Clarity sound, THX EX/DTS ES, Remote(learning functions),
PureDireect, 7ch stereo, unlimited future expanding.
The best A/V receiver price/performace in $3000 range.

Little over weight and size for small rack. The other problems - TMS(high end) and Joe(low end) hate this box because of its price/performace

I am lucky to get Denon AV5800 when I decided to upgrade my system on July. I got all of them from Internet -
Denon AV5800 - AllHome theater Yahoo shopping
Atlantic Tech. THX350 - onecall.com
I only spent only about $5000. I have listened most high end
seperate system and speakers(I don't want to name them). They are sound better than my system, but look at the price then and 5800 has. You need at least $10,000 from them. Of cause you can pick up Sony all in one for $499. I will not waste $499 for this. There is what I tested my system with other high end store's demo
1. I spent few days just listening three tracks at Hooked On Classics 2 (track 3, 4, and 5) CD when I have my system up.
2. I before call those store for listening, I listened them again before want there.
3. I asked them for music speakers price at least 2000 for a pair and played my CD(track3,4,5). After that I told them that it was OK, do you have any better speakers. They usually show me other pair at 3500 or 5000 plus so called
"reference" speakers.
4. I repeated three track on my CD. Then I told them it was very good, and asked the price on the amp/pre-proc for 7 ch
if I like to build a 7.1. Then they spent at least 20 minutes with to pull out all kind of papers, and added this and added that... The price was about 3 times or more.
5. Then I ask how about those speakers with Denon A/V. They started to say how bad this product like "TMS" posted there.
I understand what they are living for and respect them.

I have done same steps three times in South bay high end Audio stores. I feel so happy when I left those store, because I got a very good deal using my system. Be honest
those high end system does sound better than my AV and speakers, but they are about 20% or 40% better. If you turn the light off, and just listen, you can't find any big different between Denon and high-end(seperate PRE/AMP, and high price speakers). Your ego will do.

(Please ignore TMS and Joe).
If you have a lot of money and ego (like TMS), you should not look at Internet review, and just spend money on them.
For Joe, if you only have $1000, to $2000, you are in wrong place. I am not saying they are not good.

OK, Below is my really review.
1. I play CD and set pause bottom, and turn AV5800 vol up to
10(max) (range are -60 to 10, -10 is too loud for me.) I can't hear hisss from speaker until my ear is 3 inches
away from speakers. be careful when you do this at home.
2. I do hear more sound from different CD and DVD. Liked ID4
I heard more background sounds when air force one took
off. The music from Hooked on Classic is more clear, and
I can image that I am in front of Orchestra in PurrDirect
mode. I can identify each different instruments coming from.
3. Continued play THX DVD for four hours and checked 5800.
I can't hear any noise from box. I don't think there is
a fan at all. The manual does suggest more space for this
box.
4. Played live show VCD using 7 ch stereo mode. I can feel I
am in middle show.
5. Play T2, I can hear fool steps sound from rear speakers
and shut gun was fired from rear speakers in THX show up.
Both THX EX and DTS EX are good. I found that Set 5800
to "HOME THX CINEMA" will do all of jobs for all input
signals.

If you budget $3000 for A/V reciever, Denon Av5800 is the best for you. It does all of jobs for you and the performance matches its price

Similar Products Used:

Sony(owned), and all other highend (seperate PR/AMP)

I have to agree with the last review. All potential reviewers please listen carefully. THIS SITE IS FOR THOSE WHO OWN THE PRODUCTS IN QUESTION TO REVIEW THEM. NOT FOR SOMEONE WHO WENT TO LISTEN TO IT IN A STORE. IF YOU DO NOT OWN THE PRODUCT, DO NOT POST A REVIEW. WE DON'T CARE THAT YOU LISTENED TO IT IN A STORE. A STORE IS NOT THE SAME AND WILL NOT SOUND THE SAME AS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL CLEAR UP ANY FUTURE REVIEWS OF THIS TYPE. THIS POLICY IS SPELLED OUT CLEARLY ON THIS SITE.
If you test drive a car, does that qualify you to give a detailed review of the car's good and bad points. I think not. This works the same when reviewing home theater components.

Thanks, this is getting old.

I Dont have a need to go out to the movies anymore

I dont have a need to go out to the movies anymore

I am an audio anthusist. Im not up to speed with the technical lingo, so I will try to describe this unit in laymans terms. Its great. About 5 years ago I was shopping for my first Home Theater system. I came across a Kenwood THX certified A/V Receiver for $10,000. Im not a rich person. That price tag seemed very steep. But not so steep that it I was ruling It out. Unfortunately, I also had a more pressing need for an automobile. So much for THX dreams. So I settled for a Yamaha Reciever with Cinema DSP Pro Logic. For years I deluded myself that I had real home theater sound. I was even using....gasp....bose sattelite speakers for my set up. Soon it was time to take the plunge into the world of DVDs. Well guess what. AC-3 ready recievers werent an option at the time. Mine certainly wasnt. I had to find a reciever with a 5.1 decoder. I started shopping Onkyo's and Denon. This might sound nuts but seeing that $3000 dollar price tag sounded like a bargain to me. Ive had this monster for a little over a month and Im still overwhelmed by what it can do. Ive tapped into maybe, 25% of it. It is an unbelievable unit. Not going to say it was the best 3000 Ive ever spent, but Its up there.

Very musical, powerfull, super hightech.

Manual

This is an early review after initial set up and listning evaluation, one word- OUTSTANDING.
Will provide more detailed review as soon as more time spent with this AVAR.
One bif thou, who wrote this manual, if it was written in Japanies it would make more sense to me.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR 5700, Yamaha separates

The sound .....

None encountered at this time ....

The first night:

With great anticipation, I began disconnecting my AVR 5700 to move its successor into place. My first thoughts were how I was going to tell Pat (my loving and extremely patient wife) that the furniture surrounding the system might not be large enough for its new occupant. Fortunately, I just made the specified clearances for air flow around the unit (there is an audio spirit watching over me). I don’t know if there is an industry award for weight, but this puppy may win some type of recognition for its part. Make sure the aspirin are handy. After lifting this monster into place, moving the speakers and lying in unspeakable position to reach the cables behind my equipment wall, you should expect a little back pain.

I took the incremental approach with connecting the 5800 mainly because I couldn’t wait to hear what it sounded like, so I started with the SACD player and the Silver 9’s.

Grabbing the Atkis remote and learning how to quickly navigate with the integrated joystick was fun and seemed simple enough (more on this later).

More power Scotty! When I first powered on the unit I thought that I saw the lights dim as the capacitors began charging to produce the imminent sound.

Going for nirvana, I selected the “pure direct” mode of stereo. Slipped in my Celie Dion SACD and hit the play button.

WOW; I was completely overwhelmed with what I heard.

I had expected the 5800 to sound better, but I was completely surprised with what I heard. A completely new set of detail had emerged along with an even tighter bass response I thought possible. The depth & breadth of the sound stage had increased as well as each music point source being more pronounced. Oh the detail, the detail! I was absolutely amazed with the incredible sound flowing out from the Monitor’s !

I had to stop for the evening as it approached 1:00 A.M.; I was pushing the envelope and Pat’s patience.


The second night:

Tonight I mounted the additional FX speakers in the center rear positions as dictated by the manual to support the new THX channels. Cables dangling from the walls were good enough for this evening. After setting the speaker configuration, distance measurements and sound pressure levels, I was ready for my first 7.1 experience. Having put the 5800 in the auto mode so it would recognize the new format, I hit the play button on the DV09. I watched the new release of T2 in the “special edition” format and was fascinated by the sound that completely enveloped the room.

Immediately noticeable on the trailer were the sounds behind you of the molten chrome metal coagulating into the “THX” banner… very cool.

The first few moments of the movie where the survivors were battling the “Machine” did justice to the new surround features also. I ended up watching the movie again even though I have seen it a dozen times. This time of course, I was listening with a much more critical ear than ever before. I was NOT disappointed with my first 7.1 experience and in fact; quite surprised of the difference between 5.1. It may be the combination of the additional power the 5800 has over the 5700, the new DAC’s and better frequency response. All I know is that it sounded spectacular.

Several days later:

I am presently experimenting with the 7 channel stereo mode and comparing it to “Pure Direct”. Without any doubt the Pure Direct mode wins my vote. I will move onto my DTS collection next and forward the results of my experiences soon.

Oh, I almost forgot about the Atkis remote. Why do they call it a joystick ? It’s no joy when you are trying to enter text labels. I checked the Denon website and see they only have the PDF manual for the remote and no software yet. I don’t want to make any assumptions here, but I do hope the software provides a capability similar to that of the Pronto.


First week summary:

I find myself completely satisfied with my purchase of the 5800. Although I do admit to being a long time Denon fan having had several of the predecessors to the 5800, I did my due diligence when it came to this purchase as it has a hefty price tag that is comparable to separates in cost.

In the coming weeks I will post a follow-up review as to my progress with the receiver. Hopefully the software will be available for the Atkis as well as some additional DVD titles supporting the new THX and DTS formats.


With complete confidence I rate the Denon AVR5800 a five star product and highly recommend its purchase !




Reference configuration of my home theater system:

Denon AVR5800
Monitor Audio Silver 9’s front left and right
Monitor Audio Silver center
Monitor Audio Silver 7’s direct radiating left and right rear (corners)
Monitor Audio Silver FX’s mounted axial to seating for THX ex, wired for bipolar radiation
Monitor Audio Silver FX’s mounted directly behind to support the new THX ex, wired for bipolar radiation
2 Monitor Audio Silver sub woofers (AW210) set approximately one third back from the front of the room
Synergistic speaker cable used through the installation
Sony SACD 777ES player with Audioquest interconnects to the 5800
Pioneer DV09 DVD player
Mitsubishi 65-inch 16x9 HDTV system

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR 5700

sound quality

remote... well in some ways

I won't go into any details about strdb 930, 777es, and onkyo 555. They were pretty good for the money but in my opinion not really comparable to denon and b&k flagship models. (of course, since they cost far less) Anyway first I bought the denon and I was really amazed by the sound quality. I was using dynaudio audience 50's and I definitely heard sound that I didn't hear before, and I could go really loud without noticing any distortion. Also the 7 channel stereo was a blast. But normal music listening I usually like to listen in 2 channel stereo. With the 2 channel stereo, the denon and dynaudio combo does a great job of spreading out the sound. To me the sound was warm and I didn't really have any of that listening fatigue even after listening at loud volumes for a long time. Now this is where it gets sorta bad. It seemed as though the denon focuses more on the background instruments in the music instead of the main voices. Well whether that is true or not, the voices definitely were spread out and sometimes I had a hard time making out the lyrics because the instruments were overpowering the singer. And because the voices were spread out, the imaging just wasn't there. DOn't get me wrong, denon is great on imaging for background instruments... almost 3-d like, but I was disappointed with the voices. So what happens next? I went to Soundex in willow grove area and they had a b&k 307. They said somethings about how japanese receivers have a hard time with music separation, but is it true? I have no idea. Anyway, they had the dynaudio and the b&k setup and the sound was awesome much clear sounding than the denon IMHO. So I sold the denon and got b&k. But before I shipped out the denon I had a chance to compare the 2 side by side. I don't want to go in too much description about b&k since this isn't a review for it. But for those of you who do not know which one to buy, all I have to say is that it's a matter of taste. To me b&k sounded more realistic and as it was mentioned below in one of the reviews, it had more punch. However, the airiness and the softness of the denon was gone. I had the b&k for about 3 weeks now and there were few times when I the music got a little harsh. The front panel operation for b&k is way worse than denon but the remote is much faster to use for the b&k. I have to admit that on some good recorded music, the voices sound so realistic, I feel like the singer is right in my room. The imaging is definitely better, but there maybe there is too little emphasis on the background instruments or maybe I was so used to the denon. As you can see these are both great units with their own advantages and disadvantages. So definitely demo them if you can, preferably at your own home.

Similar Products Used:

sony strdb 930, 777es, onkyo txds555, avr5800, b&k 307

THX, DTS, EX variants, Dynamic Sound for both Music and Home Theatre.

Remote is a bit tricky to work with at first.

Upgraded my Denon 5700 to this beast a little over one month ago. Noticable improvement in all aspects of sound. I have this receiver coupled to Klipsch KLF-30s, KLF-C7, KG 3.5s and a KSW 200 subwoofer. Incredible accuracy and sound stage, great imaging. Listening to Music in Pure Direct Mode is joy. The DVD "Saving Private Ryan" makes you feel like you are in the landing craft praying you won't get hit. I haven't used any DVD Audio yet, so I cannot comment on that. All in all, worth every penny. I highly recommend this piece. Had it not been for this piece, I would have opted for the Lexicon Pre-amp and seperate amps.

P.S. - I still have both the 5700 and the DSP-A1, make an offer if you are interested.

Similar Products Used:

Denon 5700, Yamaha DSP-A1

Built quality, sound, conections, power

Actually quite a few... see text...

I'll try to minimize the 'why I like it' theme and try to concentrate on things that were not mentioned in the reviews here and especially on what is missing or annoying.

I bought this receiver about a month ago. I have had many Denon receivers this year (1700, 1800, 2800, 3300, 4800 and now the 5800). The interesting thing is that I was not expecting a change from the 4800 that I had for a short period of time but there is definitely a difference in warmth and the THX EX sounds better. I really like the pure direct mode and I love the 7-channel stereo and setup (different settings of bass and treble for each of the channels). The 5800 has ample power to drive my speakers configuration so loud and clean that I am not planning on buying any additional amps for the fronts / backs.

Contradicting many reviews here, I think that the Aktis remote is rather OK, it is bulky alright but as for its setup I really did not have any problems setting it up and configuring it to all the different devices that I have at home. I was even able to configure it to clone my projector's trackball remote (which I tired with many other remotes). In addition, I found it intuitive enough and I only consulted the manual once to learn how to name buttons. It is true that the Pronto is better, but this remote has an advantage - it has RF capabilities that I need. I wired the receiver to 2 different rooms and I appreciate the ability to control the receiver from them. All you need to do is have an infrared emitter and connect it to the base and you can control your system from anywhere in the house. I'm looking for a 2nd Aktis remote now…

Some people compliant about the weight of this thing, I agree but with one comment - at least it is balanced with the power supply in the middle and although it is heavier it is still manageable to pull out and maneuver.

As with all(?) things in life, this receiver is also not perfect, here is why:
The display could be much improved - volume, channels input indicators (the 4800 has it, so why is it missing from the 5800?), 2nd / 3rd room sources
FM Tuner sensitivity and separation and there are no tuner dedicated buttons on the unit itself
No separate memory settings for Neo: Music and Cinema
A better manual is required, is it written in English? Or Greek translated to English?
No 2 subs output (with different peak limiters)
No volume control for 3rd room, source selection only.
The bass management could be improved considerably. What if I want to send 100hz + or 40Hz + to some of my speakers?
Why can't I have my fronts setup as small and rears as large?
I'm missing front connections for AV equipment. There are so many at the back - couldn't they bring the VCR3 connections to the front?
Renaming inputs? not with the 5800.
No 5-year warranty, and no warranty for many units on the market which were bought from non-authorized dealers. This is not the right approach to have happy customers.
No support for Dolby Pro Logic II, and there will probably not be an upgrade path for it (do not be fooled by the RS232, Denon never committed to an upgrade like Onkyo did)
Not sure that I like the DTS: NEO at all, but this is a personal thing
No pre-amp out and amp-in connections
Did I mention the Aktis remote? And WHERE IS THE SOFTWARE?
A $3K piece could look better, much better, as it is bulky, black and pretty ugly. Where is the gold version? Why are we are penalized three times compared to our overseas audiophiles? We get an average tuner, the Aktis remote and no gold version. Why can't Denon offer this model in the US?

However, for about $2500 you get incredible value if you consider the built and sound quality, and that you do not need to buy additional separate amps or an RF remote that allows you to connect a 2nd and even a 3rd room to your setup. You will probably need to spend about $10k on a separates combination that may sound slightly better than the 5800.

Last comment - do yourself a favor and do not get the Denon 3801 without auditioning it first. I found that it seriously lacks power in a 7 speakers setup.

My current setup is:
Receiver Denon 5800
Fronts - JBL S412P (w/built in 200w amps)
Center - JBL S-Center
Surround + Rears - 2 sets of JBL S38
DVD - Panasonic A120
Projector - Philips XG10 + Da-Lite 60"x80" screen
CD - An old Sony (to be replaced soon)
VCR - Sony SLV-836EE Multi-System NICAM
Tape - Technics RSTR575
TVs - Mitsubishi 31", Sony XBR 27"
2 additional rooms setup - Hitachi HTS5 (75w 10" sub + two 30w satellites)
Cabling - RS gold series (not as bad as you think)

Similar Products Used:

Denon 1700, 1800, 2800, 3300, 4800

Great sound, many modes

Like previous comments - the manual. Also the remote takes hours of reading the manual to understand.

After 25 years I buy the biggest,best, and baddest receiver on the market. (I'm going through my second mid-life change.) This receiver will appeal to the new audio enthusist as well as the audiopile. I needed power to drive my new B&W CDMN9 speakers -- I've got it now. I'm waiting for the Salamander Synergy rack with perferated sides and front to come in to keep this thing cool. Allow for lots of room -- this thing is 19" deep.

I feel this is the best receiver on the market and may allow you to stay away from separates. It did me.

I will follow up when I use the receiver more.

Similar Products Used:

My receiver is so old, I don't want to say!

Excellent number of inputs. Great ability to reproduce music very accurately.

The manual is ok, but not great. The remote is neat looking, but the touch screen isn't the best for those of us with pudgy fingers!

After listening to several receivers, including Onkyo, Yamaha and others, for me there was really no comparison. This receiver offers the audio/video enthusiast everything they could want (now and in the forseeable future). The 5800 has the power to drive most (if not all) speakers, and the DTS-ES is very impressive.

What really impressed me the most about the 5800 was the sound quality. After hooking up the 5800, I suddenly heard things on DVD's that I hadn't previously heard!

The 5800 has more inputs than you could ever want! I especially like the multiple Optical inputs.

This beast ways a ton, but it's extremely well built!

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer Elite