Not as great as last week's PayPal offer but still best price as of Black Friday
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The AVR X3800H stands out as a feature rich receiver for home theater, especially for anyone chasing Dirac and Dirac ART at a relatively low street price. The comments highlight strong value versus pricier Denon and Marantz models, with the X3800H seen as enough for many 5.2 or 3.1 setups and capable with 4 ohm speakers. The main knock is price, since this level has been available cheaper through refurb, open box, or past sales, and current pricing around $1350 feels high. It is a compelling option when calibration features matter more than extra channels or power.
Listeners building a 5.2 or smaller system who value room correction over extra amplifier power, because the Dirac features matter more than the unused channels.
Shoppers comparing midrange AVRs on sound quality, because the extra power and higher model tier were not heard as a meaningful upgrade in surround use.
The X4800H is described as offering little audible improvement over the X3800H for surround use, with the extra power supply mainly helping if you actually need more amplification. The X6800H adds better specs and more amplified channels, but the price jump is framed as roughly the cost of buying Dirac licenses for the X3800H.
Yes. The X3800H is repeatedly described as the cheapest route to Dirac ART, because ART was previously limited to far more expensive processors and the X3800H can access it at a roughly $1300 street price, with one comment citing $640 for all three Dirac licenses.
Several comments put the X3800H below this price: A4L had it at $1300 new and $1200 refurb, and Denon refurb plus a 10% code with cash back reportedly brought it to about $953 after tax. It has also been seen around $650 open-box at Best Buy/Magnolia, so $1350 is viewed as high unless you specifically need it now.
It can power a 3.1 or future 5.2 setup, but the extra channels and higher-end features may be overkill if you will never go beyond that. One comment specifically questions paying twice the price of an X1800H for a 3.1 system with 4-ohm L/R and center, while another says the X3800H handles 4-ohm speakers better than the Onkyo RZ50/RZ30.
It is reported to do better on 4-ohm speakers than the Onkyo RZ50 or RZ30, and it is considered capable of powering speakers like Q11 Meta/Q6 Meta in a modest setup. If you need more headroom or plan to push beyond that, external amplification may still be the safer choice.
Sorry, I couldn't quite grasp what the secret is. Are you saying buying ART for 3800 is meaningless ? I was planning to upgrade my x1300 to x3800 to potentially buy ART, among other reasons. Are you suggesting that's not a good idea?
Reread my post. It's in favor of the 3800 (did you click on the link?).
The 3800 is the "worst kept secret" because it was "expensive" and no one wanted it but now it is absolutely the cheapest way to get Dirac ART!
Last edited by shaddai December 3, 2025 at 02:31 PM.
Reread my post. It's in favor of the 3800 (did you click on the link?).The 3800 is the "worst kept secret" because it was "expensive" and no one wanted it but now it is absolutely the cheapest way to get Dirac ART!
I think many people aren't going to pay $600+ on top of the hardware for calibration software though.
There are way more folks that have the 3800+ART combo since BF than you think (just look at the Denon and Dirac threads over at AVS).
Not saying you're wrong, but for many the over $1k entry price is already a lot for an AVR, let alone another 60% for software. If I manage to find a deal on the 3800 I definitely won't ever be dropping another $600 on software. Insane.
Not saying you're wrong, but for many the over $1k entry price is already a lot for an AVR, let alone another 60% for software. If I manage to find a deal on the 3800 I definitely won't ever be dropping another $600 on software. Insane.
Dirac ART was once relegated to processors costing as much as cars (i.e. StormAudio). Some audio Prometheus decided to bring that tech to the masses by way of certain Denon/Marantz AVRs. The fact that it is available on something costing as "little" as $1300 (street price) is a god-send for most audiophiles. If paying $1k for an AVR these days is too much, then you may want to reconsider when $1k was truly a burden (maybe as early as 20 years ago?).
Let me add that not everyone needs ART. The availability of it at this price point is what is attractive!
I snagged one from Denon refurbished. If you chat with them, they will send you a 10% off code. $1299 - 10% =$1,169.10. I combined that with capital one shopping 24% cash back for a net price of $953 after tax. Best I could find.
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Community Reviews
The AVR X3800H stands out as a feature rich receiver for home theater, especially for anyone chasing Dirac and Dirac ART at a relatively low street price. The comments highlight strong value versus pricier Denon and Marantz models, with the X3800H seen as enough for many 5.2 or 3.1 setups and capable with 4 ohm speakers. The main knock is price, since this level has been available cheaper through refurb, open box, or past sales, and current pricing around $1350 feels high. It is a compelling option when calibration features matter more than extra channels or power.
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The 3800 is the "worst kept secret" because it was "expensive" and no one wanted it but now it is absolutely the cheapest way to get Dirac ART!
Let me add that not everyone needs ART. The availability of it at this price point is what is attractive!
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!