Denon AVR-1804: Just plain sweet.
Written: Mar 28 '04
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Pros: Beautiful stereo and multichannel sound, high-quality construction, small ticket price.
Cons: At this price, none. A learning remote would have been nice, though.
The Bottom Line: At this price, you would be hard pressed to find a better A/V Receiver.
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| brentv's Full Review: Denon AVR-1804 6.1 Channels Receiver |
WHY I BOUGHT THIS RECEIVER
It's simple, really. My JVC RX-8000V A/V Receiver (see my review here on Epinions) simply wasn't delivering the type of sound I knew my Paradigm speakers could deliver. I had been contemplating about getting a new A/V receiver for my home theater setup for a while. It wasn't until recently, though, that I was getting upset and really hungered for some excellent sound. So, I researched online quite a bit and realized, even before I entered my local stereo shop, that Denon probably would be, if not the best, one of the best brands for the money. I had experience with Denon receivers in the past as my parents have a Denon AVR-2802. That machine is a stellar performer: it fills my parents' very large room with excellent sound. However, I didn't have the funds to dish over 800 bucks for the now current, and Dolby Digital EX equipped, AVR-2803. So, I looked at the AVR-1803 and 1804. I mainly chose the '04 because it offered ten extra watts. That might not seem like a big improvement, but I have discovered that Paradigm speakers, even my Mini Monitors, take quite a bit of power to get loud.
IMPORTANT FEATURES
Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES
Dolby Digital and DTS are the two dominant surround sound formats. Both offer excellent multi-channel sound. Because DTS is a less compressed format, it does offer slightly better sound. Either source, though, well mixed and engineered, will produced incredible surround audio. Dolby Digital can be found on most DVD discs while DTS is harder to find. This receiver also features Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES. This means that audio sources that feature this encoding have an extra surround back channel for 6.1 audio. (Out front, I should state that I am running a 5.1 system. I do not have the space currently to benefit from adding another surround speaker. But I do plan on upgrading to 6.1 multi-channel audio in the distant future).
Dolby Pro Logic II
I never enjoyed Dolby Pro Logic. The sound always lacked depth (because of its limited frequency range) and it never delivered the excitement that even stereo could produce. With that said, however, Dolby Pro Logic II is a great improvement over its predecessor. DPL II creates good surround audio out of two-channel sources. Obviously, the format cannot touch Dolby Digital, but it does add life, especially to dialog-driven films, encoded in stereo. (It also allows you to get use out of your center channel and rear speakers where, before, Pro Logic was better left OFF).
DSP Modes
Digital Surround Processor, like most every electronic feature, is more commonly known by its acronym: DSP. I'll be honest, I almost despise DSP Modes. Granted, they do what they're supposed to do quite well. For example, if you want to play the Stones like you're at a Stones concert, the DSP mode, Rock Arena, will reproduce this quite well. But who cares? You lose a lot of the quality by using these modes. It's really a gimmick, in my opinion. You play with your imagination for a couple of minutes and you quickly get bored. This receiver features only a few DSP modes and that isn't a hindrance in my book. They are: Mono Movie; Rock Arena; Jazz Club; Video Game; Matrix (emphasize the sense of expansion in stereo music sources); Virtual (virtual surround).
5 Channel/6 Channel Stereo
This is another nice feature that I don't use. :) I prefer my stereo music to be just that: stereo. Though a lot of people enjoy this setting, it does little for me. It also, unlike what some novices might think, does not reproduce anywhere near the quality that a good DVD Audio disc or Super Audio CD can.
Front Speakers A and B; Zone II
The Denon AVR-1804 allows the user to set up two sets of front left and right speakers. It also allows the user, if using a 5.1 setup, to add an additional set of stereo speakers, Zone II, that can run a different audio source than the main system. If using a 6.1 setup, however, you can still use Zone II, but only with one speaker (monaural).
On Screen Display
This allows you to change if not all, most of the system's settings. It's extremely handy and almost a deal breaker without; dealing with the receiver's unit display is pretty tedious (this can be said for practically every A/V Receiver without a built in monitor). NOTE: The Denon AVR-1803 has no on screen display. I’d spend the extra money (roughly $50) just for this feature alone.
INPUTS & OUTPUTS
Video Inputs
The receiver offers five RCA inputs, five S-Video inputs and two Composite video inputs. Composite video separates the Red, Blue and Y (brightness) channels. This, though, needs three standard RCA cables. But it does offer much better video quality. It has also become, most would confirm, the standard for high definition transfer.
Video Outputs
This receiver has two RCA outputs and two S-Video outputs. Obviously, there are monitor outs for RCA, S-Video and Composite Video.
Audio Inputs
There are seven analog inputs on the back (including phono) and one set on the front. There are five digital audio inputs: three optical and one coax in the back; one optical in the front.
Audio Outputs
There are three analog outs and one optical digital out.
5.1 Analog Inputs
If you have a DVD Audio or Super Audio CD player, you can input each separate speaker channel (front(s), center, rear(s), and subwoofer) using separate RCA cables (six) into the receiver. This allows you get the 192kHz/24-bit audio from the source D/A converter (i.e., DVD-A and/or SACD player).
SETUP
Because all I was doing was replacing my old receiver, setup didn't take as long as if I were setting up all my components and/or speakers. I would say it took a good hour to disconnect and connect the cables to the new receiver. The Denon AVR-1804's rear panel is well laid out and spacious.
The on-screen setup took roughly ten minutes. I had already measured the distances of my speakers so that I could set up the delay time (this ensures that the sound from my front and rear speakers hit my ears at the same time). With my old JVC receiver I could set up delay time, but I had to guess (is it 3 or 5 milliseconds?....I DON'T KNOW!). With the Denon, I just input the distances; it does the calculations itself.
SOUND
First, let me state again that I've upgraded from a relatively poor A/V product to a nice A/V product. So, take my opinion on sound quality at your own risk. That said, however, I do feel like I have good ears. I am no audiophile by any means, but the fact that I knew my JVC was reproducing less than stellar sound, and the fact that I'm a broke college student who actually spent money to remedy the situation, is proof enough that I am passionate about sound.
So, to the sound: the switch of receivers was like night and day! The sound the Denon produces is so clear and clean. Paradigm speakers, like the ones I am using, are quite flat speakers. They can show deficiencies in poor sound recordings—they can also make, as another reviewer pointed out, bad equipment sound even worse. This is probably the reason why the JVC sounded as bad as it did. On less accurate speakers, the JVC might have been OK.
Now, the first thing I noticed, after hooking up the Denon, was how much crisper the sound was. The JVC was somewhat bright, but it doesn't have the liveliness or punch that this receiver does. Also, the sound with the 1804 is much smoother across the frequency range. The JVC, unlike most budget receivers, actually emphasized the most on the midrange. Any entry-level Sony, by comparison, emphasizes the higher and lower frequencies.
This receiver gets my highest recommendation if good sound is of paramount importance--especially for those looking in the $500 range.
THE REMOTE
In this price range, it's hard to find learning function built into the remote unit. So, if you understand that, you should find the remote fine. This remote will definitely not replace your other component remotes. Though it does have a very extensive list of preprogrammed brands for operating your other components, many of the features that you will want to use, say the zoom function on your DVD player, will not be available.
A FEW NEGATIVES
Don't get me wrong, I love this receiver. The review so far has been glowing. There are, however, some things that I would like to see improved in future models. None of these negatives are, in my mind, anywhere near deal breakers.
(1) The Front B stereo terminals use spring connectors instead of the nicer "banana" style connectors that the main speakers use.
(2) When listening to a source and changing the video input, the audio is shut off for a second. In some other receivers this doesn't happen.
(3) I consider myself fairly advanced when it comes to electronics but the user manual is a little short in certain areas. In places where they could have elaborated, they didn't. There is also no index; you can't look up a term, like "Personal Memory Plus," and get page numbers for the corresponding information.
(4) As far as I know, the unit does not save volume information for each source (I can't find this information in the manual). My TiVo needs the volume higher than my CD player or DVD player. Changing from TiVo to CD or DVD, without decreasing the volume, can give your eardrums a workout.
(5) The remote sensor on the unit says that you can operate the remote within a 30 degree distance from it. However, my other units (that also specify 30 degrees) work much better. My components are set off to the side and I do have to turn the remote quite a bit for the unit to recognize the signal. This sounds really minor, but it is kind of a hassle. (This is especially so since my Front B speakers are in a different listening area and I cannot control volume from there; with my JVC, this was not a problem).
CONCLUSION
Another reviewer on Epinions said that the comparable Denon AVR-1803 was the best A/V receiver under 500 dollars. He might be right. I can't say that I've had extensive experience with other A/V receivers, but I do know that this receiver produces excellent sound. I got the 1804 for $500. For the price, you really can't complain. Denon is a company that has built their reputation on delivering quality products and the 1804 is no exception. You can take a chance on a cheaper receiver like a Sony or JVC, but save your money. You'll just be where I'm at today: shelling out money for a better, more refined, and just plain nicer A/V receiver.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 499
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Epinions.com ID:
brentv
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Location: Flagstaff, AZ, USA
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
I'm a simple man with a simple plan...of getting us the hell out of here!
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