An excellent-value AVR that redefines expectations at this price point
AV receiver | £869 | whf.cm/AVR-X2800H
Denon’s domination in the realm of home cinema receivers has endured for so many years that it can be easy to overlook just what makes the brand’s AV amplifiers such a popular choice.
Glancing at Denon’s latest release, the AVR-X2800H, and comparing it with its predecessors, there is not a whole lot of visible evolution. Unlike other companies that have tried to add a touch of glamour to the considerable bulk that a home cinema amp brings, Denon has an assured, ‘if ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach. This stance results in the brand staunchly sticking to its brushed black finish and monochrome display.
It is a kind of confidence that is well earned, because this amplifier doesn’t need to draw attention to itself. Quite simply, like its precursors, it has one of the best all-round feature sets of any AVR at this price point. It is designed to appeal to serious gamers and movie buffs alike, while bringing futureproofed features to an affordable price point.
A sign of the times
The AVR-2800H launches at £869 and – logically enough – supersedes the AVR-2700H, which was released in September 2020 priced at £599. Like most AV receivers, the cost of the 2700H has risen in the intervening years due to ongoing supply issues and changes in the market. Although the 2700H is now discontinued, it is still available from some dealers with an updated price of £749; while it is disappointing to see such a hefty price hike between generations, it is not a huge surprise.
In Denon’s six-strong premium X range, the AVR-X2800H now sits below the all-new AVR-X3800H (£1500) which packs nine channels of amplification (at a claimed 95W per channel when used in stereo), with processing for 11.4 channels; it also has 8K support across all six of its HDMI 2.1 inputs and three outputs.
Meanwhile, below is last year’s AVR-X1700H, which costs £599, and offers the same channel count, format support and room calibration software as the AVR-X2800H but with a drop in power to 80W per channel under stereo conditions, and just one HDMI output. In terms of its build and components, the 2800 also uses higher-density feet than the 1700, as well as a larger power supply and capacitors.
With its generous six inputs and two outputs, the HDMI board has been upgraded for this model to include three HDMI 2.1 ports capable of 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz video pass-through at up to 40Gbps. The three remaining HDMI 2.0 ports have a bandwidth of 18Gbps but all inputs boast 4:4:4 chroma sub-sampling and compatibility
