Denon AVR 3310

[Hems]

Hi,

Does anyone know if this amp is going to reviewed or if it's supposed to be any good? I'm looking for something in the £1000-1500 range to go with my KEF3005SE's and PV1.

Cheers

 

[Simon Lucas]

Our AVR-3310 is being delivered today - or possibly tomorrow. Either way, the review should feature in the November issue (o/s 16th September).

 

[BJB]

Hi Hems,

I am in a similar position in that I have decided on either the KEF 3005SE or MA HD90 style speakers. I was considering matching 1 of the 2 to a SONY STRDA5400ES, but I was advised in 1 post that the 5400 (1500 pounds) would be underutilised with those speaker packages. I was therefore advised to go for an AV amplifier in the 500 pound range (SONY STRDA2400ES). In another post, I was advised that the speaker packages would benefit from a 1500 pound amp. I can't audition both amps with the speaker packages as I have to buy the amp and blue ray before the speaker packages (complicated story). What are your thoughts?

Kind regards,

Brandon

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Hems:Hi,

Does anyone know if this amp is going to reviewed or if it's supposed to be any good? I'm looking for something in the £1000-1500 range to go with my KEF3005SE's and PV1.

Cheers

That would be complete overkill/waste of money for your speakers.

 

[Big Chris]

BJB:
Hi Hems,

I am in a similar position in that I have decided on either the KEF 3005SE or MA HD90 style speakers. I was considering matching 1 of the 2 to a SONY STRDA5400ES, but I was advised in 1 post that the 5400 (1500 pounds) would be underutilised with those speaker packages. I was therefore advised to go for an AV amplifier in the 500 pound range (SONY STRDA2400ES). In another post, I was advised that the speaker packages would benefit from a 1500 pound amp. I can't audition both amps with the speaker packages as I have to buy the amp and blue ray before the speaker packages (complicated story). What are your thoughts?

Kind regards,

Brandon

Hi Brandon, it's me again.

I'm not sure I made myself clear in our earlier 'chat'. The KEFs & M.As you mentioned PROBABLY WILL sound better with the 5400ES than the 2400ES, but as you've mentioned above, you'll be under-using the 5400s abilities. You may find that the difference in ability THROUGH YOUR CHOSEN SPEAKERS is not worth the extra money.

You've got to ask yourself if you're a 'buy the best you can afford' kind of guy. Then buy the 5400 and have no regrets. If you're after performance & value, you owe it to yourself to listen to the 2400 alongside the 5400, after all, £1000 is a lot of money, and if you don't perceive much difference, pocket it and splurge on your Blu-Ray collection.

Whichever way you go, you're doing the right thing by actually going and listening to stuff, rather than just ordering, paying and living with yout choice.

Happy listening!

 

[Hems]

I've seen a number of posts from a dealer on these forums stating that you would get the best out of the KEFs from an amp in the £1000 range. Can anyone re-iterate that?

I did have a 2400es and it sounded great but it malfunctioned so I was offered a refund due to supply reasons. It really depends on your budget. If you can afford to spend more on the receiver go for it but I would recommend that you audition it first! FYI the Denon 1910 is also very good according to the WHF review.

I've decided to spend more to get the best out of my speakers and wait until the new models have been reviewed before I buy. I'm also considering the 5400es.

I've sold the sub that came with the KEFs and I'm planning to buy the B&W PV1 to go with it.

 

[Big Chris]

You'll love the PV1!

 

[Hems]

Gerrardasnails:Hems:Hi,

Does anyone know if this amp is going to reviewed or if it's supposed to be any good? I'm looking for something in the £1000-1500 range to go with my KEF3005SE's and PV1.

Cheers

That would be complete overkill/waste of money for your speakers.

Really? What would you recommend?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks.

 

[Big Chris]

Yamaha 863?

 

[Hems]

I cant wait to get it. Claire mentioned it would give me a big step up in performance. I was considering to keep the original sub and get buy 685 fronts and HTM 62 but i dont know how ill fit it all in. I have a tv stand with 4 peices of equiipment and the tv on top.

 

[Hems]

Hems:Gerrardasnails:Hems:Hi,

Does anyone know if this amp is going to reviewed or if it's supposed to be any good? I'm looking for something in the £1000-1500 range to go with my KEF3005SE's and PV1.

Cheers

That would be complete overkill/waste of money for your speakers.

Really? What would you recommend?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks.

Also I forgot to mention that im thinking ahead so that if i move into a bigger house i'll be buying standmounts/floorstanding spkrs

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Hems:Gerrardasnails:Hems:Hi,

Does anyone know if this amp is going to reviewed or if it's supposed to be any good? I'm looking for something in the £1000-1500 range to go with my KEF3005SE's and PV1.

Cheers

That would be complete overkill/waste of money for your speakers.

Really? What would you recommend?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks.

You would be much better off spending £500 more on speakers and getting a receiver in the £750 range. Or just get a receiver in the Denon 1910 range. I read that you had a problem with the 2400. If it was just a unit problem, try another one. There is only so much the Kefs can produce and adding a brilliant receiver will not make them sound like full sized speakers. You could buy full size front speakers and then a pair of the Kefs or B&W MT speakers, Monitor Audio R90 HD's as your rear speakers to go with the PV1. Add a Denon 2310 or Sony 3400es for instance and you would beat the full set of 3005 Kefs and the 5400es.

 

[Big Chris]

Good thing is in future when you buy the floorstanders, you can move the Kef surrounds from front to rear duties, giving you 7.1.

One thing to bear in mind. It's better to stick to the same manufaturer for all surround speakers in a home cinema. Kef haven't really set the world alight with their 2 channel speakers of late. If you went with one of the M.A radius speaker packages, you could get some BR5s or RS6s for the front pair. Likewise if you went with B&Ws MT25 or MT30 package, you could have 684s for the front pair.

 

[BJB]

Hi Chris,

You were clear in our previous chat. However, as Hems points out, a number of dealers in this forum have expressed the view that the KEFs would work best with a more expensive amplifier. Gerard definitely agrees with you and disagrees with those dealers. The problem is that I am unable to compare the 2400 and 5400 with the speaker packages. The store that supplies the amp and blu ray does not supply the speakers. I therefore have to buy the amp and blu ray first in order to audition the 2 different speaker packages. Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Brandon

 

[Hems]

Gerrardasnails:Hems:Gerrardasnails:Hems:Hi,

Does anyone know if this amp is going to reviewed or if it's supposed to be any good? I'm looking for something in the £1000-1500 range to go with my KEF3005SE's and PV1.

Cheers

That would be complete overkill/waste of money for your speakers.

Really? What would you recommend?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks.

You would be much better off spending £500 more on speakers and getting a receiver in the £750 range. Or just get a receiver in the Denon 1910 range. I read that you had a problem with the 2400. If it was just a unit problem, try another one. There is only so much the Kefs can produce and adding a brilliant receiver will not make them sound like full sized speakers. You could buy full size front speakers and then a pair of the Kefs or B&W MT speakers, Monitor Audio R90 HD's as your rear speakers to go with the PV1. Add a Denon 2310 or Sony 3400es for instance and you would beat the full set of 3005 Kefs and the 5400es.

Thanks for the advice. Decisons decisions - Im not sure what to do now.

the reason I didnt get another 2400 is because amazon said id have to wait 3-4 months for the replacement. Knowing that new models will be coming out i decided to wait.

 

[Big Chris]

BJB:
Hi Chris,

You were clear in our previous chat. However, as Hems points out, a number of dealers in this forum have expressed the view that the KEFs would work best with a more expensive amplifier. Gerard definitely agrees with you and disagrees with those dealers. The problem is that I am unable to compare the 2400 and 5400 with the speaker packages. The store that supplies the amp and blu ray does not supply the speakers. I therefore have to buy the amp and blu ray first in order to audition the 2 different speaker packages. Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Brandon

EDIT: Duplicate post, see below.

 

[Big Chris]

BJB:
Hi Chris,

You were clear in our previous chat. However, as Hems points out, a number of dealers in this forum have expressed the view that the KEFs would work best with a more expensive amplifier. Gerard definitely agrees with you and disagrees with those dealers. The problem is that I am unable to compare the 2400 and 5400 with the speaker packages. The store that supplies the amp and blu ray does not supply the speakers. I therefore have to buy the amp and blu ray first in order to audition the 2 different speaker packages. Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Brandon

I think the issue is the 2400 is £500 and the 5400 is £1500. That's a big leap. Perhaps you could look for something around the £700/£800 mark?

Personally, I believe a £1500 receiver with a £1200 speaker package is unbalanced.

My amp was £1000, my speakers (as 7.1) RRP is around £1750, and I thought that I was hovering around entry level for my amp.

 

[Hems]

Big Chris:Good thing is in future when you buy the floorstanders, you can move the Kef surrounds from front to rear duties, giving you 7.1.

One thing to bear in mind. It's better to stick to the same manufaturer for all surround speakers in a home cinema. Kef haven't really set the world alight with their 2 channel speakers of late. If you went with one of the M.A radius speaker packages, you could get some BR5s or RS6s for the front pair. Likewise if you went with B&Ws MT25 or MT30 package, you could have 684s for the front pair.

Yeah, I didnt really consider this properly when I bought the KEFs. I think you're right about trying to stick to the same make of speaker but I was told its really inportant for the front 3 channels so I should be able to get away with the B&W's front when the times right and move the KEF eggs to the back.

 

[Hems]

Has anyone from the WHF team have any thoughts of mixing KEF3005s with an expensive amp?

 

[lobby]

Choosing a more expensive amp than speakers won't be overkill, but i would just drop down a level for the Kefs something around the £750-£1000 would suit them fine, and there's still room there for an upgrade in speakers without having to also replace the amp. Something along the lines of the Onkyo 876, Yamaha Rx1900 and the new Denon avr 2310 may be the Marantz. All these will give you a little bit more than the budget Sony's and Denons etc, and a fine balanced system leaving cash for a decent blu-ray player or more films.

 

[Big Aura]

I was always led to believe that the best cost/reward balance comes from spending 60:40 Speakers:Amp.

 

[Hems]

lobby:Choosing a more expensive amp than speakers won't be overkill, but i would just drop down a level for the Kefs something around the £750-£1000 would suit them fine, and there's still room there for an upgrade in speakers without having to also replace the amp. Something along the lines of the Onkyo 876, Yamaha Rx1900 and the new Denon avr 2310 may be the Marantz. All these will give you a little bit more than the budget Sony's and Denons etc, and a fine balanced system leaving cash for a decent blu-ray player or more films.

I guess you're right. I might just consider the 2310 as well as the 3310. The Yamaha 2065 is due out soon too right?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Big Chris:BJB:
Hi Chris,

You were clear in our previous chat. However, as Hems points out, a number of dealers in this forum have expressed the view that the KEFs would work best with a more expensive amplifier. Gerard definitely agrees with you and disagrees with those dealers. The problem is that I am unable to compare the 2400 and 5400 with the speaker packages. The store that supplies the amp and blu ray does not supply the speakers. I therefore have to buy the amp and blu ray first in order to audition the 2 different speaker packages. Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Brandon

I think the issue is the 2400 is £500 and the 5400 is £1500. That's a big leap. Perhaps you could look for something around the £700/£800 mark?

Personally, I believe a £1500 receiver with a £1200 speaker package is unbalanced.

My amp was £1000, my speakers (as 7.1) RRP is around £1750, and I thought that I was hovering around entry level for my amp.

You can get the 2400es from Richer Sounds for £399 so I'm sure you can find it elsewhere at that price. This would be plenty for the Kefs and then if you upgrade in the future, you could sell the 2400 for maybe just a £200 hit. Get a £1500 receiver and it will be worth about £500 in a couple of years second hand. You said before (OP not Big Chris) that you were impressed with the 2400, I would go with that one.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Big Chris:BJB:
Hi Chris,

You were clear in our previous chat. However, as Hems points out, a number of dealers in this forum have expressed the view that the KEFs would work best with a more expensive amplifier. Gerard definitely agrees with you and disagrees with those dealers. The problem is that I am unable to compare the 2400 and 5400 with the speaker packages. The store that supplies the amp and blu ray does not supply the speakers. I therefore have to buy the amp and blu ray first in order to audition the 2 different speaker packages. Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Brandon

I think the issue is the 2400 is £500 and the 5400 is £1500. That's a big leap. Perhaps you could look for something around the £700/£800 mark?

Personally, I believe a £1500 receiver with a £1200 speaker package is unbalanced.

My amp was £1000, my speakers (as 7.1) RRP is around £1750, and I thought that I was hovering around entry level for my amp.

You can get the 2400es from Richer Sounds for £399 so I'm sure you can find it elsewhere at that price. This would be plenty for the Kefs and then if you upgrade in the future, you could sell the 2400 for maybe just a £200 hit. Get a £1500 receiver and it will be worth about £500 in a couple of years second hand. You said before (OP not Big Chris) that you were impressed with the 2400, I would go with that one.