Denon 3808 Volume

[searayrunner]

How high have you went with your dial so far and has it distorted at any certian volume? What can the RF82's handle?

I am just starting to get used to the new receiver, had it almost two weeks now. I have found there seems to be a learning curve. I am trying to determine a safe volume level for Steroe music since I like to rock out on occasion when some of my buddies are over. I keep most everything flat for the most part with the exception of a few +1 bumps in treble, bass and the eq.

[Youthman]

I do not have near the wattage you have but with my HK, when the music starts to sound harsh, I back off a bit because the amp is beginning to distort.

[erikill]

When I was using my RF-3 II's with my 3806 (similar setup) I limited the volume to -0dB. I never seemed to need to take it louder than that for either movies or 2 channel. Another thing is with the auto-EQ is it will mess with how everything is setup and takes some additional tweaking. I'm not sure on the 3808 if there is a stereo menu where you can tweak it a bit. One thing is the highs can get a bit bright (maybe the RF82s they have fixed it) when I cranked it up so I took some out on the high end while the lower end was catching up. With that I could take it up to -0dB on the radio and any static wasn't going to make you deaf but they def made a diff.

Another thing which is impt too is the amp may distort if its not behind a line stabilizer / if you have stuff that are sending nosie through the line. I picked up mine as clearance and it helped a lot since my house is older and not sure how the circuits are wired up.

[Canadian_Dude]

With my RF-82s and my Denon 2807 I got to -17 before it was too loud for me. The SPL meter was at about 110 dB but my room is tiny. The only distortion I could notice was from my POS sub so I turned it down and it was nice and clear.

[searayrunner]

This is good to know...the loudest I have went was -10 (only becuase I was encouraged) and I couldnt hear any distortion or anyone else in the room for that matter. I would assume damaging distortion would be obvious? These really are nice speakers and I want to take all precautions in keeping them that way. The Denon really sounded clean as well. Compared to my old Cerwin Vega D9's with and old stereo amp 130 watts its not near as loud but much more cleaner for a lack of a better word.

[erikill]

You won't hurt the speakers assuming you are using something designed to not clip / works hard to keep a constant clean power output. As long as you don't hear clipping you should be fine and I doubt you will be able to do that as long as you stay below -0dB (no reason to go louder than that). Loud is a relative word, the Klipsch are very high efficency and can get "loud" with less power.

http://myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html - something to compare SPL loudness

Don't be afraid to give them some gas - just be prepared to be blown away literally Maxwell style.

[jacksonbart]

play it by ear

[jheis]

The level setting on your dial is meaningless (-0dB in reference to what?).

Get yourself down to your local RatShack & spend ~ $30 or 40 bucks on a SPL (sound pressure level) meter and limit your listening to a level that won't cause permanent hearing loss.

Hearing is not like wine... it doesn't get better with age. Protect it while you've got it.

James

[searayrunner]

Meaningless? It shouldnt be what other reference would I have? I'm not trying to blow ear drums i really just wanted to know when enough is enough on the amp and before it clips my speakers. When i compare this system to other ones (I have had and friends sysyems) its not really that loud in stereo. i have the whole basement to fill with sound so that could be part of it also.

I have the sound meter and used it to help set up the theater portion.

[kelA]

I want to say that the room EQ ie Audyssey, is going to limit how loud each person can go. Each room is different and will be EQ'd accordingly. I thought the Denon receivers with this technology will limit just how loud you can listen on the volume knob. The manual may list the range as being -70 to +18 on the indicator, but I will be willing to bet that once any room EQ is applied you will not be able to achieve that range on the receiver. So theoretically if one person is able to listen in the positive range does not mean that a different person will be able to as well. That is why the volume indicator is meaningless to compare with other users. Try it on your 3808; put it on a unused input so you dont damage speakers, then try turning up the volume as far as it goes with the room EQ on and then off. Do you get different max readings on your display? My 2805 works that way.

[searayrunner]

Very true Audyssey does effect it. But when i am listening in stereo i have that off and set to manual and flat i guess it just sounds better to me.

I think what's really messing with me is my old Denon was obvious when it was starting to distort but the new one is almost impossible to tell.

[MojoRisen]

I have almost the same set up as you except I have a RC52.

In pure direct or direct, I have gone to plus 7 on my 3808. Saturday night, just before the NCAA game, I had on HDnet with the GOO DOLLS at Red Rocks. Was showing the system off to my son and at +7, we were blown away at how clean and clear the sound was. We were sitting about 8ft from the speakers and it sucked us right in. It was not harsh at all. Very clean sound coming from that Denon through the Klipsch

In 5ch stereo mode, I wouldn't go that high because of the rs 42. They only handle 75 watts. But, the 82's can take everything the 3808 can dish out.

I have the Denon set up with Manual EQ, pretty much everything flat. One thing that made a BIG difference on the bass sound of the 82s is the placement. I have my fronts about 7ft apart and about a foot out from the walls. No sidewalls to deal with.