Denon AVR-3805, Technological mastery and musicality

• A/V receiver

• Price: €1,499

• Specialists' rating: 5

• Text: Jorge Wuhrmann

Denon's range of A/V integrated amplifiers is divided into two segments: the high end, made up of the AVC-A1SRA and AVC-A11SR models, and the more affordable AVR range, of which our guest, the AVR-3805, is the flagship, and which is rounded out for now by the AVR-2803, AVR-1804 and AVR-1604 models.

The first impression of the AVR-3805 is that it aims to come closer to its big brothers in performance than its predecessor, the AVR-3803, which we had the chance to test last year, could in its day. And this despite the recommended price having dropped by €150.

The improvements begin on the outside of the unit, whose new central flip-down door conceals part of the setup controls, giving the aluminum front panel a more sophisticated look. Another new feature is a spectacular backlit remote control capable of operating other devices via codes or learning. Its appearance, with two areas of bluish plastic surface framed in an aluminum structure and almost no buttons, seems bland at first sight. But as soon as you pick it up, an internal sensor detects the movement and the button layout specific to the device being operated lights up in blue, switching off automatically when the remote is left at rest. Attractive, convenient and versatile.



Easy calibration



Another important addition is the automatic calibration system. It works with a microphone that plugs into the front of the unit and must be placed at the central listening position at ear height. By emitting test signals, channel by channel, the system determines how many loudspeakers there are, how large they are, how far away they are and what effect the room has on the sound, equalizing each channel accordingly. In my test, apart from a sizable error in the subwoofer distance, easily corrected by hand, the accuracy achieved on the remaining channels was excellent. Of course, the resulting equalization can be disabled at will by the user, and even tweaked during listening. And naturally, calibration can be performed manually if preferred. Beyond that, the configuration options are extensive, allowing a 5.1 system to be set up while reassigning the unused amplifier channels to a Zone 2, and even controlling a Zone 3 driven by an external power amplifier. Audio and video can be synchronized, avoiding the slight delay that sometimes appears when the progressive video output is used. Volume is adjusted in 0.5 dB steps and delay distances in 10 cm steps. A fine example for other manufacturers that offer "coarser" adjustment of all these parameters. Finally, for the more audiophile-minded, the AVR-3805 offers a "pure direct" mode for stereo listening, which switches off the video processing, equalization and digital decoding circuits as well as the front display. As for rated power, the figure of 7x120 W into 8 ohms (20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.05% THD), 10 W more than the previous model, suggests a priori that the AVR-3805 could serve as the heart of a fairly serious system. However, the rear panel states that loudspeakers below 8 ohms nominal impedance should not be connected in 7.1 configurations, which, together with the maximum power consumption figure of 390 W, indicates that current delivery capability will be limited when all channels are driven, a problem that is in any case common to all A/V integrated amplifiers in this segment. Finally, the unit's connectivity and its coverage of supported audio formats are of a very high standard, as you can see from the specifications.



Tested



To test the AVR-3805, I used a 32" Loewe TV, a Kef PSW-2000 subwoofer and System Audio SA1250 (front), SA220 (center) and B&W DM302 (surround) loudspeakers, with Van den Hul speaker and interconnect cables and Supra LoRad power cords. To begin with, the unit's fast and effective automatic setup deserves praise once again; I was able to appreciate its effectiveness with the excellent DTS soundtrack of "Master and Commander". From the subtle sounds of the ship and the clear, well-focused dialogue at the start of the action to the cannon broadsides of the opening battle, the cinematic spectacle struck me as extraordinary. This impression was later confirmed with the now-classic podrace in "Episode I" and with the TDK music DVD of the opera "La Traviata", whose musicality was very convincing. There is no doubt that the AVR-3805 lets you enjoy movie soundtracks at a very high level. This Denon also delivers great sound with stereo music. Timbre is very accurate, with voices and instruments rendered entirely naturally, as I could verify with the voice of Diana Krall ("All for You") and Brahms's Violin Concerto (Vengerov/Barenboim). Dynamics, even with moderately demanding loudspeakers like those used, are handled quite effectively, even in difficult passages such as the finale of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 (Volodos/Levine). The soundstage is a strong point, appearing well drawn and defined. Great sound overall.

The AVR-3805 improves on the AVR-3803, its predecessor in the Denon lineup, and seems headed for a success similar to that enjoyed by its "grandfather", the AVR-3802. Thanks to its cutting-edge technology, very extensive configuration options and adequate power for loudspeakers that are not difficult to drive, it is a highly recommendable choice for any demanding enthusiast. However, I cannot award it our top rating because of its price, which is higher than that of some rivals with perfectly comparable sound quality and features.

Denon AVR-3805, Technological mastery and musicality

Specifications

120 W per channel continuous (into 8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, THD < 0.05%). 160 W per channel continuous (into 6 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, THD < 0.05%).

10 Hz 100 kHz.

102 dB.

AM and FM tuner with RDS functions.

Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES 6.1 discrete and matrix, Dolby PrologicIIx, DTS Neo:6, DTS 96/24.

Video inputs: 7 S-Video, 7 composite video, 3 component video. Video outputs: 3 S-Video, 3 composite video, 1 component video. Multiroom output: 1 composite video. Audio:

Digital inputs: 5 optical (EIAJ-TosLink) and 2 electrical (S/PDIF). 1 Denon Link. Digital outputs: 2 optical (EIAJ-TosLink). 11 unbalanced stereo analog source inputs. 1 set of analog inputs for external decoders (7.1). 7.1-channel preamp outputs. 1 RS232 port. Outputs for 3 analog recording loops. Multiroom preamp output.

390 W

434x171x429 mm.

17 kg.

Price: €1,499