CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 05/07/2002
- Updated on: 11/19/2009
Beauty on the inside
On the outside, the 3802 is nothing special. We found its styling uninspired and bland--it's a basic black component. Ah, but when we popped the cover and looked inside the 3802, we noticed a massive power transformer right behind the faceplate. This receiver's innards are jam-packed with circuit boards and quality parts that wouldn't be out of place in a high-end component.
There's plenty of connectivity options here, too--everything from HDTV component-video switching to a phono input for vinyl lovers. It's too bad that Denon didn't squeeze in a set of front-panel-mounted audio/video connectors for gamers or video camera owners.
As noted, however, this isn't the most user-friendly receiver. Setup chores and menu navigation may confuse even fairly experienced home-theater fans, and the remote's ergonomics are only so-so. Also, the owner's manual will be of just marginal help in sorting out the various features and surround capabilities of the 3802. That said, day-to-day operation is straightforward.
Features aplenty!
While many so-called 6.1- or 7.1-channel receivers come equipped just with 5 amplifier channels, the 3802 boasts 7 110-watt channels. Dolby Digital 6.1 and DTS-ES Discrete/Matrix surround processing are handled by Analog Devices' highly regarded SHARC 32-bit processing chip and Denon's proprietary DDSC-D (Dynamic Discrete Surround Decoder-Digital) circuitry. Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo:6 are also onboard to synthesize surround effects from CDs; FM broadcasts; older, stereo DVDs; and videotapes.
The Dual Surround Speaker mode is unusually flexible. You can hook up A and B pairs of surround speakers: one pair affixed on the sides of your room for movies and another rear-mounted pair for music surround formats such as Super Audio CD or DVD-Audio (DVD-A). And when you're playing DTS ES or Dolby 6.1 content, you can play all four surround speakers simultaneously in addition to the left-, center-, and right-front speakers--that's where the seven amp channels come into use. Oh, and the 3802 can also be configured to run a set of stereo speakers in another room. Continue reading
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