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(More customer reviews)This unit is a conservatitely rated 75w x 7 receiver with all of Denon's usual crispness, features, and quality of build. It's virtually identical to Denon's higher-powered receivers, minus exactly that - the higher wattage. I'm sure you sacrifice some true audiophile trappings, but if you're like me - somebody who simply appreciates awesome sound, massive flexibility, and still far more receiver than you'll likely ever need in your home - you'll be floored by this receiver.
The first thing I noticed was how clean the unit is - I've auditioned Onkyo, Harman Kardon, and Yamaha, and the Denon easily matches them in quality. Fear not - at this point, it's primarily personal preference for the appearance of the unit, and the Denon is an attractive design, to be sure.
The second, and huge consideration, is the fact that it's got *reams* of inputs. This is the *only* receiver I've seen in this price range to include 3 component inputs. Coupled with about a half-dozen S-video/composite inputs, you'll never want for connections. If, by chance, you have an HDMI or DVI requirement, you can simply run that straight into your TV/Projector, and the Denon will still output via the 2 digital coaxial and digital inputs from the same DVD player.
I have my top-flight Panasonic S97S DVD player (also available at amazon.com) hooked up via an HDMI cable straight to my Panasonic AE900 projector, but the Denon is using a Digital Coaxial cable from the same DVD player to drive the surround speakers. Every other piece of electronic gear in my living room is running completely through the Denon:
Cheap DVD Player (editing and parental control software): composite video input (I could use s-video, but the s-video is wired so that if you use s-video in, you've got to use s-video out, and I didn't want yet another 25' cable running to my projector)
PS2/GameCube/XBox: Each using a component video input
Sirius satellite receiver & CD Changer: each has a dedicated RCA input
All I do is flick the buttons on the (hugely powerful) remote and can use any of of them *instantly*.
Pure heaven!
Although the manual does an adequate job explaining things - and it will get you up and running - it will take some time experimenting with all the bells and whistles this baby's sporting. From the usual speaker-delay distance, to the Dolby ProLogicIIx/Ex/DTS/ES/Neo/etc/etc, it's all here.
Another awesome input: the receiver has (2) AC power outs - meaning, you plug up to 2 subwoofers into those, and when the Denon powers up, it sends a signal to the subs to turn on, too! Sweet!
The receiver is feature rich and does far more than I'll ever need - in fact, I was astonished that as Denon's so-called 'entry' receiver, I have little doubt it would easily hold it's own against receivers costing twice the money, if not more. The quality is unparalleled for the price.
This receiver *IS* a Denon. It's top-flight quality and has reams of features I'll never even use. Only a true audiophile would want more than this unit provides - it looks, performs, and sounds absolutely magic. For amazon's asking price, you will *never* find a better bet on quality - it easily holds it's own, in pure sound quality, with models costing more than twice the price - it simply has less digital doohikies that 99% of HT users (sans audiophiles) will never even touch. It's perfect for a room in the 400 square foot range, as 75 watts x 7 (or 110 x 7 if you use 6-ohm speakers) is more than sufficient to power a highly competent home theater.
Bottom line is this - I can't imagine needing any more than this unit provides. At $300, it's not only the centerpiece of my home theater audio, it will probably be for as long as it runs... which, for a Denon, is usually a *long* time...
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Denon AVR-486S 7.1-Channel Home Theater ReceiverEnjoy high-end, encompassing surround sound while watching the latest Hollywood big-budget spectacles on DVD with the Denon AVR-486S 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver. This receiver drives all the primary speakers in a 7.1 surround sound system, including the front left/right speakers, rear left/right surrounds, front/rear center speakers, and the preamp output for a ".1" low-frequency subwoofer. Because not everyone is ready to fill their listening environment with seven speakers, the AVR-686S also offers selectable modes for 5.1-channel set-ups, as well as a Virtual Surround function that provides an enveloping sound for two-speaker systems or headphones. Power wise, the receiver checks in at 75 watts per channel into 8 ohms (from 20 Hz to 20 kHz).
You'll never be at a loss for creative surround algorithms with the AVR-486S, regardless of your listening source. The receiver's onboard surround processing includes Dolby Digital Surround EX, DTS, DTS 96/24 5.1 for DVD-Video, DTS ES Discrete 6.1, DTS ES Matrix 6.1, and Dolby Pro Logic IIx (for cinema, music, and games). Dolby Pro Logic IIx processing is the first technology to convert traditional stereo music and movie content into room-filling 5.1- or 6.1-channel sound.
The AVR-486S owes its superlative sound quality to its premium digital-audio technologies, such as the Hammerhead SHARC 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor from Analog Devices. The receiver also offers 24-bit, 96 kHz analog-to-digital conversion on all stereo analog inputs (except the multi-channel analog jacks), along with 24-bit/192 kHz digital-to-analog conversion for all seven channels to ensure premium playback sound.
On top of the surround processing modes, the AVR-486S offers adjustable high- and low-pass crossovers (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 200, and 250) that let you tailor the sound to suit your speakers and listening space. Video connectivity stems from the three assignable sets of component video inputs, three S-video inputs, and three component inputs. Audio-wise, the receiver includes nine analog RCA stereo inputs and three digital inputs (two coaxial and one optical), along with a six-channel external analog input. The receiver measures 17.1 by 5.8 by 16.4 inches (W x H x D).
What's in the Box Receiver, RC-1001 remote control, two R6P/AA batteries, AM loop antenna, FM indoor antenna, service station list, operating instructions, and warranty.
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