Denon AVR-3801 7.1 Channels Receiver

While many people these days are more comfortable with 5.1 channel formats, this Denon seems like a god send. But others alike are doing the same this year, offering 7 channels of amplification. It certainly seems promising, and why then, did I buy this one instead of the others? Well read on?

It?s about time I got myself a decent surround system. My current system was a beginners setup, using that Sony DAVS300, which was fine, but now it holds itself in my bedroom. Now I already have my rear speakers ? a pair of B&W 601SE speakers, and a pair of decent sized floorstanders for the front ? a pair of Mission m74 speakers, and I also had my excellent Mission 77cl speaker, I thought I had enough, but what I wasn?t really expecting was to buy another speaker! This is because the 3801 can handle the latest EX matrixed sound format. I haven?t the best knowledge of this system, but is basically a centre rear channel for the back.

Out down my local Hi Fi store, I was wondering around and spotted a beautiful looking Denon receiver, I took a note and researched it against others in the store. To cut a long story short, I bought it.

I was a little nervous, actually, I wasn?t a big audiophile in home cinema terms, but since I have bought this receiver I have bought out all my old VHS favourite movies on DVD to get the real picture of what?s going on in the film. I was also concerned about music replay. I?ve heard rumours that receivers are no better in stereo than a #150 stereo amplifier! But once it was home up and running all my nerves turned into outrageous excitement.

Out of the box, the black beast (I decided black was better in my living room) almost broke my back, as I kneeled down to lift it out, I should have taken more care, as its quite heavy. But the pain didn?t stop me, and I started through the hooking up bit, which I was expecting to take hours, but it turned out to be fairly simple, with the clearly laid out and well designed back panel. I also hooked it up to my CD player too. Once all cables were connected I started on the setup menus, and such. Which went pretty easily, and the remote is excellently designed, it even glows in the dark too!

I was unsure to watch a movie with Dolby Digital or DTS, but I urge you go with the latter. DTS not only sounds better, but the way in which the sound travels from front to side to rear is jaw dropping. I loaded up a CD to see how if it was as bad as I was expecting. But it turned out to be as good, no actually better than my current amp. It has good detail, treble, and bass. I could forgive it if it was poor in stereo, as when in movies it ROCKS.

Feeding my speakers a pure and healthy 105 watt is one advantage it has over my stereo amp at 70. You even get two outputs for the front two speakers for biwiring. I tried that and it works superbly.
I wouldn?t be so judgemental when it comes to ease of use on receivers, this one seems almost too easy to use. Sure there are some complex names, and a small LCD display, but using the onscreen menu makes it that more clearer.

It has a ton of features, as I said it can take the new EX software encoding, aswell as these;
Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES-Matrix, and ES discrete. Oh and not forgetting the old Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 and the ancient Pro Logic.
It also holds a number of DSP effects so you can change to surround sound qualities to your taste and setup.

Along with those brand new software?s, it also has a number of inputs, like a full 7.1 input as well as a 7.1 pre out, in case you want to add a number of separate amplifiers for each channel. Sounds confusing but it makes it that much more convient and upgradeable. There?s a shed load of stereo/video inputs, and various types of connection; 3 optical and 1 electrical (coax) digital connections.

Oh did I mention there?s an RDS radio tuner in there too? This has to be one feature I am always using, its such a nice feature by simply pressing a button while a fellow viewer goes to get some popcorn, while you can sit and listen to the news while you wait. That comes with a plenty 40 presets.

The front fascia seems very logical, there?s a nice input wheel and volume control, these feel rock solid into the metal front. There?s minimal buttons there too, and a number of famous logos, from DTS & Dolby.

In use though I?d recommend you use it in a very well ventilated area, the machine heats up quite a lot, and not surprising since its power is so great. And the binding posts for speakers are tight together, and is hard for bare wire to be inserted. So I?d use banana plugs.

Connected with the S-Video output to a TV the picture is barely different from the origional, but where it really performs is with the DTS ES-Matrix sound mode enabled, here it is a pure sensation. I can?t believe my ears, - will all you friend will be saying, if they?re round for a group viewing. I played back my Saving Private Ryan DVD, and even in the old 5.1 it sounds stunning. But with the latest movies like Se7en, it really kicks with the ES modes. There?s a new atmosphere in the film, almost around you as if you are actually standing in front of the dead bodies. Its and eerie feeling which makes the film more intense. Move to a fast paced film like Gone In 60 Seconds, and it truly defies home cinema. It feels much more ?there? than just in the corners. The cars pass by you, around you, in front of you in a superbly convincing manor. I haven?t ever experienced anything like this, not even in the best cinemas I have been to.

I haven?t seen any other receiver which is so well priced with the equipment, and performance qualities this one does have. Its an unbelievable experience everyone in the world should have. You can?t go wring with this Denon AVR 3801
An awesome receiver, for so little money