Home theater sound, number of inputs, component video switching, remote (yes, I said remote).

2 channel stereo, pro logic through VCR.

In January, my local dealer had no 3300s in stock, so I had him order one while I patiently waited. And waited and waited. In March when he told me he could get me a refurbished unit the next day, I told him to go for because I was starting to get impatient. Well, it arrived and I went home and excitedly hooked it up, but it was dead on arrival; the DD and DTS decoders emitted nothing but static. So, I took it back the next day and decided to wait for him to get a brand new unit in. Luckily, he called in about a week to tell me it had arrived. The new unit worked flawlessly. I am wondering if the delay in available new receivers was due to fixing the possible fan problem.

Anyway, since I have had it, I have never once heard the fan kick on. I have my satellite receiver running throught the S video input, so literally every time I watch TV, my receiver is on. Sometimes, that is 12 hours a day, and it has never overheated or kicked out. Especially with DVDs, I listen to my Denon at extreme volumes and still no problem. I am using Paradigm moniter series speakers and sub and I often will turn it up as high as minus 5, which is extremely loud. With DD and DTS, this thing does an amazing job. With Prologic off of satellite (I have a receiver with a digital optical out), it sounds very nice too. I rarely use the DSP modes, but for the occasional movie recorded in mono, I either use MONO MOVIE or MATRIX and they do help the sound quite a bit.

As for prologic surround with my VCR, it is somewhat lacking. It really seems to use almost exclusively the center channel. My previous surround receiver did a much better job with VHS movies, but I dont consider this too much of a letdown because I rarely watch VHS anymore, thanks to DVD.

As for music, I love the 5 channel stereo mode, which kind of reminds me of my car stereo. For 2 channel, I am slightly disappointed, but part of that my be my speakers, which are Paradigm Moniter 7s. I also have a PS 1200 sub, which may not be the most musical, although very good for HT.

I cannot complain too much about its musical ability however, since I bought this mostly for HT use.

I, for one, really like the remote. It is a learning remote and controls literally everything in my setup with the exception of my satellite receiver, which uses a different frequency. So, I went from 6 remotes to just 2. My DVD player is a 3 tray one and the Denon remote has no trouble controlling each and every button from my 3 tray DVD player, something which I expected to be a problem. As for slide switches, I dont see what the big problem is. I know that a Phillips Pronto would be a better remote, but for a remote that comes with a receiver, I think this one is pretty damn good.

Overall, I recommend this receiver, especially if you are buying a new model, not one that has been refurbished. I just wonder again if the delay was due to Denon fixing the well known fan problem, because I have never once heard mine kick on at all. The receiver does run warm, but not too bad and I have it in an open style audio rack, which gives it plenty of room to breath.

As for power, this receiver has much more than I need. I had thought about the 2800, but why not have a little extra headroom? I have played it loud enough while watching The Thin Red Line, that my neighbors called to ask if I could turn it down some. I live in a house, well insulated and the neigbors house is probably 50 feet away at closest, probably quite a bit more than that , but I;ll just say 50 ft. to be conservative. Even at these extreme volumes, I had not one iota of distortion. Very impressive.

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Aiwa AVdV75

Digital Decoding, 5-Channel Stereo, OSD

Quality Control on 1999 models

I want to thank all of you who posted reviews on this model. It was your input, combined with my auditioning ears that sold me on this unit.

I originally purchased a 1999 Factory-Refurbished AVR-3300. After completing the necessary hook-ups, I sat back and poof! You know what follows. The whole thing shut down. I read the owner's manual, which I'll admit is not intended for newbies, and it told me how to reset the microprocessor, which I did. After the reset I was allowed to listen to AC-3 only. The DTS decoder was fried, along with all the DSP's (which I don't care for, with the exception of 5-channel stereo). Bottom line - I returned it.

The replacement unit was a brand spanking new 2000 model and it operates flawlessly. 5-channel stereo is sweet for music and television. Pro Logic via VHS is weaker than my Yamaha Pro-Logic predecessor though, not sure why. DTS and AC-3 are very good. Remember the technology for this is a derivation of their flagship receiver, the AVR-5800 - works for me!

On-screen setup is a breeze. I like the ability to program distances from the listener in feet and you can adjust each channel in the soundstage in 1db increments. The Personal Memory Plus memorizes your customizations for each environment – nice touch Denon.

If you want value for money, I would strongly recommend auditioning this unit. The warranty is two years parts and labor – indicative of build quality? I have had no problem to date with the fan, though I have provided it with the recommended four-inch clearance. Perhaps, as mentioned below, they fixed this error on the 2000 models? Yes, it was built in Korea, not Japan. C’est la vie!

The remote works great for me, but I can see how others have had “issues”. The slider switches are not illuminated, unlike some of the other keys, so when you are in the dark either have a flashlight handy or drop $250 on the Marantz!

You are also prepared for future 7.1 technologies with the inclusion of the eight-channel pre-amp outputs. Check out their white paper on the website: www.del.denon.com for more information.

If you have a retailer who allows you to audition components, take this one home and give it a try.

Oh, one more thing, if you buy over the net – always do your research. Are they BBB-rated? Do they charge a re-stocking fee? Will they pay for return shipping if the unit is defective? Take the time to go with a reputable vendor – it will pay off dividends down the road.

Enjoy!

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Pioneer VSX-24TX

price for features

poor heat sink design

i set this unit up in a large cabinet with plenty of clearance and ventilation, and even went so far as to add an additional fan (after reaching my wits end). the unit over-heated constantly. within a half hour, the internal fan would come on, and within another half hour the unit would shut down. i was running 5 klipsch reference speakers, which are extremely efficient. so it wasn't the speakers

what it comes down to is poor design and cheap components. the amps get WAY too hot, even at very low listening levels. i returned the unit within the 30 window united allows and await my return check. they new exactly why i was returning the unit, even before i said anything and were courteous and understanding. this is a known problem. in the mean time, i bought a denon 4800 from the good guys for $1700 and couldn't be happier. the new unit barely even gets warm at extended loud listening levels driving all five speakers...that's how i know the quality of the 3300 is poor; it would get hot almost immediately. the 4800 has a lot less venting on the top cover and yet the cooling fan has yet to come on once...it just doesn't get hot.

no more auxiliary cabinet fan, no more troubles, although i'm out quite a few extra dollars. unfortunately, no amount of money is worth a unit that does not work. so i give the lowest possible rating. too bad, because i was hoping the 3300 would work out.

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denon 4800

This is not a review of the Denon AVR 3300, but a question about it. I have this receiver, use it everyday, like it a lot, no problems; but can't figure out how to mute external speakers when using headphones. Denon booklet doesn't specify nor does dealer know. Can anyone advise me on this? Thanks very much. If you reply to this site, would you also Cc: me.

Richard
rbatey@gate.net

Performance, features, looks

No digital output, only one coax digital input, volume numbers too small to read from accross the room, remote.

Chock me up on the list of happy 3300 owners. This receiver is a steal at this price. I've had it for a little over a month and couldn't be happier. I've had no problems and have not heard the fan once. The remote is nothing to write home about, but it's not nearly as bad as some have made it out to be. It's designed to control all functions of the receiver and to take over the basic functions of other components, allowing it to be used as the only remote most of the time. It does this. One thing I don't like, and that the manual is not clear on, is the on screen display. You can toggle it on or off and when I toggel it to the off position I still get all the set-up menus on my T.V. However, the menus and setting are the only thing I get, i.e. no volume indication, etc. If the numbers on the receiver were a little larger this wouldn't be an issue, but from accoss the room I cannot tell what they are. I also don't understand why they didn't include and additional coax input and digital output. Having said that, the primary reason I bought this receiver was for performance and this is where it excels. It sounds fantastic. I'm not sure how much better performance one could get at any price. It has good power, is extremely detailed, and just seems to get everything rite. I've owned allot of equipemt over the years, most recently selling my Parasound PSP-1500 pre-amp, HCA-1200II/HCA-1203A power amps and HK tuner. It sounds just as good as those seperate components which are all highly respected. My speakers are Klipsch KLF-30's main, KLF-C7 center, Sonance TR-4000TR in-ceilings, and Definitive Tech PF-15TL+ sub. The match between speakers and electronics is very important and I liked this receiver the best with mine. Klipsch are very reveiling and can get a too shrill with the wrong electronics. All the other receivers I listed were very good as well, but this one sounded the best with my speaker set-up.

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Sony STR-V555ES, Onkyo Integra DTR-7, Marantz SR-19, Nakamich AVR-10.

Performance, features, looks

No digital output, only one coax digital input, volume numbers too small to read from accross the room, remote.

Chock me up on the list of happy 3300 owners. This receiver is a steal at this price. I've had it for a little over a month and couldn't be happier. I've had no problems and have not heard the fan once. The remote is nothing to write home about, but it's not nearly as bad as some have made it out to be. It's designed to control all functions of the receiver and to take over the basic functions of other components, allowing it to be used as the only remote most of the time. It does this. One thing I don't like, and that the manual is not clear on, is the on screen display. You can toggle it on or off and when I toggel it to the off position I still get all the set-up menus on my T.V. However, the menus and setting are the only thing I get, i.e. no volume indication, etc. If the numbers on the receiver were a little larger this wouldn't be an issue, but from accoss the room I cannot tell what they are. I also don't understand why they didn't include and additional coax input and digital output. Having said that, the primary reason I bought this receiver was for performance and this is where it excels. It sounds fantastic. I'm not sure how much better performance one could get at any price. It has good power, is extremely detailed, and just seems to get everything rite. I've owned allot of equipemt over the years, most recently selling my Parasound PSP-1500 pre-amp, HCA-1200II/HCA-1203A power amps and HK tuner. It sounds just as good as those seperate components which are all highly respected. My speakers are Klipsch KLF-30's main, KLF-C7 center, Sonance TR-4000TR in-ceilings, and Definitive Tech PF-15TL+ sub. The match between speakers and electronics is very important and I liked this receiver the best with mine. Klipsch are very reveiling and can get a too shrill with the wrong electronics. All the other receivers I listed were very good as well, but this one sounded the best with my speaker set-up.

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR-V555ES, Onkyo Integra DTR-7, Marantz SR-19, Nakamich AVR-10.

Depth and richness of sound, both for listing and viewing

remote

My objective in putting a system together was to receive the highest quality sound for HT first and music listening second. I was also looking for simplicity in operation; I do not want to be constantly tweaking controls to obtain the optimum listening or viewing conditions; I would much perfer to perform that activity once, then have it be remembered for future use.

So far the system has delivered on all fronts. The Denon is matched with a pair of Paradigm Studio 20s in front, a pair of Atoms for surround, a Velodyne 1250 sub and a Sony 36HBR250 TV. I am also using a Sony 530 DVD.

I route all the sound thru the Denon, but none of the video; component out right from the DVD to the TV.

Unlike others the fan has never gone on; however, the remote is not working out. I plan on purchasing a Marantz RC5000 at the first opportunity.

Its much too soon to gauge reliability, but if it breaks - I take it back.

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Rotel 965

Purchased the 3300 based on the following criteria: Wanted to upgrade to DTS, AC-3, and have a path for anything new
S-Video Switching
Assignable digital inputs (optical, coax)
Added power to rear (surround) channels
Under $1,000 for a receiver
Support digital satellite service
Enough hookups for all types of audio/video equipment
I had looked at several receivers over the last ten months including: Yamaha 995, Denon 3600 and 5700, Sony 333ES and 555ES, Pioneer Elite 07. The decision to purchase the Denon 3300 over the other receivers was easy based on my criteria.
I currently run with a Pioneer 919 laserdisc/dvd player, a TEAC 401SL reel to reel, a Toshiba cassette tape unit, a sony 200 disk player, a Technic's turntable, VCR, TV and planning to install the new Sony D50 Satellite Receiver. I use AR speakers in the front, middle, KLH in Surround A, a small set of Radio Shack speakers in Surround B and Klipsh Subwoofer in a 16 by 20 room.
I have installed the receiver and had it working the last week and can say that I am pleased with the outcome. All criteria was met and everything is working fine. The system automatically switches from Surround to AC3 and DTS depending on what I am watching. The number of speakers let's the sound come in crisp and undistorted (although I don't really try to kill anyone with high volume). The movies are sounding great and setup, though trying at times, worked out ok. The classical music (Rachmoninoff), Rock Music (Supertramp, Chcuk Berry), Forties (Glenn Miller) and Jazz (Chick Corea) all sounded great using the various sound effect channels.
I did find I had to duplicate the audio/video hookups for the different media I was using (ie. right and left coaxial audio, fiber digital audio, coax digital audio, coax video, s-video). That was done to allow the VCR to record the laser/dvd, or satellite. It would have been nice to have the receiver pass signals to the other media cable types as needed. It would have made setup simpler and less costly (in cables). The 3300 also did not come with the RF-3 Modulator and I had to pick up a Denon 2000 converter to get the laserdisc AC-3 to work properly. Finally, I am still working on the remote to learn all the other remote unit codes. Would have liked it if they had made this a bit easier.
I would highly recommend this receiver. (and I got a great deal from the good guys - Under $840).

I had bought a pair of high-end speakers(GreenMountain C-I) a few months ago and my old receiver (Onkyo prologic) couldn't cut it. Music was sounding too harsh and brittle with grainy vocals. I listen to about 7030 music and HT. I also wanted to upgrade to DD and DTS for DVD and Laser disc. I thought I would need some high-end seperates to get the sound I wanted, but we're talking $3000-$5000 investment, and probably selling the car or second mortgage. Fortunately my dealer recommended the Denon 3300 and after having it home for a few weeks, I am very pleased with this Receiver. For music the sound quality is much better than I would expect from a $800.00 receiver. The difference between the Denon and my old Onkyo is huge, no subtle difference here, my wife could even tell a big improvement. The bass is very clear and tight, the mids rich and full and the highs natural sounding and not harsh or brittle like other receivers I've heard. Soundstage is very wide and deep and acoustic instruments sound very natural. Of course the DD and Dts sound great really shakes the room. If you want a great sounding hometheater receiver that also sounds good with music, this amp is a good compromise between affordability and just good sound. Highly recommended!

First Off - My System Includes: Denon 3300
Definitive Technology BP-30 (X 2)
Definitive Technology CLR 2000
Definitive Technology BPX (X 2)
Definitive Technology PF-1500 Powered Sub's (X 2)
Panasonic A-310 DVD Player
Pioneer DVL-700 DVD/LD/CD
Proscan 36" Television
Sony SAS-AD4 Satellite System

This unit is replacing a Denon 3200 and Millennium 2.4.6. just like the 3200 it sounds great, even better. More power for movies, music sounds sweet and warm, and DTS is amazing. Wish it had an Built in RF-Demodulater, I had to order a external one from the local Denon Dealer. Looks as good as it sounds, It passed the "wife test" with flying colors. I highly recommend this unit for movie lovers.... and for those who appreciate the great sound of DTS music. I'm giving this unit five stars even though it deserves TWENTY.