Hi all, I upgraded my AVR a few months ago (Denon 2311 to X3300) and everything else in my set-up is exactly the same. The problem is that to my ears, there is a definite downshift in audio experience when listening to music. I don't feel the same expansive sound stage and don't get the feeling of 'big', detailed sound coming at me. The sound stage is there but its a bit weaker and a bit shallower and less impressive. Imaging is still quite good - I can hear the vocal right in the center (or wherever else) and I know its tough to understand all this from a post but it just feels less good in every way. Its almost as if the detail from the treble has gone down a bit as has the heft and power in vocals. Bass is good. The irony is that my movie experience has improved - surround effects are louder and clearer and I can hear sound moving around much better with the new AVR compared to the old one. Can you think of why this would happen and what I can do?
Some context of my set-up:
Listen to CDs on my Marantz CD5005 through to the AVR and digital music (iTunes purchases only) through USB from an iPod Touch. Typical listening level: -5 dB (log scale on the Denons). The new AVR is from the US so its connected to a voltage converter (bought from Shah Electricals basis recco from a fellow FM). That's it. I didn't change anything else when installing the new AVR. I didn't use Audyssey in the old AVR nor have I run it in the new one. I prefer to set up on my own and do very little tinkering with default settings and don't use any special sound modes while listening to music. The old one didn't have a 'Pure' mode for music but the new one does and I've tried that also.
So, possible reasons/solutions?
a. The old Denon had higher quality components (power supply, DAC) which delivered better music experience? Throw away the new AVR?
b. My hearing has been impacted and now am slowly going deaf? Visit ENT?
c. The new Denon works best ONLY if I run Audyssey so I must?
d. The new Denon isn't getting enough power - something to do with the converter? But then I would have felt it while watching movies at the neighborhood-bothering volumes (0 to +5 dB) that I do sometimes?
e. All the above, to some extent? Sob quietly over wasted investment without telling the wife?
Some context of my set-up:
Listen to CDs on my Marantz CD5005 through to the AVR and digital music (iTunes purchases only) through USB from an iPod Touch. Typical listening level: -5 dB (log scale on the Denons). The new AVR is from the US so its connected to a voltage converter (bought from Shah Electricals basis recco from a fellow FM). That's it. I didn't change anything else when installing the new AVR. I didn't use Audyssey in the old AVR nor have I run it in the new one. I prefer to set up on my own and do very little tinkering with default settings and don't use any special sound modes while listening to music. The old one didn't have a 'Pure' mode for music but the new one does and I've tried that also.
So, possible reasons/solutions?
a. The old Denon had higher quality components (power supply, DAC) which delivered better music experience? Throw away the new AVR?
b. My hearing has been impacted and now am slowly going deaf? Visit ENT?
c. The new Denon works best ONLY if I run Audyssey so I must?
d. The new Denon isn't getting enough power - something to do with the converter? But then I would have felt it while watching movies at the neighborhood-bothering volumes (0 to +5 dB) that I do sometimes?
e. All the above, to some extent? Sob quietly over wasted investment without telling the wife?
