The sound is clean. I can hear more detail from the Carpenter CD than from my old HK AVR20

I have audition the Onkyo 575X and the AVR1801 and decided to go for the AVR 1801 because the sound is closer to the HK that I have for 6 years. Only that this unit produced more detail and clarity and thermally it is not hot at all even after two hours of operation. I watch Total Recall and The Sixth Sense DVD and the surround sound is great. I hope to watch many more great sounding movies on this unit in time to come.

Similar Products Used:

HK AVR 20

Excellent: Sound, Power, Expandability, Style

Remote

I recently upgraded from the Denon AVR-1601 to the AVR-1801...although they are similar in appearence and power/specs..I believe there is a tremendous difference in sound quality.

I don't know exactly how to explain it...but, the lows on the 1801 sounded fuller, deeper and warmer when listening to the same music at same volume level then on the 1601. Don't get me wrong...the AVR-1601 is awesome and has plenty of power to fill a large room...but the 1801 simply sounds better.

The next important aspect of this A/V receiver is the expandabilty. There are plenty of Inputs and Outputs of every variety.

Digital Inputs - 2 Optical 1 Coaxial
Pre-Out Jacks for Sub Woofer or external power amp
S-Video 4 Inputs 3 Outputs
6CH External In Jack - for future audio formats
Analog Inputs and Outputs (more than enough)

As for features and ease of use the Denon is top notch...I especially like the front face it's functions are mostly push buttons except for the volume and select knob..which I like being "knobs" since these knobs are used for volume as well selecting bass, treble, surround mode and the individual volume control for each speaker (nice feature).

The remote is small and has tiny buttons...so forget using it in the dark! (unless you have a lot of patience!) But it has just about every control feature on it. Including codes to control TV, VCR, DVD, CD etc...

All in all, an excellent AV Receiver with lots of power and plently of future expandability...I will give it 5 Stars! As I believe it is the best model in it's price/class.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR-1601

Excellent: Sound, Power, Expandability, Style

Remote

I recently upgraded from the Denon AVR-1601 to the AVR-1801...although they are similar in appearence and power/specs..I believe there is a tremendous difference in sound quality.

I don't know exactly how to explain it...but, the lows on the 1801 sounded fuller, deeper and warmer when listening to the same music at same volume level then on the 1601. Don't get me wrong...the AVR-1601 is awesome and has plenty of power to fill a large room...but the 1801 simply sounds better.

The next important aspect of this A/V receiver is the expandabilty. There are plenty of Inputs and Outputs of every variety.

Digital Inputs - 2 Optical 1 Coaxial
Pre-Out Jacks for Sub Woofer or external power amp
S-Video 4 Inputs 3 Outputs
6CH External In Jack - for future audio formats
Analog Inputs and Outputs (more than enough)

As for features and ease of use the Denon is top notch...I especially like the front face it's functions are mostly push buttons except for the volume and select knob..which I like being "knobs" since these knobs are used for volume as well selecting bass, treble, surround mode and the individual volume control for each speaker (nice feature).

The remote is small and has tiny buttons...so forget using it in the dark! (unless you have a lot of patience!) But it has just about every control feature on it. Including codes to control TV, VCR, DVD, CD etc...

All in all, an excellent AV Receiver with lots of power and plently of future expandability...I will give it 5 Stars! As I believe it is the best model in it's price/class.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR-1601

Best value available, great sound, just enough power, runs cool, etc, etc.

None, given the price

This is certainly the best receiver you can get in this price category. I have listened to AV-receivers that costs $200 more that doesn't even come close. It runs my B&W 603 smoothly and it has just enough power to do the job. My sub-woofer became much more dynamic than in my previous setup! The sound is the best I've heard in a long time and the Matrix setting is simply fantastic. EXCELLENT VALUE! I even like the remote (after getting used to it.)

Similar Products Used:

All kind of stuff

Very detailed sound reproduction, especially on CDs; 5 channel stereo; runs very cool, even at high volume; very easy to set up; professional 'high end' look; plenty of in/outputs; excellent value.

remote is an absolute JOKE, so bad that I don't even bother to use it -- still packed in the box; a bit shy on power, but I believe its a true 70 watts, unlike other brands that claim 100 X 5 (more like 10 X 5); not made in Japan as was the 1800 (probably not a huge deal).

I was somewhat reluctant to enter the Denon arena after having read various reviews on the Denon AVR-3300 and its weird cooling fan problems. But at $385 US dealer cost ($535 CAD) for the AVR-1801 I could not resist. I'd about had it with my Pioneer VSX-D608. The 608 was great on movie soundtracks in Dolby Digital and DTS but its music quality on CD absolutely SUCKED. The 100 watts X 5 rating must have been bogus. The 1801 is rated at 70 watts X 5 and it completely blows the 608 out of the water. Not only is it louder but also the quality of music seems SO much cleaner. Movie soundtracks are excellent as well. Seems like I have all new speakers, which I don't.
The 1801's remote has got to be one of the worst ever, at least in terms of appearance and functionality. I left it packed in the box and I actually get up to adjust volume and select inputs -- that's how bad it is. Since I intend to upgrade to the AVR-4800 in a short time I want the remote to be 'like new' when I sell the 1801.
The AVR-1801 would be an excellent choice for someone just entering into the world of 'home theater'; it has enough inputs and outputs to meet the demands of most audiophiles; it does not produce gobs of power but it is sufficient for most modest home theater applications.
Bottom line -- you cannot go wrong with the 1801 at this price range.

Similar Products Used:

Technics SA-GX690 and Pioneer VSX-D608

Smooth and clean sound without hissing even at high volume

power, remote

I had a high hope on 1801 and I like the sound quality. 5 channel stereo that everyone talks about is well-worth it. But, I found that the amp is not enough to fill my 1bed apartment, even at volume above -10. (it goes -60 to 18) Since I bought mine at Good Guys without audition, I wanted see if it's just my amp. I went to Magnolia Hi-Fi and they let me audition amps with various speakers. So, I tried 1801, Yamaha V596, and Sony DB940. The sound was very loud and filled the room with no problem at about 10 o'clock position with Yamaha and Sony. On the other hand, 1801 sounded as if I was listening to it with my ear plugged even at 5! (remember the range -60 ~ 18?) That was enough to convince me that 1801 was not the amp I want.
Well, I still like 1801's sound quality and was impressed by the fact that it sounded smooth and clean even at that extreme volume without much hissing or clipping. But, until I get a chance to own more expensive Denon with more power, I'll pass this amp. BTW my speakers are Energy Take5 and I tested the amps at Magnolia HiFi with satalite speakers, so you may get a better result if you have full-size speakers. Also, the buttons on remote are way too small that it seems to be designed for a 5 year old.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha V596, Sony DB940

Clean, rich sound. Easy switching, S video, runs cool, easy setup, 5 channel stereo. It's just a sweet receiver with great sound reproduction and no hissing.

The remote is the most useless piece of junk on the planet. Give it to the dog as a chew toy.

After researching numerous options available, I found the 1801 to be perfect for our sound/home theatre application. The unit runs cool, is easy to set up, and reproduces sound cleanly and with no distortion at high levels. We paired this unit with Klipsch KSB 3.1 fronts, SC-1 center channel and SS-1 surround speakers. They match perfectly producing a clear, clean, rich and full sound. The system was installed in college student center TV room that is packed out on movie nights because of the quality. This unit runs cool enough to continue unimpaired in a closed cabinet with no ventilation. Very impressive.
At high volume, the sound is very clean and without distortion, unlike the Kenwood and other models I have used. While Kenwood was good for the price, the quality and clarity of sound at high levels leaves alot to be desired. The Denon 1801 beats the other amps I tested hands down. While I would agree that it seems that we have to run the receiver volume at -10 to -04 to begin to get the higher volume we want, we get everything we want and the receiver still runs cool with no other problems.
The remote is the only criticism that I would have. How the designer of that remote is still employed is a big question because it is absolutely the worst ever produced. Like I said before, give it to your dog for a chew toy. Denon should offer a recall on that rediculous remote.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood VR309, Kenwood VR409, Harmon Kardon AVR300

Powerful and sound quality

not enough surround modes

It's hard to made decision between the Yamaha A5 and Denon AVR1801.Because I noticed that A5 seemed a bit too bright in my system.(I used Yamaha speakers:NS-150/C60/E55). My friends told me AVR-1801 is a better product in listening music. After using, I found 1801 is a good AVreceiver, but too less surround modes in watching a movie...but I thought I made a good decision

Similar Products Used:

aiwa,pioneer

Dolby digital/DTS & 5 Channel Sound

Remote, interference with TV signal, No standby with main unit

I purchased the 1801 after a lot of research and listening tests. The next choice was Yamaha but audio wise they sounded bright. The denon had a very nice audio in 5 channel mode. In fact it was the only receiver in its price range with this feature. Using normal stereo mode it sounds a little flat but with 5 channel sounds a lot better.

I'm really please with the DD/DTS sound and it makes a big difference over my previous prologic setup.

The remote is a little small (though not as bad as everybody makes it out to be). The main fault is that though it does a good job of covering other remotes, it leaves out a few bits. For example, it will operate my toshiba dvd but won't do its zoom or fast forward functions. For those I need to use the toshiba remote.

I had a lot of problems though with it emitting enough interference to cause problems with my TV reception (it didn't affect when playing VCR or DVD). I had to get the HiFi place (HiFI Australia Osborne Park) out to look at it twice. Its mostly OK now though occasionally still happenns. the shop lent me a quad shield cable to try but I haven't tested it thoroughly. If you're in Perth Western Australia try them as they gave really good service and a decent price.

The other 'annoying' thing is that you can set the receiving into standby mode with the remote but you can't do this from the receiver. My son keeps turning the receiver off from the main button, I then sit down with the remote realising I can't turn the receiver on unless its in standby mode. This can be annoying as the DVD player can turn on easily as pressing the main power button puts it into standby.

I'm giving this one 4 stars. The remote and the interence and stanby function stop it from getting 5.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha prologic decoder

Power, 5 channel stereo, nice design,

none!

Great product!!! You can't go wrong with this one!