6 ( need to listen to them with a 3808 if possible)

What are good center speakers and woofers to consider with this combination?
 
Hi All,

Thank you for your responses. I posted my question and ended up being very tied up last week.

I have not listened to the Deli Ikon series. I will surely listen to them.
A lot of people have told me that a high end amp might screw up MA RS6 ( need to listen to them with a 3808 if possible)

What are good center speakers and woofers to consider with this combination?

Please forgive me if this comes across as ignorant to you, but, since you are much more of an audio freak(music lover/stereophile?) why dont you get a htib like onkyo 3105 for your living room Ht purposes and a dedicated stereo amp(nad 355, ca 540)+ good floorstanders/bookshelves for your sound proofed audio room?
 
A lot of people have told me that a high end amp might screw up MA RS6

Not sure how a high end amp can screw up any speakers.
Can you please elaborate?

Thanks,
Sharad
 
Hi Medhavi,
Quick question - how do you switch between music/ movie?
Is your nad connected to denon via pre-outs of denon? Or do you switch cables?

regards

I own MA RS6 speakers and am very happy with them. I use the RS6 with NAD C372 amp, but I also own a Denon 2809 receiver. I use the NAD amp for the front two channels. I have tried these speakers with the receiver directly, so I can confirm that the Denon does not sound bright with these speakers. The NAD amp is more powerful and adds a lot of mid-range detail and emotions to the vocals. The Denon is not bad as a stereo amp in pure direct mode. I would prefer that to CA 640 amp I use in my bedroom. The Audessy MultiXT also works wonders with movies and some music. I had Onkyo 905 on top of my list till Denon released the 2009 models. The Denon is a much more refined product.

I am sure you cannot go wrong with Denon 3808CI and MA RS6. It is a great combination. Go ahead.

Thanks,
Sharad
My Setup:
- Sources: Panasonic BD30 Blu-ray, NAD C542, C521 CD players, Project Debut III TT+NAD PP2, Denon DRW-585 Cassette Deck
- Amps: Denon AVR 2809, NAD C372, Cambridge Audio 640
- Speakers: Monitor Audio RS6, Definitive Technology Supercube II subwoofer, Acoustic Energy Aesprit 309
- Projector: Plus U5-111 (Next on the line for upgrade), Samsung LCD LA46A550P1
 
The pre-outs for the front L & R channels from the Denon AVR are connected to the NAD.

I initially connected the pre-outs from Denon into the "power amp in" on the NAD, and let the AVR do all the switching. Unfortunately I was not satisfied with the CD playback. So now the Pre-out on the NAD goes in to the "'power amp in" on the NAD itself (normal setup). The pre-out from Denon goes into the Aux-in on the NAD. I had set the volume control of the NAD at a fixed point and then ran Audessy Multi-XT on the Denon. Now I just move to AUX and that volume level before starting with a movie.

The CD player analog out, Turntable+PP RCA and Tape out are connected to the NAD. The HDMI and digital coaxial cables from the Blu-ray, DVD and CD players go into the AVR. This way I get the purest music, without compromising on the movie sound. I spent a huge amount of time comparing sounds and deciding on what I like best. You need to do the same. It's a lot of fun!

Thanks,
Sharad Medhavi
 
That's a good innovative way to connect, using the aux thing! You get the best of both, as well as no switching of cables or using a manual switch.

regards

So which one do you prefer from your CD player, analog or digital?
digital coaxial cables from the Blu-ray, DVD and CD players go into the AVR. Thanks,
Sharad Medhavi
 
So which one do you prefer from your CD player, analog or digital?

Analog for most of my music, which is biased towards vocal music(Jazz, Ghazals etc.). The difference is not that big though.

Thanks,
Sharad
 
The pre-outs for the front L & R channels from the Denon AVR are connected to the NAD.

I initially connected the pre-outs from Denon into the "power amp in" on the NAD, and let the AVR do all the switching. Unfortunately I was not satisfied with the CD playback. So now the Pre-out on the NAD goes in to the "'power amp in" on the NAD itself (normal setup). The pre-out from Denon goes into the Aux-in on the NAD. I had set the volume control of the NAD at a fixed point and then ran Audessy Multi-XT on the Denon. Now I just move to AUX and that volume level before starting with a movie.

The CD player analog out, Turntable+PP RCA and Tape out are connected to the NAD. The HDMI and digital coaxial cables from the Blu-ray, DVD and CD players go into the AVR. This way I get the purest music, without compromising on the movie sound. I spent a huge amount of time comparing sounds and deciding on what I like best. You need to do the same. It's a lot of fun!

Thanks,
Sharad Medhavi

Oops - just sent you a message on this very subject. Thanks for elaborating. I might be quizzing you in about a week in terms of how to adapt this solution to my Marantz amp:)

What difference and exactly how much of a difference do you feel between the NAD and the Denon for music?

Also with the way you have it setup, does it not mean that there are two Preamps involved in the chain? Would it not result in a slight degradation of sound reproduction quality?
 
>>Also with the way you have it setup, does it not mean that there are two Preamps involved in the chain? Would it not result in a slight degradation of sound reproduction quality?

Yes, only for movies, but it does not seem to be affecting the sound. My NAD C372 is a preamp and power amp in the same box connected only from outside. So I have a direct input into the power amp, which is not usually found on other amps. I started with using that option and let the Denon do the switching as well as the preamp duty. This way the NAD preamp was not being used. Unfortunately the CD sound suffered a bit. I also tried a blind test on my wife, and got the same results. My current configuration seems to work well for both music and movies. I know many people across the globe using integrated amps with receivers in this manner. Just that Audessy has made the job much easier, as it can compensate for any signal level or frequency response issues, if you do it right.

Thanks,
Sharad
 
Yes, only for movies, but it does not seem to be affecting the sound. My NAD C372 is a preamp and power amp in the same box connected only from outside. So I have a direct input into the power amp, which is not usually found on other amps. I started with using that option and let the Denon do the switching as well as the preamp duty. This way the NAD preamp was not being used. Unfortunately the CD sound suffered a bit. I also tried a blind test on my wife, and got the same results. My current configuration seems to work well for both music and movies. I know many people across the globe using integrated amps with receivers in this manner. Just that Audessy has made the job much easier, as it can compensate for any signal level or frequency response issues, if you do it right.

Thanks,
Sharad

Hmm.. so the only volume control you will be using is on the AVR side? Also did you find any use for the gain-adjustment controls on the NAD C372?
 
Hmm.. so the only volume control you will be using is on the AVR side?

That's right. I fix the NAD volume at 12O'clock position for movies, and then use it as a power-amp.

Also did you find any use for the gain-adjustment controls on the NAD C372?

No, that is useful if I add another power amp to the second pre-out on NAD for bi-amping. I did not find a need to do that as one lone C372 itself is pretty powerful!

Thanks,
Sharad
 
Correct me if I am wrong. But it seems to me that the NAD is functioning as a pure poweramp in your setup. What if I wanted to switch to the NAD for music and to the AVR for movies?

In your connection setup, will the AVR's preamp not be involved for music as well?
 
No, the way it is hooked up - for music, it is only NAD in the chain. CD player is directly connected to NAD through analog. NAD acts both as pre and power amp for music.
For movies, source is connected via digital to AVR, and pre-amp out of AVR is fed into aux input of NAD - where again NAD works as pre+power - but pre of NAD is set to fixed volume for this application, while AVR is used to change the volume.

Medhavi - is switching of inputs/ changing of volume on NAD controlled by a remote, or is it manual?

regards

Correct me if I am wrong. But it seems to me that the NAD is functioning as a pure poweramp in your setup. What if I wanted to switch to the NAD for music and to the AVR for movies?

In your connection setup, will the AVR's preamp not be involved for music as well?
 
Yes you got it perfectly right anm!

Medhavi - is switching of inputs/ changing of volume on NAD controlled by a remote, or is it manual?

I do it manually as it is a one time thing, and my equipment rack is near my left hand, not below the screen. So it is no big deal for me. If someone wanted to set up a macro on a universal remote, it should be pretty easy to do so.

Thanks,
Sharad Medhavi
 
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