Denon AVR-X3500 Owners Thread

@WozzaB Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding you here, but you can absolutely do as you had hoped. I have "day" settings for Cable on (1) and "Night" settings on (2). DEQ is used in (1) but off in (2) where LFC is also turned on and flat used instead of reference.

In fact, the only thing you can't adjust and save per each individual quick select button is the master Subwoofer, Center and channel levels. But, you can adjust those at source level instead via the "option" button on the remote and this then also gets remembered when you hold down the quick select button to save.

When you want to save a setup to a quick select button (1-4) make sure you hold the desired quick select button down for several seconds until the graphic pops up on the screen.
Thanks for the info, I'll have another try later, it would useful to have the settings stored, similar to yours.
 
@WozzaB Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding you here, but you can absolutely do as you had hoped. I have "day" settings for Cable on (1) and "Night" settings on (2). DEQ is used in (1) but off in (2) where LFC is also turned on and flat used instead of reference

Yep, that's what I was saying, it's a per source thing so you could do it for a max two sources. The best solution is the discrete direct LFC toggle code via a Harmony but obviously you have to have a Harmony to do that.

Regarding your setup, it's generally recommended not to use DEQ at all and run Flat not Reference. DEQ over boosts the bass and surrounds making dialogue etc less clear and Reference rolls off the higher frequencies which is most noticable playing music.
 
HDMI can convey audio formats not possible via S/PDIF coax or optical. You'd be able to access HD formats such as Dolby TRyeHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as well as multichannel PCM. Opticall cannot convey these HD formats which are commonly used in association with films sourced via Blu-ray and UHD discs. You'd also need the ability to bitstream TRueHD or Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) if also wishing to access Atmos. THese 2 formats are what the associated metadata is ordinarilly packaged with. Neither TRueHD or DD+ can be streamed via optical.

If the differenf TVs and devices you are outputting to have different video capabilities then the AV receiver will inform the source device of this and the source would limit its output to what all the devices in question can handle. This would limit you to the lowest resolution and no, out of the outputs are not independant and will not be scaled independantly.


From the manual:


  • If both the HDMI MONITOR 1 and HDMI MONITOR 2 connectors are connected and “Resolution” is set to “Auto”, the signals are output with a resolution that is compatible with both TVs.
    When the “Resolution” setting in the menu is not set to “Auto”, set the resolution in “Video” - “HDMI Monitor 1” and “HDMI Monitor 2” to one that is compatible with both TVs.
  • You can check which resolutions are compatible with your TV in “HDMI Monitor 1” and “HDMI Monitor 2”.
  • When connecting multiple Dolby Vision TVs, the signal will only be optimal for one TV. A TV connected to the HDMI MONITOR 1 connector has priority.


Note that if using the dedicated secnd HDMI zone output that both the video and audio would be passed through the receiver to a second zone without the AV recever playing any part in processing it, but if the source is simultaneously also be used by the main room them you'd still be restricted by the capabilities of the least capable display.
Thank you for the comprehensive answer. I've got some extra cabling to do.
 
Yep, that's what I was saying, it's a per source thing so you could do it for a max two sources. The best solution is the discrete direct LFC toggle code via a Harmony but obviously you have to have a Harmony to do that.

Regarding your setup, it's generally recommended not to use DEQ at all and run Flat not Reference. DEQ over boosts the bass and surrounds making dialogue etc less clear and Reference rolls off the higher frequencies which is most noticable playing music.

Yeah @b1g1an I actually do wholeheartedly agree with you regarding DEQ. To be honest I don't use it at all anymore but just used that as an extreme working example of what can be done if desired, as I've tested it that way in the past. A lot of people do seem to like DEQ though.

It took me quite a few runs with the audyssey app and a lot of speaker/sub repositioning to get a really good calibration run, but when I got that excellent run I found both DEQ and Dvol then degraded the overall quality of sound, not improve it.
 
Quick question about Atmos on this x3500... watching 'Angel has fallen' last night on a UHD Blu-ray, with Atmos as default on the disc, why was my receiver showing Dolby True-HD + Dolby Surround and not Atmos? Is that technically the same thing? Because on my XB1X, the receiver actually says Atmos when watching the exact same disc.
 
The receiver should show Atmos on its display if processing the Atmos metadata.

snapshot004.jpg


If only showing TrueHD plus Dolby Surround then what you are getting is pseudo Atmos created by the Dolby Surround upmixing being applied to the 7.1 TrueHD formated audio. The receiver isn't for some reason detecting the presence of the Atmos metadata or the source isn't bitstreaming the metadata along with the TRueHD soundtrack? Are you sure you'd inserted the UHD dusc and not put the GD version in the player by accident?
 
No matter what I've done, it's only doing 'DTHD +DSur'.

I verified it is indeed the 4K UHD Disc, as the only other one in the package is the 1080p Blu-Ray disc. TV is Sony 950g, and disc is inserted into a Sony UBP-X800M2.

So the UBP shows going out: Dolby TrueHD 7.1ch 48kHz fluctuating around 2.5 to 3.1 Mbps and Dolby Vision 4K/24p and BT.2020 YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10bit

***EDIT: Just now playing another disc, this one '13 Hours' and its a Dolby Atmos 1080p Blu-ray and its also being put out in the same Dolby True-HD 7.1ch
 
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No matter what I've done, it's only doing 'DTHD +DSur'.

I verified it is indeed the 4K UHD Disc, as the only other one in the package is the 1080p Blu-Ray disc. TV is Sony 950g, and disc is inserted into a Sony UBP-X800M2.

So the UBP shows going out: Dolby TrueHD 7.1ch 48kHz fluctuating around 2.5 to 3.1 Mbps and Dolby Vision 4K/24p and BT.2020 YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10bit
Welcome to the Forum and apologies is my question seems to assume things.

Do you have the right number of speakers and configured for Atmos, ie, 5.1.2?
 
gibbsy, no worries mate, and thank you, great to be here. I am currently utilizing only a pair of Towers and a Sub. Hoping to add the rest of the 5.1.2 here within the next couple of months.
 
The receiver will not acknowledge the Atmos metadata and process it unless you have a speaker configuration conducive with the portrayal of Atmos. You'd need to have at least a 5.1.2 speaker layout in order for the reveiver to acknowledge the presence of the Atmos metadata.
 
dante01, thank you. That makes sense, however, why would my XB1X output Atmos even in a game such as Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, and the x3500 actually let me choose between Atmos and Stereo? That is what is tripping me up... I see the Atmos on the display of the AVR, even with the current 2.1 speaker setup. Just trying to test and verify everything is functional and in harmony with each other while I have to wait a bit longer before adding the rest of the speakers to complete a 5.1.2 setup.

***EDIT: oh and the TV's native Netflix App, this also puts out an Atmos that my receiver recognizes and displays. This is why I'm kinda concerned.
 
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The XBox is a weird one and I believe it uses Dolby MAT alongside creating faux Atmos. No matter what you get in respects to your XBox, your receiver cannot portray Atmos without the speakers required to do so. Even if your receiver was display Atmos on the front panel while playing the game you mentioned, you were not getting an Atmos soundtrack. You need the additional speaker in the absence of Dolby Height Virualisation and your receiver hasn't got such virtualisation.

The fact you state that there's only actually 2 channels of audio present with the audio being streamed in association with the game suggests that the audio may in fact be Headphone Atmos as opposedd to the Atmos more commonly associated with soundtrack?
 
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gibbsy, no worries mate, and thank you, great to be here. I am currently utilizing only a pair of Towers and a Sub. Hoping to add the rest of the 5.1.2 here within the next couple of months.
As dante has pointed out you have to have a 5.1.2 configured and speakers in their correct positions before the receiver will actually decode Atmos. Until then you will be limited to the Dolby TrueHD content of the disc. Atmos is metadata that is 'attached' to the TrueHD soundtrack and can only be decoded into the appropriate channels when those channels are available.

With a 3500 you will need to have two speakers in or on the ceiling or upfiring modules sitting on top of the front left and right speakers. You can also place speakers high on the front wall and pointing towards the MLP. Can make a big difference to your enjoyment of a film.
 
@HD1911

dante01, thank you

If you want to tag anyone then you have to preface the person's name with the @ symbol followed by the name as it appears under the avatar then a space, no punctuation. If done correctly it will show up in red when posting the reply and they will also get a notification on their board.
 
ok, perfect, thank you guys. Glad I understand all that now.

My plan is to put a couple of Klipsch Atmos-enabled speakers on top of my two Klipsch towers.

in the meantime, when watching movie and such, do I get any benefit from choosing any of the surround formats/modes other than strictly stereo, with my current 2.1 setup? Asked another way, will any or all of those various formats come through correctly and out of a 2.1 speaker setup or will I have lost some audio? that make sense? can the receiver take say a 5.1 soundtrack and stuff it ALL through a 2.1 speaker setup? anything to be gained by doing that if so? Or just stay strictly STEREO or VIRTUAL for now?

***EDIT: @gibbsy & @dante01, got it
 
Ensure that your XBox is correctly configured for outputting Atmos:
 
I would use the Dolby function, not PCM or stereo that will ensure that your will get the benefit of the LFE effects channel to the sub. Set your speakers to small on the receiver with a crossover of 80hz. If you play music then select stereo from scrolling through the audio options on the remote and again this will allow the sub to be used if you so wish. For best music though, considering you have floorstanders then select Direct or Pure Direct.
 
ok, perfect, thank you guys. Glad I understand all that now.

My plan is to put a couple of Klipsch Atmos-enabled speakers on top of my two Klipsch towers.

in the meantime, when watching movie and such, do I get any benefit from choosing any of the surround formats/modes other than strictly stereo, with my current 2.1 setup? Asked another way, will any or all of those various formats come through correctly and out of a 2.1 speaker setup or will I have lost some audio? that make sense? can the receiver take say a 5.1 soundtrack and stuff it ALL through a 2.1 speaker setup? anything to be gained by doing that if so? Or just stay strictly STEREO or VIRTUAL for now?

***EDIT: @gibbsy & @dante01, got it


Your receiver will mixdown any multichannel formats and portray them via just the 2 speakers and the sub you currently have. Most if not all of the upmixing modes are effectively useless to you until you add the extra speakers to your setup. Modes such as Dolby Surround will then result in audio not including discrete channels for all of the speakers present being upmixed to use all of the speakers present. Discrete 3D immersive formats such as Atmos or DTS:X will automatically engage all of your speakers without need of any additional upmixing.
 
@gibbsy Yup I have already done the Audyssey thing, however, I found it best, IMHO, to turn eveything Audyssey related off and have only kept their distances and speaker levels (db), but legit turned everything else to off. Towers are indeed set to small and X-over set to 80hz, with sub at LFE and 120hz. I def. had to increase the gain to where I want it, on the back of the sub itself, which was halfway, due to them having it trimmed to -5.5db.

just listened briefly to pure direct, i actually really like it, but i do also miss having the sub when in Stereo. I guess depending on the music types, i will bounce back and forth between the two. Tidal HiFi and Master tracks sound amazing on these towers now.
 
Anyone else just had an update prompt? Just wondering what the changelogs are?
Nothing popped up on mine, it says mine is already up to date though.
Version 2600-9174-8102-0025
DTS Version 3.90.50.00
 
Does anyone know how I can achieve greater than 48kHz Music, using the Tidal streaming service in HiFi/Master either via Laptop/HDMI Cable into Aux1 on front panel, or via iPhone/AirPlay? Can this be done without a DAC? Don't get me wrong, 48k, to my ears, sounds amazing already in Pure Direct mode, while Bi-Amped to a pair of Klipsch RP-8000F... but I'd like to see what a better signal sounds like....
 
Hi Guys,

Im considering buying a Denon x3500 to Power my 3.0 system of klipsch RP280. Primary for listening to music and watching Netflix (with Focus on music)

I read over the posts here and was wondering of most of you listen to stereo music in pure direct mode.

That would suit to my experiences. I had a Denon x1000 and, since some days, a arcam 390 with dirac. Neither mult EQ XT nor dirac was able to "correct" the room in a way i liked. It always sounded thin and like a can, i do like the correction of the Bass though, less room modds / droning.

A long story short: Do you listen with audysssey to stereo? So i even need xt32 for Bass correction or might even Yamahas ypao rsc be enough?

Cheaper alternative could be the Yamaha 785.
 

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