The Denon AVR-4308CI is loaded with connectivity
(Credit: Audioholics)We're slated to attend a Denon press event on July 24, where we'll almost certainly get the details on its new line of receivers, but it looks like the good guys over at Audioholics got on early look at a couple of the new models--the AVR-3808CI and AVR-4308CI. You can check out the full details at Audioholics, but here's the short story:
The AVR-3808CI comes loaded with four HDMI 1.3 inputs and a single HDMI output. It also features a new graphical user interface (GUI), and we're betting it probably looks like the leaked photos we blogged before. Like the new Onkyo receivers, the 3808 has built-in decoding for both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, although prospective buyers should be aware that currently no Blu-ray or HD DVD player is capable of outputting these soundtracks' formats to the receiver in bitstream format. The 3808 can also upconvert analog signals to HDMI, along with scaling them to 1080p. Some enthusiasts have lamented that Denon decided to use Faroudja video processing on these models instead of HQV (seen on Onkyo's receivers, like the TX-SR875 and TX-NR905), but we'll withhold our judgment until we actually get our hands on it. There's also an Ethernet jack, and you'll be able to stream digital music files and Internet radio to the receiver. The Ethernet jack also enables custom installers to log into your receiver and make adjustments offsite.
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The Denon AVR-4308CI--maybe
(Credit: Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity)
One of the big surprises at CES 2007 was what we didn't see in the home-theater space. Despite expectations that a slew of next-gen A/V receivers would debut, Sherwood Newcastle was the only brand of note to announce a receiver offering HDMI 1.3 connectivity and built-in support for Blu-ray and HD DVD-friendly Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding. But now that CES is history and the 2007 product cycle is ramping up, details on new receivers are finally starting to leak out: Home Theater Blog posted details on five new Denon receivers that it says will debut in the summer.
According to the site, Denon's "08" model line will be released in two phases: two high-end models in July, followed by three more affordable models in September. Both the $2,500 AVR-4308CI and $1,600 AVR-3808CI are said to include four HDMI 1.3 inputs, support for internal Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio decoding, built-in Ethernet connectivity for digital media steaming (plus Wi-Fi on the AVR-4308CI), and redesigned graphical user interfaces (not unlike the one found on the Sony STR-DA5200ES). Supposedly, they'll be followed two months later by the AVR-1508, the AVR-1708, and the AVR-2808. The 2808 allegedly will offer the same HDMI 1.3 support and internal Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD decoding as the higher-end models. While the 1508 and the 1708 will lose the onboard next-generation audio decoders (like today's receivers, they should accept linear PCM soundtracks via HDMI with no problem), they will retain HDMI 1.3 compatibility.
That sounds like yet another impressive receiver lineup from Denon, but there's a big caveat: The company issued a firm "no comment" when we asked about the rumors. That said, a little creative searching reveals that these details jibe with at least some of the information that Denon revealed behind closed doors at CES. Furthermore, the July to September timetable lines up with the summer/fall release schedule that Denon has adopted in recent years, allowing the company to showcase its refreshed product line at September's CEDIA trade show (note last year's July 26 announcement, for example). Likewise, it's widely believed that the components needed for this new generation of receivers--the chipsets and core electronics that enable HDMI 1.3, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD decoding, and next-generation analog/digital video conversion--won't be available to any manufacturer until spring at the earliest. (It's no coincidence that Sherwood Newcastle's HDMI 1.3 receivers are scheduled for release during that same summer time frame; other brands will be joining the pack as well.)
So while this news remains firmly in the rumor category, it certainly has a strong whiff of verisimilitude. While the details (such as pricing and exact features) are likely to change, we're betting that the new Denons will be pretty close to what's being reported on Home Theater Blog. Each of the alleged models--the AVR-4308CI, the 3808CI, the 2808, the 1708, and the 1508--look to be feasible updates of the existing AVR-4306, AVR-3806, AVR-2807, AVR-1707, and AVR-1507 (two of which are CNET Editors' Choice recipients). At least, we're hoping these rumors turn out to be true. If they're anything close to the leaked specs, these receivers will be the most crave-worthy home audio products in a long time.
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