Customer Reviews

Denon AVR-1911 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver (Black)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Note - This review is for the nearly identical Denon AVR-791

There are three $500 receivers to consider, if you're buying one in 2010 - Onkyo TX-SR608, Pioneer VSX-1020-K and this one. All three feature the latest HDMI 1.4, which is necessary for 3D signals. Here's how they compare:

-The Onkyo is the most powerful in terms of real world performance, followed by the Denon and finally the Pioneer. All three perform at par for normal listening volumes, but the Onkyo can handle very high volumes the best, while the Pioneer runs out of breath

-The Denon has Audyssey Multi-Eq, which automatically calibrates the receiver for use in your room (a mic is provided). The Onkyo has a similar but less versatile Audyssey 2EQ. Pioneer has its own system called MCACC which also works well, but Audyssey may be slightly better.

-All three can upconvert analog sources via HDMI - hence you'll only need one HDMI cable to connect to the TV. The 1.4 spec supports an audio return channel, so the TV's sound can be output to the receiver without extra cables. The Pioneer and Denon use the excellent Anchor Bay chipset, while the Onkyo uses the slightly inferior Faroudja DCDi chipset for video processing.

-The Pioneer and the Denon have a front USB input where you can connect your iPod (or iPhone) directly. You can browse playlists etc using the receiver's remote via the onscreen display. Since this is a digital connection, the sound quality is excellent - while the iPod can be connected to the Onkyo via an analog cable, it does not sound as good and cannot be navigated using the remote.

-The Denon offers an equal variety of inputs as the other two, but has fewer of them - eg, one optical input vs 2 for Pioneer and Onkyo

- The Pioneer's iPhone app is just a gimmick and of limited utility - I would prefer using the main remote.

Overall, I decided to purchase the Denon since it has Audyssey MultiEQ and adequate power (unlike the Pioneer) as well as excellent video processing and iPod connectivity (unlike the Onkyo). I have been using it for about a week and am very pleased with the level of performance offered.


Update on December 3, 2010: The receiver continues to perform well and I have no new complaints. However, I have noticed that both Pioneer VSX-1120-K and Onkyo TX-NR708 are available for ~$500, while discounts on this and other Denon receivers are marginal (here on Amazon). Hence, both those higher spec'd receivers now represent better value than the AVR-791/1911, if you're looking to spend ~$500 on a receiver. Also, the Onkyo TX-SR608 and Pioneer VSX-1020-K are now available for ~$350 and hence have become more compelling alternatives to this receiver.

I'll elaborate on this review as time goes on and I use the AVR more. I wanted to at least put a simple review down though, to offset the overall average rating for this receiver because of one person unfairly giving this one star.

NOTE: This receiver is EXACTLY like the 791 except the 1911 adds HD radio and pre-outs for Zone-2. Everything else is the same.

This receiver is an upgrade from a Sony HTIB system. In all regards it is better. Setup and all the configuration can be tougher than HTIBs. Please Google 'batpig' and 'denon' for setup info. He put together a terrific website on setting up Denon AVRs while explaining all the features and settings in normal terms.

I use this with a Panasonic Blu-Ray, Sony CD and my iPod classic (5th gen). All work great.

There was very little setup other than the initial speaker auto calibration needed. The only setup I did besides the auto calibration (Audyssey setup) was to delete unused inputs and change the Dynamic EQ offset on some music inputs (read about this on Batpig's website).

The speaker calibration (Audyssey) and Dynamic EQ make my somewhat mediocre older speakers sound wonderful. This is a huge selling point to me, compared to older receivers and HTIB setups.

USB port: The USB port is great. It works perfect with my iPod. It is not sluggish when searching through artists, etc. Unfortunately I am limited to only one of the two iPod control modes because I have an older iPod. You can read more about this in the manual. It plays music off USB flash drives too. I can quickly copy a few mp3 from my laptop to a spare USB drive and pop it in the Denon for music.

**Be Aware some people with iPhones and OS4 are reporting issues connecting via USB. This is not Denon's fault as iOS4 was not available to Denon during development and Apple likely changed something internal to the code which broke direct access by third parties. I suspect the person who rated this one star is using iOS4 on their iPhone. There is an article here on how Apple broke direct connect from stereos with iOS4:

[...]

HD Radio: I listen to radio again. The sound is not quite up to CD quality, but it is very good. Much much nicer than standard radio. Almost all the stations in my area come in as HD. (I live in the city center)

I purchased this at an Amazon partner retailer with a coupon code at a very good price.

I bought the AVR-1911 to replace an AVR-1909 because I wanted the HDMI 1.4 ports (3D capabilities). I have the following devices connected through the system:

1. Directv HR-21, HDDVR (HDMI)
2. Xbox 360 (HDMI)
3. Sony PS3 (HDMI)
4. Nintendo Wii (Component Video)
5. iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.02 (front USB port)

When you look at the back of this receiver you think wow, this receiver cant be as sophisticated as other receivers that have a million jacks. This thing is made for HDMI devices and little expansion beyond that. If you have more than one non-hdmi device, then this model is not for you.

Some things to note:
- the instruction manual has been simplified since the 1909 model, it now has a simplified, basic, and advanced setup section. You can get up and running quickly and as you become more familiar with the receiver move onto advanced setup functionality. While I feel the manual covers everything it does a poor job of explaining what each thing is. (for example HDMI passthru)
- The remote is still a bear, but really a/v receivers are complicated devices. It is an improvement over the 1909 remote.
- HDMI passthru has been improved. What this means is when the receiver is off (standby mode), it will let a device's a/v signal pass through to your TV. In my case I let the Directv receiver passthru, so you can watch TV without surround sound being turned on. When you turn on the receiver, only the video signal is passed through to the TV. This is a big feature with the wife and in-laws. The improvement with this model is you can assign which HDMI input gets passed through, on the 1909 it was only the first device.
- I see some reviews with problems with iPhone, no problems whatsoever using my iPhone 3GS with this receiver.
- With any receiver/tv combination where you'll be switching inputs for each activity (like watch tv, watch a dvd, play ps3, etc) I cannot recommend the Harmony One remote enough. Also when you set this up with HDMI passthru make 2 "Watch TV" activities, one for just TV, and one for TV + Surround (receiver controls volume)

For 20 years, I have always purchased what I considered to be the best of the mid-range names in receivers (JVC, SONY, etc). Stepping into the HDMI world, I decided to explore higher quality names such as Denon. By comparison, the sound that the AVR 1911 produces is shocking...I mean jaw-dropping. The music sounds so crisp and alive. It's like fresh organic produce vs canned vegetables. The HDMI 1.4a support will allow me to upgrade to 3D devices with no problem. Denon could have improved the on-screen display -- it's very bland and could be more user friendly (so I hold back one star), but at the end of the day it's the sound that proves it's worth. I also tested the price equivalent Yamaha and Onkyo models. Both very good models, but with regard to sound, Denon wins.

Let me first state that I am long time Denon fan who has purchased several Denon recievers over the past decade, and after owning the 1911 7.1 for several weeks I have to say this is a great AVR with a certain caveat: IMO if you are a true audiophile who appreciates music over movies than you should consider an amp/pre-amp set-up; however, this unit performs like you would expect from DENON....awesome sound and functionality.

My current set-up is only a two channel set-up with two B&W CDM SE's...this is not really a DENON issue because my B&W speakers are great at (re)producing both the mid and high range but it is lacking at reproducing bass so it's clear that I need a subwoofer to further compliment by B&W's as well as upgrading to a bluray DVD player.

So here are my unbiased pro and cons:

Pros:
1. The Audyssey MultEQ dynamic room acoustic correction system is simply AWESOME and my B&W speakers have never sound better.....easy to set-up and use for great home theater sound. I watched Robin Hood, Apocloyse Now, Pan's Labyrinth and several other movies and the sound is really unbelieveable and I can hear details that I never heard before or though possible with my limited system;
2. ALL funtions work including using the iPhone in the USB port! I have an Apple aiport express installed in the Dock port and streaming my iTunes library worked flawlessly;
3. The four HDMI was not an issue for me and is plenty for my current set-up;
4. The set-up was quite easy despite the obvious flaws of the manual;
5. HD radio sounds incredible and I find my-self listening to more radio;

Cons:

1. The manual could and should be rewritten....for first time users, some of the functions and meaning of the functions need to be better explained and diagrammed;
2. This is the BIGGEST con...the remote. While I guess it is an upgrade from older, previous modals, this is not a user friendly remote and needs to be redesigned from an acutual users stand point and not a legacy, engineering mindset....
(a) I have the remote doing most of my cable functions BUT the numbers are at the bottom and too damn small....they need to larger and moved to the center
(b) lots of "wasted" space and no need for the quick buttons located in the center
(c) the GUI...Since I can't read the display from my couch,it would be nice if you could have the capability to show all changes you make on the TV and located in the corner of the TV
(d) the remote does not have a button to scroll through you favorites
(e) you still have to have your cable to do certain functions
3. Sometimes I get vertical banding but not sure if this is a DENON issue or my cable signal....this clears up by just turning off the cable, TV and the AVR.

The pros far outweigh the cons, and I would highly recommend this AVR to anyone!!

Lots of reviews, professional and otherwise, are simply glorified feature comparisons, gleaned from manufacturer web sites. So instead, I thought I'd focus on the most important feature -- sound quality, which seems to differ greatly among receivers.

Being an "audiophile" purist, I've always been a bit hesitant to purchase a receiver. Generally speaking, the more complex and feature laden a component is, the greater the chance that sound quality will suffer. So I've remained in the stereo 2-channel camp until recently. I tried a Sony ES higher end receiver and was disappointed in its reproduction of music, and was hoping for better sound after reading some glowing reviews from CNET and What HiFi.

My setup includes B&W (Bowers and Wilkins) loudspeakers, two bookshelves, a center, and sub in the front, with B&W in-walls for the surrounds. My prior "reference" was a stereo NAD integrated amp - fantastic sounding, by the way.

The Denon 1911 using its analog inputs, simply put, nearly matches the sound quality of my NAD with 2-channel music sources. I was pleasantly surprised. With acoustic and electronic jazz, for example, the sound is detailed and powerful. There's no exaggeration in any frequency area - nothing is over or under-emphasized. With digital sources though, the DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) sounds a bit flat compared to using a CD player's analog outs or external DAC.

As for surround sound - the Audyssey setup is time consuming and I continue to tweak settings for Blu-ray, video game, and TV sources. The options are numerous and complicated, but the results are worth it. Sound is immersive and a lot like a true movie theater experience but with the viewer in total control.

The receiver isn't flawless. I encounter HDMI "handshaking" issues -- if you power on components in the wrong order (XBox then receiver or PS3 then receiver), the receiver can't enter the right sound mode (e.g. stereo vs. Dolby Digital). In addition, sometimes my PS3 display pixelates at startup and I've encountered some distortion at higher volume levels. These issues may or may not be the 1911's fault, it's tough to say in such a complicated system.

Overall though, highly recommended, especially at this price point.

I bought the 1911 to replace an older Onkyo so I would have the 3D pass through and other updated features. I was particulaly impressed with the positive comments and reviews about this unit and the great sound. I have had the unit for a few weeks now. I am not an expert audiofile and after running the Audyssey setup a couple of times I was somewat satisfied but thought it could do better. The manual was not much help to me as it did not explain a lot in a way that I could understand. I called Denon and must have gotten a guy who just started that day; didn't know jack about the product. So I went to the internet; Denon AVR-1911 forums. That's where I discovered "Batpig". You can find him directly with Google. I followed his advice and ran Audyssey again. What a difference! I am totally happy with the sound now and would have saved a lot of time if I had found him sooner.

I was using an onkyo tx-sr606 until lately, did alot of homework on the different 7.1 receivers, and I kept coming back to this one, the 3d pass through is nice, but since 3d isnt ready yet that showed me little interest, it was more about the 1080p upscaling and the sound quality I was looking for, while the onkyo was only good for 1080i, wasnt doing my blu-rays any justice, finally decided to purchase it about a week ago, can honestly say I was really impressed, took me all of 15 minutes to hook up, if the sound wasnt right it took no time to get that way, the onkyo audyssey speaker setup improved very little, but after I ran the audyssey with the denon, man what a difference, it really perked up my system, the only drawback is that there isnt alot of hook-ups in the back, but for my needs there was more than enough, unlike the onkyo, which I felt I had to work too hard to get the sound I was looking for, with the denon, when I switch from lets say dolby true hd to dts hd master audio, I can definitely hear a difference, just to give an example, couldnt hear the rear speakers while watching a blu-ray, went to the menu on the amp and voala! rear speakers, but dont take my word for it, go to your nearest best buy and try it on for size, you too will be impressed, and no its not sold at walmart or target, too high end, cant say enough good things about this receiver, I can actually say it was money well spent.

After having two separate Onkyo Receivers crap out, I decided to try the Denon. I had ordered it before reading the descriptor that it supported 3D--which THEN "forced me" to get a new TV and Blu-Ray player that supported 3D! The receiver's instruction book is pretty obtuse--you have to wade through it to get anything out of it, but, it was eventually able to be set up. The included mic. that automatically balances all the speakers is great, but I preferred to do that function manually with the supplied white noise. I REALLY paid attention to the part in the manual that stated NOTHING should be closer than 12" (any surface) to the receiver, and I am also considering purchasing an accessory fan set to lie on top the receiver to further cool it. Too bad today's receivers do NOT have an accessory outlet (120 VAC) on the back like they used to. The remote is a bit different than the Onkyo's--less intuitive, but SO FAR everything has worked like a dream! Now, all I need to do is FIND 3D SOFTWARE!!!

Let me cut to the chase here. I researched and looked at several different AV recievers to replace a old system that had served me well but was out dated to say the least.Based on that research I chose the Denon for its performance.I'm a musician and I listen to alot of music plus I love movies and the Denon coupled up with my ORB Audio speakers does the job I need it to do.Bottom line is I'm pleased with the Denon...it does exactly what its supposed to do in fine fashion.Just a note about Amazon, I saved 200.00 by buying the Denon thru them so whats not to love,right...