Denon AVR-1611 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver (Black)

• 7.1-channel home theater receiver/amplifier with 525 watts of total power (7 x 75W)
• 3D-enabled HDMI pass-through technology (HDMI 1.4a); all sources are up-converted to HDMI
• High-definition audio support--Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz for front height effects channels
• Remote control handset with Glo-Key buttons; features built-in codes for hundred of other AV components
• Measures 17-3/32 x 6-47/64 x 15 inches (WxHxD); weighs 22 pounds, 7.8 ounces

After having an unfortunate incident with a lightning strike at my home, my Denon AVR-1908 suffered irreparable damage. Within a few weeks my insurance company sent the check to replace it and the hunt for a new receiver was on.

Having owned a Denon, I was very familiar with the quality and outstanding sound their receivers can produce but made the decision to research other brands such as Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer and of course the new line of Denon AV receivers. I have a 7.1 surround sound Home Theater so my future purchase had to meet that criteria. After some research I had narrowed my search down to the Denon AVR-1611 and the Onkyo TX-SR508 receivers, then visited a local electronics store to compare the two receivers in functionality and sound. After comparing the two I found that the Denon delivered a more rich, deep sound reproduction with outstanding surround sound imagery as compared to the Onkyo, at least in my opinion.

The Denon AVR-1611 offers some features that I definitely wanted, and some that I may want to utilize should I decide to upgrade my Home Theater. It offers HDMI 1.4a inputs and output for 3D movie features (still on the fence with 3D), if I decide to upgrade to a 3D capable Home Theater this receiver will accommodate this option. The rear I/O panel is extremely clean compared to older AV receivers, due to HDMI. There are 4 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output eliminating the need for multiple component inputs, this made for a much quicker and cleaner equipment setup. The various available sound formats, i.e., DTS Master, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus encoded with this receiver switch very efficiently with the source material to date I have not had to adjust this manually. The receiver is very pleasing aesthetically, and fits in well with the rest of my components but does have some heft to it. The Denon AVR-1611 also offers ARC (audio return channel) via the HDMI output to allow for both sending and receiving an audio signal, but please note that your television must also have the ARC feature. The other plus with this receiver is the upconversion of standard definition DVD's due to the HDMI upconversion feature, althought it now sounds cliche it truly makes my older movies look like new again with near HD resolution. The only criticism I have that prevented my awarding this receiver a perfect 5 stars is the lack of an AC Power Outlet in the back of the receiver. I found this to be a real convenience option for plugging in my JBL PB10 powered subwoofer. I wonder if this has been eliminated due to reducing the overall power draw for electronics in meeting with "GREEN TECHNOLOGY"? Regardless, I found that I missed having the outlet and wish they would incorporate it back into the design.

The owners manual can be intimidating, with its overview of all the features and functions designed in the AVR-1611 this is where the AUDYSSEY AUTO SETUP feature shines! Denon included a specialized microphone to allow owners the convenience of letting the receiver setup your surround parameters without hours of manual work. Not only did this feature effectively set the surround sound parameters of all 7 speakers and my subwoofer, it also measured the distance from each speaker to the listening area, as well as decibel/gain setting for each individual speaker. It even determined the size of my speakers from small to large! To gauge the accuracy, I took out my tape measure and my Radio Shack sound level meter and began testing, and found the accuracy of Audyssey to be remarkable! For the novice setting up their Home Theater this feature would be invaluable.

To date I can offer no complaints, save for the missing AC power outlet. The surround sound imaging is outstanding, music CD's sound amazing, and the Denon AVR-1611 has real ease of use. It supports all of the most popular sound formats and upconverts my standard definition DVD's beautifully. I would highly recommend this receiver to anyone who is on a budget looking for an AV Receiver that offers a multitude of features and is as close to audiophile reproduction as you can get. It certainly pleases this movie buff.

Buy Denon AVR-1611 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver (Black) Now

I wanted a receiver that I could rely on for the next decade. After reading reviews of occasional failures of receivers (Onkyo, Sony, et cetera) that otherwise perform well, I bought this Denon receiver. Note that I could not find a review that mentioned a failure of a Denon product.

This receiver sounds great, and works seamlessly with my TV and Blu-Ray player. I love its CEC functionality when I'm done watching a Blu-Ray through the Denon receiver, I merely power down the TV, and the Denon receiver shuts off. CEC does this without having to configure any universal remote controls.

The automated Audyssey speaker calibration and setup worked like a charm. I'm using an powered subwoofer, for which Denon wisely provides detailed instructions on how to adjust its controls (volume level, crossover) prior to Audyssey setup. Denon really thinks things through nice!

Have not tried the Secondary Speaker zone function yet; I will post my findings in a follow-up review.

This thing has 7 independent amplifiers for each of its speaker outputs: Rated 75 watts @ 0.08 % THD (total harmonic distortion) across the 20 20Khz frequency spectrum. At first glance, this power output might seem a bit low, but note that many manufacturers rate their products at 1.00 % THD at 1Khz a poor indicator of true performance.

I'm thinking that my minimal extra investment in a Denon product will pay for itself many times over on the long run as well as in immediate satisfaction. I'd rather pay 10% more for a Denon to get superior performance now, as well as to avoid the possibility of having to shell out another $400 in three years to replace an inferior product from another brand. It's sort of like paying a small amount for a lifetime performance and quality warranty. You definitely get what you pay for especially these days with many manufacturers focused more on extracting money from customers rather than providing them a superior product. Thanks Denon for operating with high integrity and in a customer-centric philosophy it's quite evident in this product.

Highly recommended. I'll follow up with additional post as I continue to discover this unit's vast capabilities and awesome performance.

Read Best Reviews of Denon AVR-1611 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver (Black) Here

When I switched from my old Harman Kardon AVR235 (no HDMI) to the Denon AVR1611, I actually was a little disappointed at first, because it felt like the audio lacked some "oomph," kind of like I lost some of the low frequency (bass) sound. But it turns out that's actually what the Audyssey Multi EQ settings intended on doing after I read about it's features (and turned up the sub woofer about 4 db via the on-screen menu after mic set-up was completed, for my personal taste).

With the Denon receiver, however, the sound was more crisp and clear than the older Harman Kardon, perhaps well-defined is a better explanation. It was so much easier to understand voices at all volume levels during tv & movies, to decipher what corner of the room each instrument was playing from during music playback, but as a trade-off, just some raw power to the system was lost between the receiver switch. Yes, the old HK was more powerful, but the new Denon is so accurate and precise that I didn't have to blast the sound anymore because audio sounds good at all volume ranges. I'm also not saying that Denon is better than HK in general. This comparison involves an outdated model vs a new one with HDMI included.

The best feature of the Denon is the "Audyssey MultEQ dynamic room acoustic correction system" (yea, big name). Basically it comes with a microphone which you place in 6 different areas of your listening room, then the receiver samples sound over the entire frequency range, then adjusts each individual speaker's overall volume & various sound frequency volumes to optimize the acoustics specifically to your room and also compensates any slight differences between all of your speakers. Other receivers come with mics, but Audyssey's technology is the most accurate and complete compared to the other methods used as far as I know. (I think Audyssey is found on higher end Onkyo's too, and also maybe Harman Kardon's.) It's similar, if not the same, tech found on the receivers running around $1000. To go from say a $230 receiver to paying $300 to $400 for a better receiver, such as the AVR1611, with a high quality set of speakers (Polk Audio Monitor Series for me), you're almost guaranteed not to be disappointed.

If you chose a cheaper receiver, but not necessarily a bad receiver, it's still going to perform the same operations. You're still going to hear sound from each speaker. It's still going to make your wife say "Wow!" But they are cheaper for a reason. You'll save $80 or so, but there's a chance that you'll be looking to trade it in for something better in a few years.

Best features:

Audyssey MultEQ dynamic room acoustic correction system: set-up couldn't be made much easier and more accurately with today's technology.

ARC (Audio Return Channel): if your tv with built-in tuner supports this function, you should only need one cable (HDMI) connected to your tv and all other connections made to your receiver. Excellent for wall-mounted tvs.

Up-scaling video resolution thru HDMI: another reason you'll only need one cable to the tv, because the receiver will upscale your RCA jack DVD player, for example, from RCA cables to a HDMI cable to the tv.

Bi-amping: for 5.1 surround, use the additional 2 amps from the 7.1 receiver to individually wire the high and low frequencies to left/right front high-end speakers that also support this option.

Want Denon AVR-1611 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver (Black) Discount?

When I found this bad boy for under $300 I had to jump on it. I have this paired with a Polk RM510 which is basically a rm85 plus a psw110 sub. So far I have been more that satisfied with my Denon. Let me highlight some nice features

Pros:

Good looking with nice gloss finish

setup with the mic made the sound from my setup significantly better

Worked right out of the box hooked to my cable box, pc, and xbox!

Top of the unit is always cool in fact I never feel any heat! (this is normally a good indicator of both quality and reliability)

Its nice only have one cord going to the tv

When I don't want all that sound I can just turn off the unit and still get sound

Cons:

It is a bit large

Remote could be setup a little better

the onscreen GUI is nice because many units don't have that but at the same time it is just 1980s black and white letters.

Look this unit has a TON of features, so many its kinda overwhelming with different modes and settings for the day etc. If your not a tech person this honestly could be a bit of a confusing unit. Listen to what I said, its a complicated unit; understand yourself or just be patient with the unit, it has a learning curve. Fortunately I have patience and am fairly techie person.

I replaced my previous Yamaha receiver with the Denon to have HDMI connections. When it comes to receivers I find there are two levels of quality. After much research and previous experience I separate them in to two groups. You have your OK quality mid range like Kenwood, Onkyo, Sony, Pioneer, etc. and then you have your top two higher end brands for your more dedicated listeners. These two brands in my opinion are Denon and Yamaha. As always I am sure there are others out there that might rival the quality but are no where in the price range. The Denon AVR-1611 provided the right balance of quality and features for this price range. I have had this receiver for about 4 months now and have been very impressed with it's performance. For the non-tech savy consumer the dual zone could be a bit confusing but with a little reading I feel all users should be able to achieve optimum performance from this unit. The Audyssey satellite antenna for setting up the optimum sound provides a well balance measure of your speakers and the distance they are from primary listening areas. When this process is ran correctly you don't really notice which speaker the sound is coming from during a movie just that it is all around. If you are in the market for a receiver in this price range I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one.