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*Official* Denon AVR 2309CI/889 Thread

508K views 3K replies 487 participants last post by  quik 
#1 ·
Hi All,


Since I will be taking delivery of a Denon AVR 2309CI unit this Friday, I thought that I would get this thread started. This post is a placeholder, so that I can post my initial thoughts and, later, a review of the unit, as well as answer any questions.


My original intent was to purchase an 889 model, as I did not feel that I needed the extra features that the 2309 model offered. However, when I found the 2309 on Amazon in stock, with overnight shipping a mere $4, I had to pull the trigger on it.


This unit will be replacing a Denon AVR 2805. I like my 2805 a lot, but with it not having any HDMI connections, it became increasingly frustrating to use. My wife will love the volume leveling features, as she is always complaining about the volume of commercials vs the shows themselves.


I will be hooking up 2 DirecTV HR-20s, an Oppo 981 DVD player, a PS3, an Xbox 360, and a Wii to the system, which will feed into my Samsung DLP 7178. My current plan is to feed the Xbox 360 & Wii thru component connections (neither has HDMI connections) and the other 4 via HDMI.


Look for my initial impressions either Friday night or Sunday (I have an all-day commitment on Saturday
)...


Don
 
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#77 ·
I had a surprise delivered to my house today! I had pre-ordered the 2309 with J&R and it was delivered today. I actually didn't even know it was delivered until I checked my email and saw the shipping notice - so the notice and the delivery came on the same day. Anyway, it's too late to set it up tonight, but I will definitely be doing so this weekend. It was also a pretty good price - $749, free shipping and no tax.
 
#79 ·
Please let us know your impression when you get a chance. I'm leaning towards the 2309/889 also. By the way, if anyone has an 889, please post your impression too. Thanks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RMSko /forum/post/14448365


I had a surprise delivered to my house today! I had pre-ordered the 2309 with J&R and it was delivered today. I actually didn't even know it was delivered until I checked my email and saw the shipping notice - so the notice and the delivery came on the same day. Anyway, it's too late to set it up tonight, but I will definitely be doing so this weekend. It was also a pretty good price - $749, free shipping and no tax.
 
#82 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mclamais /forum/post/14454478


Is there a good (reputable) online place to get the Denon 2309 for less than full retail?

Just look up a few posts - J&R has it for $749, free shipping.
 
#83 ·
I'm still tweaking my 2309, but so far so good. A couple of issues though:


1. I have my DTV HR20 hooked up to one of the HDMI inputs and when I reset the HR20, after it booted back up, it would only allow me to accept a resolution of 480p, i.e., when I tried to change it, nothing happened. I then rebooted with the HR20 directly into the TV and I was able to cycle through all the resolutions. I then rebooted again and it worked fine. I'm not sure if this is my HR20 or the 2309.


2. When using Auto setup, the instructions say when using a subwoofer, either:


(a) Defeat the volume and crossover controls, if possible, or


(b) Volume at 12 o'clock position, crossover at maximum, low pass filter off and standby mode off.


Am I suppose to be making these settings through the 2309 or in my subwoofer? I'm asking b/c I don't have any of these settings directly on my sub.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
#84 ·
what they are talking about is adjustments you need to make on your subwoofer that that you have disabled anything that may interfere with the Denon and Audyssey. When you are hooked up to the 2309, it is controlling all of the bass management and even sub-EQ'ing (through audyssey), so you don't want your sub doing anything like overlaying it's own low-pass filter or whatever.


do you not have a crossover control on the sub at all? as much as possible, the idea is to defeat any controls on the sub which could mess up the auto setup and let the denon control everything.


the idea with the volume control at the middle is just so it's not blasting when audyssey does its test tones and can set the sub trim at a normal level. you may find this doesn't work in your setup (i.e. if you notice audyssey puts your sub is at -12db and then your mains at +12db, you probably need to turn down the sub a little so audyssey has more "headroom" to balance the channel levels).
 
#85 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by batpig /forum/post/14460591


what they are talking about is adjustments you need to make on your subwoofer that that you have disabled anything that may interfere with the Denon and Audyssey. When you are hooked up to the 2309, it is controlling all of the bass management and even sub-EQ'ing (through audyssey), so you don't want your sub doing anything like overlaying it's own low-pass filter or whatever.


do you not have a crossover control on the sub at all? as much as possible, the idea is to defeat any controls on the sub which could mess up the auto setup and let the denon control everything.


the idea with the volume control at the middle is just so it's not blasting when audyssey does its test tones and can set the sub trim at a normal level. you may find this doesn't work in your setup (i.e. if you notice audyssey puts your sub is at -12db and then your mains at +12db, you probably need to turn down the sub a little so audyssey has more "headroom" to balance the channel levels).

Thanks for this. My old KEF SW did have a crossover setting, and also had a volume control. This KEF SW doesn't. For volume it says "Volume control is implemented in the source equipment. " Similarly there is no crossover control at the SW. The only control are Bass Boost (adjustable between 0, +3 and +6 at 40Hz (I have it at 0) and Phase Control (which I also have set at 0). I should also add that the sound was very low coming from my SW during the Auto setup. Any thoughts on what I should do?
 
#86 ·
not much you CAN do.... just set those controls to "0" like you have, and let Audyssey do what it can. you will be stuck with the +/- 12dB limits that the denon proscribes, so hopefully that will be enough headroom for the Audyssey to balance your setup.


ps - if audyssey sets your subwoofer distance all funky, don't try and change it -- it is controlling phase for you by measuring distance using the "acoustic" distance of the sub, which may not be close to the physical distance if the sub isn't in phase with the other speakers. if you turn your phase dial to something else, and re-do audyssey, you will probably get a sub distance off by several feet from the previous settings. both are correct, audyssey should balance it all for you, so set your sub phase at "0" and let it work.
 
#87 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by batpig /forum/post/14460708


not much you CAN do.... just set those controls to "0" like you have, and let Audyssey do what it can. you will be stuck with the +/- 12dB limits that the denon proscribes, so hopefully that will be enough headroom for the Audyssey to balance your setup.


ps - if audyssey sets your subwoofer distance all funky, don't try and change it -- it is controlling phase for you by measuring distance using the "acoustic" distance of the sub, which may not be close to the physical distance if the sub isn't in phase with the other speakers. if you turn your phase dial to something else, and re-do audyssey, you will probably get a sub distance off by several feet from the previous settings. both are correct, audyssey should balance it all for you, so set your sub phase at "0" and let it work.

This is very helpful. Thanks for the advice. The audyssey setup worked well. My sub seems a bit loud, but that may be b/c with my other receiver I never heard the sub unless it was a loud scene so perhaps it's not loud and is just how it's suppose to be. If it bothers me too much, I can always turn it down in the setup I guess.
 
#88 ·
Just got my 2309 on Friday and have been spending the weekend messing around with it. I bought new speakers as well Aperion Audio 5.1 setup although I do not have my sub yet cause it is on back order.


I feel like I am not getting the output/headroom I should be getting and maybe it is because I don't have the sub hooked up or maybe it is because I didn't do the Audessy setup yet. It just doesn't seem like it is as loud as it should be. The receiver goes from -80db to +something (haven't turned it all the way up), but it doesn't get any good volume until I reach about -10db to -6db. Is that normal? Do you think this will change when I do the EQ setup and get the sub in there.


NOTE: I have a Comcast box with HDMI going into the receiver and a PS3 with HDMI going into the receiver and then one HDMI going to TV from the receiver's output. The PS3 is set to output Linear PCM over HDMI.
 
#90 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mclamais /forum/post/14464081


I did before I posted, but I don't see it at $749 anymore. It's now full list.

I don't think the J&R website ever showed it at the pre-order price of $749. If you call soon, you may still be able to get in on that price. I spoke to Jacques late last week and he was still able to offer that price. If you're interested, I wouldn't wait much longer though.
 
#91 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mclamais /forum/post/14464081


I did before I posted, but I don't see it at $749 anymore. It's now full list.

Exactly as the quote before just said. You just have to call ext 1015 (Jacques) and he should give it to you for $749. It was list online when he gave me that price.
 
#94 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by talen316 /forum/post/14464131


I don't think the J&R website ever showed it at the pre-order price of $749. If you call soon, you may still be able to get in on that price. I spoke to Jacques late last week and he was still able to offer that price. If you're interested, I wouldn't wait much longer though.

Thanks, you were correct, I ordered it this morning at $749.00.


Thank,


Marc
 
#95 ·
Am I right that, even if "Convert" is set to "On", the 2309 will NOT do any processing of any digital signal and that it will only upconvert analog signals (and since I have DTV, which is all digital, it will not do any processing)?
 
#96 ·
I'm almost 100% sure that the 2309 is incapable of processing a digital video signal at all. I think only the 3808ci and up lets you do that.


On my 2307ci, I have confirmed with test patterns that the HDMI signal is untouched -- calibrated the HDMI input with a direct connection, and then routed the HDMI through the receiver and the calibration was identical. I don't see why the 2309ci would screw that up, it's just video passthrough.
 
#98 ·
The chip in my 2309 is a Genesis FLI 2310-LF.


Using DV, the volume level varies more than I expected between the Day, Evening and Midnight settings. I checked the volume level using the Fantastic 4 RSS BD disc, keeping the master volume at "0", and got these readings:


Day: Dance floor @ 12:30= 90dB, Kitchen scene @ 15:00= 77dB.

Evening: Dance floor @ 12:30= 84dB, Kitchen scene @ 15:00= 72dB.

Midnight: Dance floor @ 12:30= 78dB, Kitchen scene @ 15:00= 68dB.


So, to maintain the same playback volume, you need to increase/decrease the master volume by about 5dB between settings. I expected that the volume in the kitchen scene (talking) would be the same with all 3 settings: with only the dynamic range,e.g., the dance floor changing. Not so.
 
#99 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by batpig /forum/post/14473835


I'm almost 100% sure that the 2309 is incapable of processing a digital video signal at all. I think only the 3808ci and up lets you do that.


On my 2307ci, I have confirmed with test patterns that the HDMI signal is untouched -- calibrated the HDMI input with a direct connection, and then routed the HDMI through the receiver and the calibration was identical. I don't see why the 2309ci would screw that up, it's just video passthrough.

I think this is right. I have a DTV HR20 and tested this by setting the HR20 at480i, 720p and 1080i, all with Convert to "On". I then pressed the "info" button on my TV's remote and each time it reflected that the signal was the exact same as the signal coming from my HR20. I assume this means no processing b/c if it was processed, I would expect that my TV would reflect a 1080p signal coming in (my TV is 1080p).
 
#100 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by T2k /forum/post/14473902


Are you sure? INteresting. Dealing with digital-only seems to be cheaper than doing AD first...

You'd think that, but I guess it's not true because most lower-end receivers don't allow video processing on digital video, it's only the analog->HDMI conversion where they let you do it. I've heard it's an HDCP issue, but who knows...


I'm sure you've read this article:
http://hometheatermag.com/receivers/608recfeat/


In the 3808ci section, they say: "The AVR-3808CI is one of only a few AVRs in this roundup that will let you apply video processing to incoming HDMI signals."


In the Sony section: "Sony seems to be incorporating the same stance as most of the other companies by not allowing video processing of incoming HDMI signals."


Even high-end models in that roundup, like the RX-V3800 and Sony 4300ES don't offer video processing of digital video.



And if you dig into the Denon manuals, there is cryptic information about "analog to HDMI" conversion but never a mention of digital processing, until you get to the 3808ci manual...
 
#101 ·
Another difference I see when looking at the Denon website "Compare" is this:


Speaker Time-Delay and Level Controls: L/R, Sub, C, Surr. L/R, Surround Back


For the 2309 this is checked, but for the 1909 it is not. This would indicate that if you want to be able to adjust these things manually (vs. letting Audyssey do it all), you would need the 2309. Can anyone confirm whether this is correct or not?
 
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