Denon AVR 3805 7.1 channel 770 Watt Receiver

I am not one to update my equipment frequently and have been very pleased with the quality, features, and longevity of my Technics SA GX910 that I retired to the master bedroom. At the time, it was cutting edge with Dolby Surround Pro Logic and 4 channel surround.

But, to get true 5.1 performance, it was time to upgrade to the Denon 3805. I had recently purchased a Denon 910 DVD player and was very impressed with its performance and cost using Faroudja DCDi technology.

This receiver makes watching movies an enveloping experience that draws you in with its excellent sound that compliments the HD picture from the front projector without overpowering the viewing experience. I like that. I grew up listening to Altec Valencia speakers and appreciate speakers that are extremely efficient. I do not know how well this receiver would work with less efficient speakers but with the Klipsch system, there is more than enough power to make the entire home shake.

For the price, the Denon has ample inputs for audio and video although I sure would have liked an additional HDMI input and output.

Configuration and setup of the receiver for all the inputs and outputs was a snap with the OSD and the pure direct feature is great for two channel stereo and tv sound (it took me a while to get all the speakers).

Needless to say, my wife and I do not go to the movies any more. Any why should we? Concession prices are skyrocketing, inconsiderate patrons, no pause or rewind, and the picture and sound quality is considerably better, especially in HD.

I considered Rotel and others but Denon came through as the best value and fit for my family.

Strengths:
AV switching\up-down video conversion
Excellent Price
Great sound with plenty of power
OSD setup
Numerous inputs

Weaknesses:
The remote sucks, can't be read during daylight hours.
No HDMI support.
Speaker termination could have been more accomodating for large diameter speaker wire.
No microphone for auto setup and EQ.
Lack of hard buttons for common functions on receiver.