Denon avr1802 or Yamaha dsp3090

[mbbx0bbr]

A deal with a problem, both at £250 GBP.

Denon avr1802 (used)
Has all the latest gizzmoes DD5.1 , DTS , DP2 (does not have matrix/neo etc). Brand new is £450 and is form year 2001

Yamaha DSP3090 (used)
Has AC3 DD and DP1. Was brand new £1700 in 1996 (apparantley one of the very best)

Does one buy the cheaper model for the latest technlogy, or does one invest in high quality equipment that is old. (Assuming that at £1700 in1996 the item was very high quality)????

Both have 5*80W RMS output and the rest of the stuff.

Could the yamaha go faulty soon as it's a tad old?

some internet links
www.audioreview.com/PRD_125776_2718crx.aspx

www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/Amplifiers/Yamaha/YamahaDSP-A3090.shtml

Can any one help in to helping me decide wich one to buy??

 

[JIT]

www.richersounds.com have the 1802 for £250 new while www.unbeatable.co.uk are doing the new 1803 for less than £300 which does have all the latest sound modes.

 

[mbbx0bbr]

OK so u get a new denon for £250 or do i buy the used yamaha dsp 3090 for £250.

The yamaha being the very best in 1996 with AC3 DD5.1 (apparently has brillient sound quality). was £1700 new in 1996 so most have high quality components. Where as the denon is £250 new (so is cheaper with new technology, does that mean that it has less quality components inside??) . Or that 5 year technology is now costing around £250??

should is go denon or yamaha?

 

depends on how much use a 5 year old yammy has had,if not much ..go for it . i have the denon and am quite happy with it and it only cost 250 new and boxed!

 

[hobbes]

buying an ex flagship amp is all very well and good but for me the yamaha you are thinking of getting is just too old. Yes it may well have sounded good in 1996 but think about it, the 3090 is now 8yrs old and the dolby digital version it had was still very new.
Since then there have been many refinements/additions to the surround sound formats and im betting taht the 1802 (even better, the 1803) would give it a good run for its money.

I'd have to reccommend you to get the 1803. If you need any more convincing on this amps specs then see TimH. Its just a matter of if you can find out when it comes out.

Shaun

 

[Smurfin]

Originally posted by hobbes
buying an ex flagship amp is all very well and good but for me the yamaha you are thinking of getting is just too old. Yes it may well have sounded good in 1996 but think about it, the 3090 is now 8yrs old and the dolby digital version it had was still very new.
Since then there have been many refinements/additions to the surround sound formats and im betting taht the 1802 (even better, the 1803) would give it a good run for its money.

I'd have to reccommend you to get the 1803. If you need any more convincing on this amps specs then see TimH. Its just a matter of if you can find out when it comes out.

Shaun

Well everyone has an opinion, and that's fair enough, but it does annoy me when people who clearly don't know what they're talking about offer advice.

Before I go any further, let me state that I am actually the seller of the 3090 (and before anyone flames me, yes of course I'm biased!)

I think it would be good to hear from OTHERS who have owned in the past a 3090.

The amp is indeed an old model (6 years not 8, when it was released, this one is 5.)

However to assume that because it's old it's not up to todays standards is very misguided.

I have listened to the 1802, and frankly the 3090 blows it away.

"Dolby Digital technology has had many refinements" - actually I think you'll find it's had little, with the exception of 6.1 (by all means someone correct me if I'm wrong!).

The 3090 can still hold its own after this long. Put an A2 beside a 3090, or even an A1 for that matter....see if you can spot a major difference.

A brand new £250 amp does not compete with a £1700 amp of yesteryear....at least not the one I heard!

What the 3090 doesnt have however is DTS or the new 6.1, PLII modes etc.

I guess it all comes down to priorities - performance or new sound modes?

The 3090 can still compete on performance, just not on the new modes (and thats not to say the denon isn't a top class unit either).

mbbx0bbr, I would offer one piece of advice to you. Which will be more useful, a good surround experience with PLII, or a superb performance without? It all comes down to your main listening source.

 

im a 1802 user, and i also agree that the 3o90 will outperform the 1802, if the 3090 was available at the time i would have got it, it wasn,t so igot 1802 which can outclass a lot of amps a little higher up the price bracket

 

[Reiner]

Though the 3090 is certainly a classic (I nearly bought it but then the DSP-A1 came out) you should be aware that it does not have a 5.1 input, thus future upgrades are very limited if not impossible, i.e. no DTS, SACD or DVD-A then.

Perhaps you should look out for some used Denon AVR-3801/02 instead ... ?

 

[konghh]

No, I am not the seller and don't know this Smurfin fellow. But I would have to concur with him on this one. Put it in another way, it's similar to a choice between the latest Toyota Coralla with all those new electronic gizmo and a 5 year old Mercedes E Class. Sure the 2002 corolla is very nice, it may even come with a coffee maker but if you close your eye and sitting in the rear, guess which one would you like to be seated in?. Personally, for movies, I might opts for the latest gismo but when it comes to music, I would bet my dollar with the Yamaha.

 

[gmt steve]

I worked in AV retail for five years and never came across a faulty Yamaha product ever, so I wouldn't worry about reliability. All this talk of advances in surround processing is overlooking the fact that the main contribution to the sound quality of an AV amp is from it's amplifiers. In that regard the Yamaha will trounce the Denon. I've had a 3090, an A1 and loved 'em both. Don't forget the Yamaha's front effects option, it's great on Pro-Logic stuff.

 

[sc1977]

I have just sold a 3090 and got an a2 no difference to my ears the 3090 is a great (bloody heavy) amp and if you can get one at a reasonable price grab it

ps videotec do modifications for 5.1 or 6.1 inputs not cheap though

 

[konghh]

I understand that RicherSound has some Nakamichi AV10 at special price. Some said it got excellent sound but lacking in the latest gizmo, not even 5.1 input. If sound is more important then gizmo, Why not give it a listen.