Black Friday seems to have started early at Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks, as there are AV deals galore scattered across the website that have caught our eye; such as this stellar Denon deal which means you can save £300 off an Award-winning AVR.
Currently, the Denon AVR-X2800H home cinema receiver is down to £569, a stellar price considering we originally reviewed it at £869.
Denon has built a huge name for itself in the many decades it has been developing home cinema audio equipment. This is certainly evident with the AVR-X2800H, Denon's current five-star mid-range model and 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award winner. It's an amplifier we have recommended many times before and, with price cuts like this, it's one we will certainly continue to endorse.
Denon has been dominating the AV receiver market for some time now, so we weren't hugely surprised when the amp launched in September 2022 and proceeded to set a new benchmark for performance. Its initial launch price was £869, or £899 for the version with a DAB module. The Denon is a seven-channel AVR with 95W per channel (two channels driven, 8 Ohms 20Hz-20kHz).
In our Denon AVR-X2800H review, we praised its "mature and authoritative sound" and "well-spread soundstage". Dialogue is lively and engaging, while its dynamic ability gives movies a fantastic sense of atmosphere. It's a musical performer too, and soundtracks are communicated with minimal effort.
As you would expect from a Denon AVR, you are treated to a wide selection of connectivity options, including six HDMI inputs and two outputs. Three of the inputs are HDMI 2.1 ports and as a result, play nicely with 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz signals. Various HDR codecs, including HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) are all supported, while gamers can be safe in the knowledge they also have VRR, QFT, ALLM and FRL (Frame Rate Link) at their disposal.
There is also hi-res audio support and streaming smarts to take advantage of with Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Roon and HEOS, Denon’s multi-room software. Bluetooth is also there if you simply want to stream some tunes from a smartphone.
The 2800 also features a redesigned user interface which we described as "smart-looking and informative". Set-up is carried out by the built-in Audyssey MultEQ XT calibration software, and of course, you can use the Denon to drive a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X system should you wish.
The Denon has come up against some tough competition this year, but at £300 off the usual asking price, this deal affirms that it's still a formidable home cinema receiver.
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