Denon Networking Client Dock with WiFi for iPod Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Though expensive it is worth every penny! Hook-up was fairly easy and connecting it to my wifi was simple. Having a menu of all my music on screen and being able to control it by remote control is so cool! Streaming internet radio is simple as it is built in to the menu system. Click the "Browse/Remote" button on the remote and you can listen to Pandora or Slacker radio through your stereo. Start up Microsoft Media Player on a networked computer and it automatically detects the Denon dock and allows you to setup a media server with an on screen menu. It is well built and sleek looking. I love this device almost as much as my iPod Touch.

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Denon ASD-51W iPod/Networking Client Dock with WiFi ASD-51W cradles(*)

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Denon AVR-4308CI Multizone Home Theater Receiver with Network Streaming and Wi-Fi Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Denon 4308CI Receiver

Strengths: Great quality picture and sound, excellent build quality, nice display, GUI interface, easy to assign/rename imputs, HD radio, 4 HDMI, 140 Watt multizone output, good value for price point.
Weaknesses: Complicated user manual, Useless remote, Faroudja vs. Silicon Optix processor
Price paid: $1,780 (2/08)from a reputable retail store. (Please do not ask which one as I was given an insider price)
Summary: After considerable research I purchased the Denon 4308CI to upgrade a prexisting Sony STRDA555ES receiver. My main desire in upgrading was to obtain HDMI connection capability and take advantage updated sound processing and 1080P upscaling. I ruled out various other comparable recievers for a variety of reasons, including heat generation as my components are enclosed in a audio rack partially recessed into a closed media room.
As a longtime Sony fan and owner of three ES AV recievers, it came down to a choice between the STRDA 5300ES and the Denon 4308CI.
I opted for the Denon over the Sony for a few reasons. The display on the Denon is much larger. It might sound silly but I like to see the information displayed on the receiver from where I'm listing to music. The Sony display was rather small. I also liked the fact that the Denon has internet streaming capability and HD Radio reception. The Sony has more HDMI hookups and a longer warranty (5 years vs. 2 for the Denon) but the Denon has increased power handling and full 1080P upscaling. Pricewise the Denon was a few hundred dollars more then the Sony but I felt that it had a more "modern" feature set.
So far after 4 months of use I have been very pleased with the Denon. Sound is fantastic and the GUI was intuitive. I disagree with some of the other reviews that I have read regarding the ease of setup. It took a little longer then I anticipated to set up but as I previously noted the GUI was fairly intuitive. I really like the fact that you can rename the inputs so when you select them from the function selection dial it will display whatever name you decide on. I prefer optical connections so I had to reassign some of the optical connections. Rear connections seem pretty sturdy. The unit gets warm but not hot after a few hours of use. Still havent taken advantage of the 1080P upscaling as of yet. HD radio signal reception is pretty strong and so far no interference despite living in a New York City Apartment building.
Harmony 880 Universal Remote works better then supplied remotes.
Video processing is excellent. I have however occasionally noted video artifacts. This reciver uses a Faroudja DCDi FLI2310 processor which is simply not as highly regarded by professional reviewers as the Silicon Optix Realta HQV processor used by Denon's flagship 3800BDCI Blu-ray player or the Silicon Optix Reon chipset used by receivers such as the Onkyo TX-NR905 and Integra DTR 8.8. However, overall picture quality on standard 1080i and 720p cable source material is excellent.
3808CI vs.4308CI? The 4308CI appeared to have a slightly more "attractive" build quality and appearance. In comparing the two models side by side before purchasing, the 4308CI simply looked better. However, HD radio, increased power handling and WiFi capability were the primary reasons I opted to spend more to purchase the 4308CI.
4308CI and 3800BDCI blu-ray combo. Have had the 4308CI and the 3800BDCI paired for the last three weeks. The Blu-ray picture is simply amazing. Will never purchase another standard DVD again if available in Blu-ray format.
Conclusion: I've been very happy with the 4308CI. It offers great sound and picture features at an attractive price point. However,if you are interested in better video processing you may want to check out the Onkyo TX-NR905 and Integra DTR 8.8 as well.

Review system components: (used in review)
Panasonic TH-50PZ750U 1080P (limited Ed)
Artcoustic DF-65's
Artcoustic DF-Multi (center)
Denon 3800BDCI (DVD)(used three weeks)
Sony ES 5 Disc changer
Sony SACD player
Monster HPS7000 Signature Series
Monster AVS2000 Signature series
Polk XM Radio Tuner


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Denon AVR-4308CI Next Generation A/V Multi-Source/Zone with Network Streaming Receiver

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Denon AVR-587 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Excellent product for that price; not that easy to calibrate because the instruction manual is kind of confusing. Set the second zone is also not an easy task.
I have it installed with the screen in my first floor and enjoy it a lot more than the Bose lifestyle 38 set in my game room upstairs; with the JBL speakers (in ceiling) inside and the outdoor Yamaha speakers in my backyard, I expend one third of the money I paid for the Bose system. The quality of the sound and possibilities of changes in the sound is a lot better with separate amplifier as this Denon.

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Power up your home theater with the Denon AVR-587 surround sound receiver, which offers seven discrete amplifier channels (75 watts apiece, for 525 watts of total power). This includes for the surround back channel speakers to give you more clearly defined sound localization at the rear for 6.1-channel surround sources such as DTS-ES Discrete 6.1/Matrix 6.1/NEO:6 and Dolby Digital EX. The power amp circuits have been designed to reproduce exceptionally high sound quality with a wide frequency response from 10 Hz to 100 kHz. Denon's multi-room entertainment system feature lets you select different audio sources for listening in different rooms, and the AVR-587 offers two zones.
The AVR-587 is XM Radio ready (optional XM tuner required) and offers XM-HD surround sound. It's also compatible with Denon's ASD-1R control dock for iPods. It features a 56-station AM/FM/XM random preset memory tuning. For video connections, this receiver offers three sets of component video inputs that maintain a flat response up to 30 MHz to ensure sharp video quality, as well as three sets of S-Video switching and a front composite video input.
You can customize the performance of this receiver to suit your home theater and enhance operating ease. Adjustments are easy to make via a dialog format on the fluorescent display on the front panel, and these customized settings are then stored, for each source input and surround mode, in a personal memory setting. Put yourself in the middle of your favorite concert hall and music environments with Denon's DSP acoustic environment simulation modes, which include jazz club, rock arena, video game, virtual surround, and mono movie. Other features include:
Surround playback formats: DTS 96/24 decoding for DVD video; DTS-ES 6.1 and Matrix 6.1; DTS NEO:6; Dolby Digital EX; Dolby Pro Logic IIx; Neural Surround
Denon's 7 Channel Stereo mode transforms 2-channel sources (such as CD, tape, stereo radio) into surround sound, free of delay effects and unnatural artifacts, from all 7 speakers.
8-channel external inputs
Variable subwoofer crossover switching (40/60/80/90/100/110/120/150/200/250 Hz)
Night mode
Glow key remote control
Power transformer for high power, twin drive rectifier, and large aluminum extruded heatsink
Cinema Equalizer The sound from movie sources recorded in Dolby Digital, DTS, or other formats emphasizes high-frequency range due to a theater's front speakers being placed behind the movie screen. If this sound is reproduced in the home theater without correction, the high-frequency range is too strong. This Denon receiver's Cinema Equalizer feature corrects these high-frequency components so that the sound is clearer and easier to listen to when using Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital EX and DTS surround modes.
What's in the Box Receiver, power cord, remote control (with batteries), printed operating instructions

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Denon ASD-3W Wifi Network iPod Dock (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)For the 1st couple of days I was feeling so-so on this product. The user interface is slow and clunky. So it took some getting used to. I don't know how many times I entered the wep key and ssid for wireless access. But after some time I have successfully used all the features and I'm quite happy with it.
I have a new ipod classic and this is my 1st experience with video on ipods. On the tiny screen, videos look quite good and (at least I) can watch a reasonable amount of them that way. I was hoping for a better video experience when using the ASD-3W. The video quality is just ok on my HD panasonic tv. Something just slightly below ordinary non-HD tv broadcasts. And some are better than others depending on the quality of the equipment used to shoot the video as well as any conversion software. So if you were looking to rip your DVD library to your ipod and enjoy those movies like you did from a DVD player, you will be disappointed. But for TV series and video podcasts, it's not too bad.
The best thing though is along with all the music/video on the ipod, you have access to internet radio and also pics and music you have stored on your pc through win media player. This really makes the deal on this device. There is just tons of great FREE music and podcasts out there and this product allows you access to all that. The higher res channels/stations sound quite good too. It's also cool to view your digital pics stored on the PC while listening to your favorite internet radio station.
I wish the video quality was better, but I think the start-of-the-art isn't quite there yet, but reasonably acceptable for now. I'm sure in several years we will have 1080p coming out of the ipods and devices like this will be the main AV entertainment device. I'm saving up for the next generation or the one after that. But I'm happy and pleased with this new addition to my AV system.

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The Denon ASD-3W iPod network client device now allows an iPod to be connected to a home network system either through an Ethernet port or by wireless connection.MP3 files and non-protected AAC Audio files from an iPod can then be streamed for listening over your home network.Additionally, viewing video pictures with video compatible iPods is also possible.The ASD-3W is DNLA certified and is PlaysForSure compliant for ease of setup and use.The standard D-dock port is also supplied for current model receiver integration and is compatible with previous receiver models that have the Denon D-dock port for command and control.The iPod will also stay charged while docked in the ASD-3W keeping it ready to go.A remote is also supplied with the ASD-3W for use with non-Denon systems.

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Denon DNC615 Pro Rack Mount CD Player with Digital Output Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A review on Amazon of another CD player, the Teac CD-P1250, said that it was the only single-disc CD player on the market. Nope, there's two. Well, one and a half anyway.
The Denon DN-C615 isn't exactly consumer gear, but it isn't exactly pro gear, either. It's got rack ears and pitch adjustment, and it's set up for a wired remote and output cascading, but the outputs are unbalanced RCA plus SPDIF. It has auto cuing and audible manual cuing within a track, but doesn't allow you to save cue points. So I think "semi-pro" is a pretty good description.
It's aimed at DJs, community radio stations, and sound reinforcement applications, and it wouldn't be out of place in a small studio for applications like sampling. And, what matters to my family, it drops right in to a home stereo system, so long as your cabinet can manage the rack ears (which don't look like they're removable except with a hacksaw).
The sound (even before break-in) is typical Denon: clear and airy, with both good definition and satisfactory thump in the bass, free of noticeable spurious harmonics. The controls and displays are easy to use and understand and don't have any immediately obvious ergonomic problems or bugs. It plays CD-Rs fine, both audio CD-Rs and MP3 CDs, and it allegedly plays CD-RWs, but I probably won't find out because CD-RWs and my computers don't get along.
MP3 files sound as good on the DN-C615 as I've ever heard them. You don't need to burn a special MP3 CD: it'll take plain data CDs with MP3 files on them and even lets you navigate through folders. But if you do give it a disc that's been burned as an MP3 CD, it'll run the playlist in order, which is a big improvement over my DVD player which plays MP3 files in some strange order I have yet to figure out. And I have to admit, seeing the song titles change as it plays is positively decadent.
The price is a little higher than I'd have liked, and unless you want to build a wired remote or have your chair real close to the player, you'll need a special remote (another US$40). But I do like the player so far.

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The Denon DN-C615 is a professional CD player housed in a single 2RU rack-mount chassis. The successor to the popular DN-600F, it includes CD-RW playback, shock memory, instant start and CD text support. Auto Cue to music ensures there are no blank spots at the beginning of the track to be played. A user adjustable menu has also been added so the unit can be custom tailored to a particular application. Designed for use in a wide range of applications such as schools, restaurants, aerobic studios and backup systems, the DN-C615 provides solid performance when quality sound is required. For background music applications, the DN-C615 supports MP3 decoding for hours of music playback.

Full CD Playback The DN-C615 plays back CDs, as well as CD-R/RWs discs. Select from several playback modes--single, continuous, random, or various repeat modes (single track/all tracks/program & random repeat).
Other playback features include Instant Start, display of CD TEXT data, and an auto cue feature that avoids those blank spots before tracks.
MP3 Playback Access hours of music on a single disc with MP3 playback, complete with folder and title search.
Direct Track Select Buttons Direct track access is provided through the 11-key keypad.
Program Play Enter up to 99 tracks for programmed playback.
Pitch Control Adjust playback speed +/- 12% with the variable pitch control.
Coaxial RCA Digital Output (SPDIF) A digital SPDIF port is located on the back panel for connecting to digital systems along with sync and cascade connectors for use with multiple DN-C615 units.
Shock-Proof Memory Avoid skips with approximately 10 seconds of shock-proof memory.
Analog Outputs The DN-C615 features a front-panel headphone out and a rear-panel RCA out.
Remote Port The external remote control port, mounted on the rear panel, is compatible with the optional Denon RC-620 wired remote control unit.
What's in the Box Denon DNC615, User's Manual

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Denon AVR-3808CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver with Networking Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been waiting a while for "the perfect receiver". However, I have come to the conclusion that this is as close to perfect as I am going to find for my needs right now. I am using all 4 HDMI inputs (PS3, Oppo 980H, Directv HR20, and a Sony Vaio computer). The Denon has worked flawlessly with SACD, DVD-A, and lossless audio sources from my BluRay movies.
For sound quality, it is important to get the speakers setup properly. Denon's auto setup with the included mic makes this a very simple setup. I have heard that it helps to take measurements from all over the room, so I setup 5 listening locations. The sound quality is fantastic. I do have an spl meter, but I have not had it out to fine tune the setup just yet. It already sounds fantastic. The Oppo has the ability to send out a DSD multi-channel signal for its SACD and these sound fantastic on the Denon.
I am not really using the video upscaler very much since most of the signals I am inputting are already HD. In other words, the Denon mainly sends out the signals untouched, so it is hard to complain.
The ability to update the firmware over the internet connection is what I believe sets this receiver apart from the competition. For me, this was the deciding factor. With all of the new tech in these receivers, I do not want to have to carry the thing into a service location every time it needs an update.
I should mention that I played some music coming from my computer using the network interface and it worked okay. It did take a few seconds to retrieve license information for Yahoo Music DRM files, but I bet they improve on that in the future.
The downsides are small, but should be mentioned. The remote is okay for setting up the system, but it is going into a drawer with my other remotes now that I have my Harmony 880 universal programmed for all of the general functions that I need. Also, the GUI takes some getting used to. I like the ability to rename the inputs and choose what video inputs go with the audio inputs. However, it was not something that I picked up and setup in a few minutes. It is better than my old Denon AVR-3300, so at least they are going in the right direction!


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Denon AVR-3808CI A/V Multi-Source/Zone with Network Streaming Receiver

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Denon AVR-888 7.1-Channel/5.1+2-Channel Independent Zone Home Theater Receiver with HDMI I/O and Serial I/R Control (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Seems like this could be a kick a@@ system, but I have been having a problem since we brought this home - surround sound cuts out randomly - have tried switching from analog to Digital Coax this did not fix the problem - receiver says H/P on when it cuts out and H/P off when it goes back on....
I have called Denon cust svc 3 times with an average wait time of 1 hour and 20 minutes each time (I am currently on hold @ 56 minutes with 4 calls ahead of me.... Q started @ 14 calls ahead
This sucks

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Dolby Digital Surround Receiver

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