Denon AVR-X2800H Review – Best Midrange Receiver

Denon AVR-X2800H Review

In the ever-evolving world of home entertainment, the Denon AVR-X2800H emerges as a beacon of audio excellence, boasting an ensemble of top-tier features wrapped in a familiar, yet reliable design. Renowned for its precision and performance, this AV receiver caters to the audiophile who demands nothing but the best from their cinema and gaming experiences. The AVR-X2800H stands out with its enhanced connectivity options, superior sound quality, and a user-friendly interface that promises an immersive auditory journey.

Whether you’re a seasoned home cinema enthusiast or a newbie looking to upgrade your audio setup, the Denon AVR-X2800H invites you to dive into a sonic adventure where every note and sound effect is delivered with astounding clarity and depth. Embrace the future of sound with Denon’s latest offering, designed to elevate your home entertainment to unprecedented heights.

Denon AVR-X2800H Build Quality and Design

The Denon AVR-X2800H retains a familiar aesthetic that aligns closely with the brand’s tradition, emphasizing a pragmatic rather than revolutionary approach to design. This AV receiver maintains the classic black box appearance, characterized by its straight lines and sharp corners, which ensures it blends seamlessly into the typical home theater setup without drawing unnecessary attention. Despite the understated design, the unit doesn’t lack in build quality; it is robust and built to last, mirroring the reliability Denon is known for.

In terms of specific design elements, the AVR-X2800H features a brushed metal front panel, which contributes to a sleek, professional look. The front panel is orderly and functional, with a large central display that clearly shows the operating status. Flanking the display are two large, well-damped knobs for volume and source selection, ensuring tactile satisfaction and operational ease.

However, not all is unchanged. The AVR-X2800H has made some modest yet meaningful enhancements over its predecessors. For instance, it employs higher density feet and a larger power supply and capacitors compared to earlier models. These improvements not only contribute to better stability and reduced vibration but also enhance the overall audio output quality, showing that Denon’s conservative design approach still leaves room for technical refinement.

Despite these positives, both user reviews and critics point out that the physical design of the AVR-X2800H, while reliable, could benefit from an update to keep pace with more visually striking competitors. The absence of a front HDMI port, a feature eagerly awaited by many users for its convenience, remains a notable omission in this model.

In summary, the Denon AVR-X2800H sticks to a tried-and-true design formula, prioritizing functional build quality and operational reliability over aesthetic flair. While it may not win any awards for innovation in design, it solidly performs where it counts, making it a dependable choice for audio enthusiasts who value substance over style.

Denon AVR-X2800H Features

Advanced HDMI Connectivity

The Denon AVR-X2800H is equipped with six HDMI inputs, including three HDMI 2.1 ports capable of 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz video pass-through, providing users with ultra-high-definition visual clarity. This feature is especially beneficial for users with the latest gaming consoles or high-end home theater setups, ensuring compatibility with the newest video formats and delivering a future-proof solution for emerging technologies.

Enhanced Audio Formats Support

This AV receiver supports a range of advanced audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and DTS Virtual:X, which enable an immersive audio experience. The presence of these formats allows users to experience multi-dimensional sound with incredible clarity and depth, making movies, music, and games more engaging and lifelike.

Improved User Interface

The AVR-X2800H features a full-screen user interface upgraded to 1080p resolution, making it more intuitive and easier to navigate. This enhancement helps users to quickly set up and adjust their home theater system without the hassle, providing a user-friendly experience that simplifies the management of complex audio-visual settings.

HEOS Built-in for Multi-Room Listening

With HEOS built-in, the AVR-X2800H can integrate with other compatible audio devices to create a multi-room listening experience. Users can stream music to different rooms, allowing for a synchronized audio experience throughout the home or different tracks in each room, all controlled via a single app.

High-Resolution Audio Playback

This receiver supports high-resolution audio formats such as FLAC, ALAC, and WAV files up to 24-bit/192 kHz, as well as DSD 2.8/5.6MHz. This capability allows audiophiles to enjoy their music with the highest fidelity, capturing every nuance of the original recording as the artist intended.

Voice Control Integration

Compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri via the AVR-X2800H allows users to control their AV receiver with voice commands. This feature provides convenience in adjusting volume, switching inputs, and playing music, making it an effortless, hands-free operation.

EARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)

The AVR-X2800H includes eARC support, which enables the transmission of uncompressed and high-resolution audio from your TV back to the receiver through a single HDMI cable. This feature is particularly useful for simplifying connections and ensuring the best possible sound quality from TV shows and movies.

Gaming Enhancements

For gamers, the AVR-X2800H offers features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Quick Frame Transport (QFT), which reduce lag and frame tearing, providing a smoother and more responsive gaming experience. These features are crucial for enjoying the latest generation of high-performance games.

These features of the Denon AVR-X2800H make it a versatile and future-ready component of any high-end home entertainment system, offering both audiophile-grade sound quality and support for the latest video technologies.

Denon AVR-X2800H Connectivity

The Denon AVR-X2800H is designed to serve as the hub of a high-tech home theater system, equipped with an array of connectivity options that cater to both current and future multimedia requirements. Here’s a detailed look at its connectivity features:

HDMI Ports

The AVR-X2800H is well-endowed with six HDMI inputs, including three that support the latest HDMI 2.1 standard. This allows it to handle 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz, essential for the latest generation gaming consoles and high-definition video sources. The inclusion of eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) on one of the two HDMI outputs enables the receiver to receive high-quality audio signals directly from compatible TVs, simplifying the audio setup and minimizing cable clutter.

Wireless Connectivity

For wireless audio streaming, the AVR-X2800H includes support for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. This flexibility allows users to stream music directly from mobile devices, laptops, and other Bluetooth-enabled sources without physical cables. Additionally, the Wi-Fi connectivity facilitates integration with Denon’s HEOS multi-room audio system, allowing the receiver to stream music to and from other HEOS-enabled devices throughout the home.

Network Streaming

Through its network capabilities, the AVR-X2800H offers access to a variety of streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music HD, and more. Users can enjoy their favorite music with the convenience of built-in streaming that bypasses the need for external streaming devices.

Digital and Analog Inputs

Aside from HDMI, the AVR-X2800H features optical and coaxial digital audio inputs for connecting older devices that might not support HDMI output. For analog audio sources, it includes several RCA inputs, including a dedicated phono input for connecting a turntable. This makes it compatible with both modern and vintage audio components.

USB Connectivity

A front-panel USB port allows users to play digital music files directly from USB storage devices. This feature supports high-resolution audio formats, providing audiophiles with the ability to enjoy superior sound quality directly from their portable drives.

Voice Control Compatibility

The inclusion of voice control support through Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri adds an extra layer of convenience, allowing users to control the receiver’s functions like volume, playback, and switching inputs through simple voice commands. This feature integrates the AVR-X2800H seamlessly into smart home ecosystems.

Multi-Room Audio

With the HEOS integration, the AVR-X2800H is not just a standalone receiver but part of a whole-home audio solution. This system enables linked audio playback across multiple rooms, allowing users to play the same or different music in various parts of the house controlled via the HEOS app.

These connectivity options make the Denon AVR-X2800H a versatile centerpiece for any home theater or audio system, combining traditional audio-video components with modern streaming and multi-room capabilities to accommodate the evolving landscape of home entertainment technology.

Denon AVR-X2800H Sound Quality and Performance

The Denon AVR-X2800H stands out for its exceptional sound quality and performance, which is engineered to meet the needs of the most discerning audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts. Here’s a detailed look at the aspects that contribute to its auditory prowess:

Immersive Surround Sound Capabilities

The AVR-X2800H supports the latest surround sound formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which deliver an immersive listening experience by utilizing overhead speakers or Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers to create a 3D audio environment. This capability ensures that sounds are not only heard from around and beside the listener but also from above, fully enveloping them in the audio experience. This feature is particularly impactful in action-packed movie scenes or in live music recordings where the sense of space adds greatly to the realism and enjoyment.

Refined Audio Processing

Equipped with Denon’s proprietary AL32 Processing, the AVR-X2800H provides high-resolution audio decoding and playback, ensuring detailed and highly accurate sound reproduction. This technology works to filter and align digital music files, reducing noise and distortion and delivering a clearer, more defined sound. Whether listening to classical music, jazz, or blockbuster soundtracks, the clarity and depth of the audio are significantly enhanced.

Powerful Amplification

The Denon AVR-X2800H delivers 95 watts per channel (at 8 ohms, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 0.08% 2ch Drive), which provides ample power to drive high-quality speakers in medium to large rooms. This power output ensures that the receiver can handle dynamic and complex audio passages with ease, maintaining fidelity and avoiding clipping even at high volumes. The power is not just about volume, but also about maintaining integrity and depth of sound across all speakers, ensuring a balanced and satisfying audio experience.

Audyssey MultEQ XT Calibration

The AVR-X2800H utilizes Audyssey MultEQ XT for automatic room acoustic measurement and correction. This advanced calibration technology optimizes each speaker’s output to compensate for room acoustics, speaker placement, and listening positions, resulting in optimal audio quality tailored to the specific environment. Users benefit from a more precise soundstage, where every note and sound effect is placed exactly where it should be, greatly enhancing the overall listening experience.

Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)

With the support for eARC, the AVR-X2800H allows for the transmission of uncompressed and high-resolution audio from the TV back to the receiver via an HDMI connection. This feature is crucial for ensuring that the audio quality from streaming services on the TV is as high as possible, bypassing the TV’s internal limitations and utilizing the AVR’s superior processing power for sound.

Customizable Audio Settings

Beyond its core features, the AVR-X2800H offers extensive customization options. Users can adjust crossover settings, gain control, and use the graphic equalizer to tailor the sound to their preferences and specific media content. This level of control is particularly beneficial for users who enjoy tweaking their audio settings for different types of entertainment, be it movies, music, or gaming.

These elements collectively underscore the Denon AVR-X2800H’s ability to deliver a superior audio experience. Its combination of high-end audio technologies, powerful amplification, and user-customizable settings ensure that it can satisfy audio enthusiasts looking for a cinema-quality sound at home.

Denon AVR-X2800H Pros and Cons

Here are the pros and cons of the Denon AVR-X2800H, based on a synthesis of the features and performance aspects highlighted in various reviews:

Pros:

1.High-Resolution Audio Support: The AVR-X2800H supports a variety of high-resolution audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, ensuring immersive sound experiences.

2. Advanced Video Capabilities: With three HDMI 2.1 inputs, the receiver supports 8K resolution and high frame rates, making it future-proof for emerging video technologies.

3. Powerful Amplification: Offers 95 watts per channel, providing robust power output that can drive high-quality speakers and fill medium to large rooms with dynamic sound.

4. Audyssey MultEQ XT Room Correction: Features advanced acoustic room correction technology, optimizing audio output for the specific characteristics of the listening environment.

5. HEOS Multi-room Audio: Integrates with HEOS, allowing for seamless streaming and control across multiple rooms and devices.

6. Enhanced Connectivity: Includes ample connectivity options with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, and multiple HDMI ports, catering to a wide range of audio and video sources.

7. User-Friendly Interface: Equipped with a newly designed 1080p full-screen interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate, enhancing the user setup and daily operation.

8. Voice Control Integration: Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri for convenient voice control, fitting easily into smart home setups.

Cons:

1. Appearance Needs Refreshing: Despite its solid build and technology, the AVR-X2800H retains a design aesthetic that some may find outdated compared to more modern-looking competitors.

2. Complexity for Novices: The array of features and settings, while advantageous for enthusiasts, might be overwhelming for beginners or those who prefer simpler, plug-and-play solutions.

3. Price Increase: It is priced higher than its predecessor, which might put it out of reach for budget-conscious buyers or those upgrading from older models without substantial discounts or promotions.

These points highlight the AVR-X2800H as a high-performance AV receiver suited for tech-savvy users and audiophiles, offering cutting-edge audio and video processing capabilities alongside a robust connectivity suite, albeit with considerations for aesthetics and price sensitivity.

Conclusion – Denon AVR-X2800H

In conclusion, the Denon AVR-X2800H emerges as a compelling choice for anyone looking to elevate their home theater system. With its robust support for up-to-the-minute audio and video standards—including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and HDMI 2.1—it positions itself at the forefront of AV receiver technology, capable of delivering both stunning visual clarity and immersive audio experiences. Its integration of Audyssey MultEQ XT enhances audio precision by tailoring sound to the specifics of the listening environment, ensuring optimal performance in diverse settings.

Moreover, the AVR-X2800H’s extensive connectivity options and support for HEOS multi-room audio system extend its utility beyond a mere AV receiver to a central hub for a connected and synchronized home audio ecosystem. The incorporation of voice control via popular AI assistants further underscores its role in a modern smart home setup.

However, potential buyers should consider the AVR-X2800H’s relatively high price point and its conventional design, which may not appeal to those seeking a more contemporary look. Additionally, the complexity of its features, while a boon for tech enthusiasts, could pose a challenge for those new to advanced AV setups.

Overall, the Denon AVR-X2800H stands out as a robust, feature-packed receiver that promises to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving landscape of home entertainment technology. Its capabilities make it a worthy investment for those dedicated to experiencing media with the highest fidelity, both now and in the future.