This is a great sounding unit with THX, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic at 140W x 5 in 5.1 mode.
The only negatives I have found are:
1) no 6 channel analog inputs for external DTS decoder (can be upgraded for DTS by MSB Technology for $699 US - Denon Warranty voided)
2) single VDP/DVP input (must use AUX for DVD if you have a Laser Disc player with AC-3)
3) adjusting the volume from the remote takes too long (Denon should consider a motorized volume control)
4) the instruction manual is poor

If the AVR-5600 didn't have the above negatives, I would rate it a perfect 5.

After listening to 2 channel systems for most of my life my son finally convinced me to get a HT rig for a second room. After trying the Yamaha DSPA-1 (which has terrible sound for music playback due to it's crappy performanceinto 4 ohms), the Onkyo 939 (which sounded very good but the fact I saw many used pieces for sale on this model makes me think many have returned this unit), The Denon 5600 and some seperate systems ranging around $3000 I ended up buying the Denon. For the money it was the only receiver that properly drove the speakers I had at difficult loads and sounded quite unbelievable in HT. The DSP mode factor kept me away from receivers since they're just all crap anyway, but the Denon had a feature called 5 ch stereo which was a bit different. The remote was VERY easy to use also.....

I've auditioned 3 AV-amps/receivers for my new HT-setup. These were the Onkyo TX-DS939, Yamaha DSP-A1 & the Denon AVR5600 (in Europe it's called the AVC-A1 and has no tuner-section).
Starting of with the Onkyo:
Facilities are great, nice designing too, but... I find the poweramp section too poor for such an expensive piece of equipment. It didn't quite deliver the power that I felt when listening to the Denon. Denon delivers a more subtle and detailed sound and if needed it can rip the wallpaper of your neighbours wall.
For music listening I think the Onkyo and Denon are pretty close, but I did still prefer the Denon.

The Yamaha DSP-A1:
I did encounter the same problem as many others did... The power amps are good but not good enough. Driving speakers with a 4 Ohm impendance load it came into trouble when I turned the volume up. You'll notice that the T-rex is not as convincing as it is with the Denon (both driven in Dolby Digital, Denon without THX). I can't describe it precisely, you'll have to hear it yourself.

Setup which was listened to:
KEF Reference Model Three (main), KEF 200C (center), KEF Reference Model One (rear), REL Stadium II (subwoofer), speakerwire came from Audioquest and Audiothruth, Interlinks were the Audioquest Quartz.

I give the Denon for overall performance 5 stars, and for sheer music listening 4 stars...

Hola!!!! Please help me out !!! I own the Denon 3200 wich I really like, specially that six channel input, but have a little bit of a problem with power. Although its a great amp and powerful my speakers are power hungry ( Paradigm Reference LCR 450 wich have 85db sensitivity according to Stereophile review instead of the specified 90db wich is for room response,gofigure) . I need to know if its worth the extra bucks! My dealer only has the 3200 wich I own but don' t have the others for comparison. I would hate to loose the six channel input, but willing to trade for better quality and more power. Please let me know. Does it have better pre amp section?? Better D/A converter?? Nobady seems to Know for shure. I could add a three cannel amp but for the price would rather upgrade electronics alltoguether. Gracias!!! MiguelPS Anyone Knows about the comparative european models, Iknow they don't have radio but keep the six chanel input, thats a trade I'm willing to take. BTW the rating is for general Denon quality.

It has been a few months now that I have owned the Denon AVR 5600. Previously, my home theatre was run by the AVR 1500, a good and solid Pro-Logic receiver. But, as Dolby Digital became the sound on more movies and after hearing the huge difference between it and Pro-Logic, I decided to go for it. Whether it is watching DVDs, laser discs, or CDs, the AVR 5600 is outstanding. A total output of 700 watts make for an incredible home movie viewing experience.
I know there are a lot of good prroducts out there and I am not even going to try and be as critical as some of the so called "audiophiles" who insist they can tell the differences that they claim. For the most part, they're full of it. I will say, however, the Denon brand is a solid brand and the flagship receiver , AVR 5600 is outstanding. I find the playback of music on my B&W Matrix 803s to be to be as good as if the band was right there in the living room.

Buy it and you'll be satisfied for good (or at least until they come up with sound that CLEARLY exceeds Dolby Digital -- I have heard DTS and honestly cannot tell the difference. My testing was done with the AVR 5600 and B&W 803 and a DTS processor and laser disc player with the B&W 803. It sounded slightly "DIFFERENT" but not "BETTER")!

In regards to the AVR5600 I've done a side by side comparison using the same speakers, same movie chapter, and I feel while it's adequate, there were other brands, some even lower in price that outperformed this unit. But the real thing I'd like to say, is why do some people (you know who you are) have to put other people down for liking certain pieces of equipment better than others? One persons crap is anothers creme de la creme. It seems like the more I pull up this site, the more slams I'm reading than reviews. Is that what this site is all about?

This receiver pumps out tons of power and great sound. IT is comparable to the Onkyo 939 but handles low impedance speakers better. This is a great option if you are running speakers 6 ohm or less. Very well built. Great decoding and very clean. Best of all the price is a bargain at $1899 shippedBravo Denon !!!

Regarding AVR-3600 and AVR-5600 DTS upgrade Denon Canada will now cover manyufacturers warranty for upgrades done to above products if dts upgrades are done through MSB technologys

While I am not the biggest fan of this receiver. It has recently become a product that is more competitive to the Yamaha DSP A1 now that they added DTS processing. Yes folks that is correct. The Denon 5600 has DTS processing now.It is a solid performer and has a nice 5 channel stereo mode. However, the DSP modes on the Yamaha DSP A1 in 7 channels is much better.
If DSP is not important to you and you have speakers that are not to bright, then the Denon 5600 may be a great choice for your home theater setup.
Best of all, the price dropped and it can now be mail ordered brand new with a 2 year warranty for $1999 !!!!

The best receiver available