Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could.
I've had this for about four weeks and only now I am beginning to finish the setup. It sounds very good, for both music and movies. Here are the pluses:
1. It has a audio calibration system that equalises the response to match your listening environment. This one has a 6-position Audyssey MultEQ system (the capability to measure more than one position is important) It seems to do a fine job, although it said my center speaker was inverted in phase when it was in fact correctly wired. It computed the speaker distances precisely and The EQ result looks (they show you graphs) and sounds correct. The setup takes a good 20-25 minutes and you are supposed to do it each time you move furniture. Thats a bit of a drag.
2. It has audio over HDMI support (from the PS3 for e.g.) and supports deep color. It cannot do DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD, but it can take a 7.1 uncompressed PCM input, which is all you need (i think) because the blu-ray spec requires PCM while DTS-HD and TrueHD are optional. I am not using any of these features yet (so this point is from theory not experiment), but its good to have these for future blu-ray support.
3. It does not get very hot at my listening levels (-12 to -24 db). So I was able to cram it into my existing cabinet (albeit with a little carpentry, since it is over a foot deep)
4. Standby power consumption is under 2 watts. While playing music it consumes about 60 watts at my listening levels.
Like I said, it works well for me and I plan to keep it. But its not perfect:
The Downsides:
1. The remote is terrible, and the user interface is not so good. I liked the remote in pictures - it has big buttons and less clutter than other receiver remotes, but this one is unique. It has buttons on the back (with a cover), That would be alright if you only put those buttons there that you dont need often. However I find that some everyday buttons are in the back - for e.g. the button that changes Sound Modes (DTS/Dolby/ROck/Jazz etc. is in the back) Not well thought out. The manual way to save each FM station requires you to press a button on the back and then two buttons on the front to save one preset. Go figure!
I suspect that all high/mid end receivers have so many features that it will be tough to find one with a good interface, unless you get a all-in-one system like a Bose Lifestyle or 3-2-1.
2. The manual is not fun reading - and some things are not explained. I had to call Denon once to figure out something. (it took two calls and a 5 minute hold the second time, and then I got to a somewhat bored sounding technician. But he seemed knowledgeable.)
3. When I connected the subwoofer line level output to my Bose 701s LFE input (powered subwoofer) I got an audible hum (probably at 60 Hz). I had to buy a ground loop isolator from Radioshack ($12) that removed it.
Overall, a good receiver. In an ideal world, you would try out five brands and keep the one that sounds best to you. The only store where I could compare two brands in A/B fashion was Tweeter, where they had Pioneers and Yamahas set up. I liked the Pioneer Elites better but I think it was because the Yamaha's were setup sub-optimally. Circuit City let me hear a Denon but without the EQ. All in all, I feel that the speakers make a bigger difference than the receiver. I hope some of this helps you in case you are agonizing over the choices. If you'd like to read more about my home theater components, there is a blog entry here: http://spyglasshill.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/the-lexus-of-home-theatre/
Click Here to see more reviews about: Denon AVR-788 Dolby Digital Surround Receiver
The Denon AVR-788 delivers power and performance and is ready to take on HD video sources.Its video circuitry now has HDMI 1.3a audio/video capabilities supporting deep color video signals and digital surround audio signals.This makes ease of connection and operation a snap for the beginner or expert user.Attention to audio detail and accuracy has been improved with the addition of Audyssey MultEQ processing, assuring audio room balance even with difficult acoustical conditions.Dolby Digital and DTS Digital signals are masterfully decoded and reproduced yielding stunning surround sound presence like never before.Calibration has been simplified using the plug and go concept with the supplied microphone.Using the optional ASD-3W/3N iPod docks allows for network capability, allowing more sources to be played back from devices on your home network.Additionally the AVR-788 can accommodate two-source two-zone control for enhanced audio installations.
Click here for more information about Denon AVR-788 Dolby Digital Surround Receiver
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