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New member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 1 Registered: May-05 | Here's the problem - I bought a used Denon 3803 recently off eBay and it's now hooked up and sounds incredible, although we may talk about speakers later. Then, like an idiot, I bid cheap on a Denon 2805 - refurbished by Denon - and I WON!!! So, now the wife says, one has to go. HELP!!! WHICH ONE TO KEEP???? I have 2 Boston Acoustic bookshelf rears, 2 Solid fronts, a Polk Center and a MK 12" sub. I know the speakers don't match but it actually sounds pretty good, although I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts on the fronts and rears also. THANKS, Dave |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 528 Registered: Feb-05 | If you like the 3803 then by all means keep it. Lots of positive reviews for it. Not so many for the 2805. I don't know which series of BA's or other speakers that you have but the formula is simple. Which sounds best? Whichever one it is get rid of the rest and timbre match your best speakers with similar ones from the same maufacturer. Hope it works out. |
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New member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 2 Registered: May-05 | Thanks for the help BUT now I'll need more help. The speakers are all about 12 - 15 years old, except the MK, probably 7 years old. So, I doubt that Solid or BA has anything close, assuming technology has changed a bit. So, where to start on the whole speaker thing is a tough one. My son just started working at Best Buy so I can get a discount on speakers or anything there. Anything there you like? |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 529 Registered: Feb-05 | Honestly I would not buy gear from Best Buy, CC, or any of those big box stores if I could help it. If I had to buy form BB I would look at the Athena speakers. There are lots of affordable speakers out there that you can find at your local audio stores. You have a Magnolia HiFi nearby which sells these brands (don't buy Bose no matter what else you do) http://www.magnoliaav.com/infocenter/brands.asp. I'm sure that there are some good local stores that carry affordable speakers like, Paradigm, PSB, Energy, Tannoy, etc. All of those brands have affordables lines and they sound good. |
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ZiggyZoggyOiOiOi Unregistered guest | I would definitely keep the 3803. I use a 1082 in my family room theater that, minus a few bells and whistles, is far superior to the new 2805. When Denon introduced the 3803, they changed the outgoing 3802 to the 1082 and priced it a few hundred less than the 3803. The newer 1905 and 2805 units are definitely more mass-market oriented than the older 380x series. The new 3805 seems like a worthy piece, but much more $$ than the 2805 or the used 3803 you bought. |
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New member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 3 Registered: May-05 | Thanks Ziggy and Art for the feedback. I'll wait for more feedback but I'm definitely leaning towards keeping the 3803, after doing a little more research, it seems like even minus a few of the "new" add-ons in the 2805, the 3803 is a higher end component and I think I can probably make a $100 bucks or so on the 2805 that could go towards some new speakers. As to the speaker question, Art, unfortunately, the Magnolia HiFi closed about 6 months ago or I would go there first. (That's where I purchased the speakers and sub that I'm using.) So, even though not matched, they were doing a decent job of putting together speakers that worked well together given my price limitations at the time. I have an old pair of Altec Lansings that need to be reconed that were incredible in their day. They were the Studio Standards in the solid oak cases but my lovely wife thinks they're TOO BIG. Well, yeah, and they sounded incredible at the time but I'm not sure how they would work, given my current mixed bag. I've got a friend with Bose and I won't even go there, they SUCK and the prices sucks even worse. OK, so without a Magnolia Hi-Fi, where do I find decent speakers like what you suggested? OR, do I just carry on with what I've got. Will they let you try speakers at home or am I stuck listening to them in a sound room that doesn't give you a fair idea of what you've got when you get them home? Also, I'll try to find the numbers, (this will likely take my reading glasses) so you have a better idea what I've got to start with. I'd love to keep my sub, it sounds great but I'm just not sure if I can improve my sound in this room without spending a ton of money. (The room is odd shaped. It's probably 10 feet wide and 30 feet long and the TV sits in the middle of the long wall with a couch on the opposite wall, approximately 10' away. So, there's a lot of room space and carpet. AND, I am definitely a NOOB on this stuff. Thanks for all the thoughts, Dave. |
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New member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 4 Registered: May-05 | OK, this is comical and I'll probably do another post in speakers as I get closer to a decision. I'm keeping the Denon 3803 based on Art's and Ziggy's advice. I started looking for BAs in Spokane. Closest dealer is Seattle now and probably not real important since I have 15 year old speakers. So, I thought I'd take Art's advice and look at the Paradigms (closest dealer is here in Spokane); (PSBs - closest dealer is 45 miles away); Energys (closest dealer is in Montana 400 plus miles away); and, Tannoys (closest dealer rep. is in Seattle - 450 miles away). So, it doesn't look like I'll be getting a side by side comparison anytime soon. Any suggestions from here. I can listen to the Athenas at BB but I'll have to drive 5 miles to compare them to the Paradigms and I'm thinkin' my brain won't hold those notes that long, what do you think? |
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Silver Member Username: Joe_cOakwood, Ga Post Number: 342 Registered: Mar-05 | I think you should hear the Paradigm's first then buy them cause the Athena's prolly won't come close. |
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New member Username: Jr66Post Number: 5 Registered: May-05 | I run Paradigm and i love them, The studio 100s are great, i run paradigm centers and rears aswell. Great speaker for the money , do some research, youll see no bad comments on them. Also the Denon 3803 is a nice receiver, lots of options aswell... |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 554 Registered: Feb-05 | Hi David, can't keep up with all the posts with work and all. Here is a site that has a list of audio companies and links to them. Look for a dealer locator on the manufacturers web site and put in your zip and you can find the nearest dealer for almost any audio manufacturer. http://users.beanstalk.net/tkreitz/companies.html For Paradigm try Audio Video Design Associates, 1420 N Pines Rd, Spokane (208)772-3348. And no I have no idea if they're still in business I just got the info from the Paradigm dealer locator. Good luck. |
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New member Username: Jr66Post Number: 8 Registered: May-05 | its to bad you live in the states, in canada for example, you pay $2000 for paradigm canadian, and you will pay the same price in the states but in american, if you can get to Canada and buy them do it. You'll save a lot of money. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jorge59Rio de JaneiroBrasil Post Number: 12 Registered: May-05 | If distance is a problem, why not buy direct online? Ascend Acoustics are claimed to be high end quality yet cheap. |
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New member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 5 Registered: May-05 | Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'm going to go listen to the Paradigms this weekend, assuming they're still open. If the speakers are fantastic, which I suspect they are, I'll see where I go from here. I just can't believe that in an area with about 500,000 people, you can't find a hi end audio store that carries some of the better mid to high end equipment. Thanks for all the help and suggestions for the noobie guy. |
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Bronze Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 32 Registered: May-05 | Well, I'm sticking with the Denon 3803 since no one thought the 2805 was a better deal and it's now on eBay under "dakulis" seller for anyone that's interested. I'm off to bed. |
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Unregistered guest | Hello Everyone, Just a bit of info for those interested: Yes, Audio Video Design Associates is still around and at the address listed above. And we highly recommend Paradigm for most applications. Feel free to call. I will not go into depth here as this is not an ad space. As far as why there is not a store that carries mid to high end equipment; As a boutique store that speciallized in that sort of equipment (B&W, Rotel, Sota, Conrad-Johnson, etc.) I can tell you that when this area got the CC's and BB's people no longer wnated to be educated on or for that matter were even that interested in quality audio/video components. Most would have rather have some "kid" tell them what should sound good instead of using their own head and ears to determine what is right for them. If you were to do a search on any of the above mentioned brands you'll note that there are no longer any dealers in this area. We didn't want to let it go ; the area just would not support it. That in conjunction with MP3 and other compressed formats becoming "acceptable" audio quality have really become yet another arrow in the back of high end audio. For those still interested in a better level of quality speak up and tell me. If the demand is there I can bring back the good stuff. Douglas Lee Audio Video Design Associates |
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Bronze Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 81 Registered: May-05 | Doug, I've got to tell you that I can empathize with your problem. BUT, I cannot understand why you have failed to call me back and simply explain what you just posted on this site. I have left not less than 4-5 voicemails, talked to your "son" or whoever answered the phone on a Saturday, your "receptionist" and I've received one voicemail from you about "ordering" some Paradigms. As you pointed out, NOTHING beats hearing good speakers before you purchase them. I haven't bought at BB (even though my two kids work there) because their speakers (except possibly the Athenas) don't meet my listening requirements. So, your "Feel free to call" baloney doesn't play very well in light of my multiple attempts to do that. Frankly, I think that with Magnolia HiFi now gone, this area (almost 500,000 people including Spokane and Cd'A and surrounding communities) would support a high-end audio store that, especially one that welcomes its customers, provides customer service and has a decent range of speakers. Huppins is the only ball game and they don't carry any of the speakers that you named anyway. So, why not answer my multiple voicemails here - DO YOU HAVE ANY PARADIGM SPEAKERS THAT I CAN PREVIEW LIVE AND IN PERSON? If not, I might as well go listen to the "kids" at BB or CC, I guess. |