Regular readers of this magazine will know that if you are looking to replicate the audio-visual experience of going to the cinema in your own home, there is no substitute for installing a proper surround-sound system with a dedicated AV amplifier and suitable speaker package.
Yes, soundbars are great - but they're not that great; even the best ones fall short on genuine heft and the ability to deliver convincing three-dimensional sound. That's where AV amps - and this round-up of six top models - come in.
We start with three relatively affordable products and, with our final three, move into more premium territory. Cheaper AV amps are often effective at providing good surround-sound and usually come laden with features, but it is only by paying a bit more that you can achieve the kind of scale and sound quality that could justifiably be described as cinematic.
More expenisve AV amps also provide more channels, allowing you to better incorporate features such as Dolby Atmos.
As for that suitable speaker package, a good rule of thumb is that, to make sure your amp and speakers are making the most of each other, you should be looking for a package that costs around twice the price of your amplifier.
Finally, when it comes to installing your AV amp, make sure you leave plenty of space around it for ventilation - once a film gets going things can soon hot up.
Denon
AVR-S670
£599
Is this the entry-level Denon AVR we have been waiting for?
Denon's X-series AV amplifiers and receivers have been hugely successful, and it's probably fair to say that it completely dominates a big chunk of the AVR market.
That said, prices have risen with each new generation of X-series amps, and what once was entry-level is now firmly mid-market. That's where the S series comes in. Designed to sit below the X series and offer all of the core features that someone new to AVRs might need while stripping out some of the expensive elements that they probably don't, the S series is a tempting proposition.
This AVR-S670H model offers five channels of amplification, two subwoofer outputs, three HDMI 2.1 inputs (and three standard HDMI inputs) and super-simple (by AVR standards) set-up and operation.
That all seems perfectly promising, but there are a couple of issues.
Relatively compact
The first is that the Denon AVR-S670H is priced at £599, which initially looks like good value. However, the Award-winning AVR-X2800H (p56), which launched at £869 is regularly (and currently) available for just £599 in the UK. Not only is this a better-specified AVR, it also sets a high benchmark in terms of sound quality.
The AVR-S670H is fairly compact by general receiver standards, no doubt at least partly due to it featuring just five amplifiers. This compactness is really just in terms of depth, though - the height and width are a roughly typical 15 x 43cm.
Higher-end X-series models tend to have buttons hidden below drop-down doors on the front, while the AVRX2800H has slick, almost hidden buttons on the lip below the front display. The S670H, though, has a series of simple, round buttons on its face, which makes it look comparatively cluttered and old-fashioned. The display is good, though, and there's a nice feel to the volume and input knobs.
The remote looks and feels a little basic, but its relatively stripped-back selection of buttons is good and the AVR is very responsive to inputs.
Around the back of the unit is a well-curated selection of inputs and outputs. There is just one HDMI output, which makes sense at this level, and three of the six HDMI inputs are 4K/120Hz affairs that are labelled '8K' but are more useful for their ability to handle 4K/ 120Hz signals. Gamers will also be pleased that all of the inputs can handle VRR and ALLM.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/QL4PuZ9Pe1723620877377/1512271969.jpg]
And the receiver can, of course, pass through HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision signals.
The non-HDMI connections include two optical inputs, two standard stereo RCA inputs and a dedicated phono input for a turntable, which is a nice touch.
Despite its entry-level position in the range, the AVR-S670H benefits from the same 'Setup Assistant' featured on much higher-end AV receivers from Denon and Marantz, including the recently reviewed, super-premium Marantz Cinema 30. This assistant guides you through the initial installation and calibration of the AVR in a fabulously straightforward manner, complete with animated diagrams for various steps, including stripping and connecting speaker cables.
The mic-driven Audyssey calibration involves measuring the output from all of your speakers from six positions around the seating position. We find the results to be slightly less accurate than those from more expensive Denon and Marantz AVRS we know, so we recommend that you also manually adjust speaker distances and levels if you feel comfortable doing so.
Once you have calibrated the speakers, the amp offers to turn on Audyssey Dynamic EQ. This can be useful for late-night listening, but for serious stuff (such as testing) it's best switched off.
Audyssey Dynamic Volume is automatically disabled if you select not to turn on Audyssey Dynamic EQ, but Audyssey MultEQ, which is essentially the room correction element, is enabled.
This is the basic version of MultEQ - the AVR-X2800H features MultEQ XT.
Another setting to be aware of is Loudness Management, which is another form of dynamic compression specifically for Dolby signals. When you enable it, a dedicated 'Dynamic Compression' option becomes available, allowing you to choose how aggressive to make the compression. Again, any form of compression is bad for critical listening so we disable such settings for testing, but you may want to experiment with them for home use.
The fact that this is a five-channel receiver means 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are off the menu.
If you want Atmos support now or feel you might want it in the future, you are better off with the AVR-X1800H or AVR-X2800H.
Crisp and direct Music is gre...
Yes, soundbars are great - but they're not that great; even the best ones fall short on genuine heft and the ability to deliver convincing three-dimensional sound. That's where AV amps - and this round-up of six top models - come in.
We start with three relatively affordable products and, with our final three, move into more premium territory. Cheaper AV amps are often effective at providing good surround-sound and usually come laden with features, but it is only by paying a bit more that you can achieve the kind of scale and sound quality that could justifiably be described as cinematic.
More expenisve AV amps also provide more channels, allowing you to better incorporate features such as Dolby Atmos.
As for that suitable speaker package, a good rule of thumb is that, to make sure your amp and speakers are making the most of each other, you should be looking for a package that costs around twice the price of your amplifier.
Finally, when it comes to installing your AV amp, make sure you leave plenty of space around it for ventilation - once a film gets going things can soon hot up.
Denon
AVR-S670
£599
Is this the entry-level Denon AVR we have been waiting for?
Denon's X-series AV amplifiers and receivers have been hugely successful, and it's probably fair to say that it completely dominates a big chunk of the AVR market.
That said, prices have risen with each new generation of X-series amps, and what once was entry-level is now firmly mid-market. That's where the S series comes in. Designed to sit below the X series and offer all of the core features that someone new to AVRs might need while stripping out some of the expensive elements that they probably don't, the S series is a tempting proposition.
This AVR-S670H model offers five channels of amplification, two subwoofer outputs, three HDMI 2.1 inputs (and three standard HDMI inputs) and super-simple (by AVR standards) set-up and operation.
That all seems perfectly promising, but there are a couple of issues.
Relatively compact
The first is that the Denon AVR-S670H is priced at £599, which initially looks like good value. However, the Award-winning AVR-X2800H (p56), which launched at £869 is regularly (and currently) available for just £599 in the UK. Not only is this a better-specified AVR, it also sets a high benchmark in terms of sound quality.
The AVR-S670H is fairly compact by general receiver standards, no doubt at least partly due to it featuring just five amplifiers. This compactness is really just in terms of depth, though - the height and width are a roughly typical 15 x 43cm.
Higher-end X-series models tend to have buttons hidden below drop-down doors on the front, while the AVRX2800H has slick, almost hidden buttons on the lip below the front display. The S670H, though, has a series of simple, round buttons on its face, which makes it look comparatively cluttered and old-fashioned. The display is good, though, and there's a nice feel to the volume and input knobs.
The remote looks and feels a little basic, but its relatively stripped-back selection of buttons is good and the AVR is very responsive to inputs.
Around the back of the unit is a well-curated selection of inputs and outputs. There is just one HDMI output, which makes sense at this level, and three of the six HDMI inputs are 4K/120Hz affairs that are labelled '8K' but are more useful for their ability to handle 4K/ 120Hz signals. Gamers will also be pleased that all of the inputs can handle VRR and ALLM.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/QL4PuZ9Pe1723620877377/1512271969.jpg]
And the receiver can, of course, pass through HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision signals.
The non-HDMI connections include two optical inputs, two standard stereo RCA inputs and a dedicated phono input for a turntable, which is a nice touch.
Despite its entry-level position in the range, the AVR-S670H benefits from the same 'Setup Assistant' featured on much higher-end AV receivers from Denon and Marantz, including the recently reviewed, super-premium Marantz Cinema 30. This assistant guides you through the initial installation and calibration of the AVR in a fabulously straightforward manner, complete with animated diagrams for various steps, including stripping and connecting speaker cables.
The mic-driven Audyssey calibration involves measuring the output from all of your speakers from six positions around the seating position. We find the results to be slightly less accurate than those from more expensive Denon and Marantz AVRS we know, so we recommend that you also manually adjust speaker distances and levels if you feel comfortable doing so.
Once you have calibrated the speakers, the amp offers to turn on Audyssey Dynamic EQ. This can be useful for late-night listening, but for serious stuff (such as testing) it's best switched off.
Audyssey Dynamic Volume is automatically disabled if you select not to turn on Audyssey Dynamic EQ, but Audyssey MultEQ, which is essentially the room correction element, is enabled.
This is the basic version of MultEQ - the AVR-X2800H features MultEQ XT.
Another setting to be aware of is Loudness Management, which is another form of dynamic compression specifically for Dolby signals. When you enable it, a dedicated 'Dynamic Compression' option becomes available, allowing you to choose how aggressive to make the compression. Again, any form of compression is bad for critical listening so we disable such settings for testing, but you may want to experiment with them for home use.
The fact that this is a five-channel receiver means 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are off the menu.
If you want Atmos support now or feel you might want it in the future, you are better off with the AVR-X1800H or AVR-X2800H.
Crisp and direct Music is gre...
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What Hi-fi Uk (Digital) - 1 Issue, October 2024