When it comes to multi-room music systems, Sonos has ruled the roost for years now. The Era 300 is perhaps the jewel in its crown – but there could be a new pretender to the throne in the shape of Denon’s Home 400.

Launched as part of a new range of Home 2 wireless speakers, the Denon Home 400 has a lot in common with the Sonos Era 300. Both offer spatial audio, have similar sonic architecture, and can form part of much larger audio ecosystems, so it only felt right to take a closer look at what sets them apart.

While we’re yet to give the Denon Home 400 the full What Hi-Fi? review treatment, we can still compare the two and see where it might hope to outdo the Era 300. Here’s the tale of the tape.

Denon Home 400 vs Sonos Era 300: price

The Denon Home 400 hit the shops recently with a pretty substantial price of £449 / $599 / AU$999.

In the UK that’s exactly how much the five-star Sonos Era 300 would have set you back when it launched just over three years ago, but it’s now available for a much more wallet-friendly £359 / $379 / AU$695 (and we’ve even seen it drop very slightly lower).

That’s a fair chunk of extra cash you’ll need to find for the Denon, so we’ll be expecting big things when it comes to testing it.

Denon Home 400 vs Sonos Era 300: design

There’s no denying Sonos took a bit of a risk with the design of its Era 300, but there’s sonic logic behind its unusual shape.

In order to facilitate its spatial audio skills, Sonos fitted the Era 300 with four tweeters (one forward-firing, two side-firing, one upward-firing) and two horizontally angled woofers – so while it might be divisive, its design is born out of the physical positioning of the drivers.

In every other way the Sonos Era 300 is pretty minimalist. It comes in either black or white and there’s no display, but you do get a set of touch-sensitive controls on top that blend in nicely. The build quality is typically high, too.

Denon’s Home 400 also feels suitably premium as befits its price. It’s a touch bigger but weighs slightly less and has a more familiar shape, while the fabric covering gives it a softer appearance. A set of rubberised buttons down the side offer control over volume and playback, plus a trio of shortcuts for your favourite sources or sound modes.

The Home 400 comes in either charcoal or stone colours (basically black or silvery grey) but overall feels like the nicer of the two on a purely aesthetic basis, with the Sonos perhaps a little too stark for some tastes. At the end of the day, though, it’s purely personal preference.

Denon Home 400 vs Sonos Era 300: features

Both these speakers can form discrete parts of wider multi-room music systems but they’re also equally happy operating on their own, with spatial audio support the main way to differentiate them from a lot of their wireless speaker siblings.

Both speakers have six drivers inside, but the Denon Home 400 has two that point upwards compared to just one inside the Sonos Era 300.

Both also support Dolby Atmos, but the Denon is a little more flexible over where you source your Atmos-powered spatial tunes from. On the Era 300, you’ll need to use Amazon Music or Apple Music, while the Home 400 is happy playing them from Tidal’s catalogue as well.

In terms of wireless connectivity, there’s no separating them. Wi-fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 are all on the menu for streaming from Spotify, Tidal et al, but the Denon is a little more welcoming to wired sources.

There are USB-C and 3.5mm connections on the back of the Home 400, whereas the Sonos only has the former, with a separate adapter required if you want to connect something using an aux cable.

As well as full multi-room use, you can also create stereo pairs with both of these speakers, plus they’re compatible with soundbars from their respective manufacturers and can be used as rear channels in a surround set-up.

If you like telling your speakers what to do, you’ll probably be better served by the Sonos Era 300, which has native support for both Amazon Alexa and Sonos’s own voice assistant.

There’s a microphone onboard the Denon Home 400 (and a mute button on the back) but it doesn’t support voice control out of the box. In fact, the only way to talk to it (at least if you want to get a response) is to use Siri, but that's only if you have an Apple HomePod or HomePod Mini connected on the same network. You can then link them together within the HEOS app and summon Siri via the Home 400. It's a rather bizarre workaround, we admit, and we'll explore more when we have our review sample in for testing.

Denon Home 400 vs Sonos Era 300: sound

We’re yet to get the Denon Home 400 into our testing rooms for a full review, so a definitive verdict on its abilities will have to wait, but after hearing it at the launch of Denon’s full Home 2 range back in March, plus some further dedicated ears-on time for this piece, some initial assessments are possible.

The impact of those two upward-firing drivers is immediately apparent, with a real sense of space between the instruments. The soundstage has a really nice three-dimensional quality to it that makes music sound more lifelike, although, as is often the case with spatial audio, the mixes can sometimes be a little off depending on the particular song being played.

In general, though, first impressions are good. The Home 400 puts on an engaging performance that seems to strike a nice balance between all aspects of the frequency range.

When it comes to the Sonos Era 300, however, there’s no such uncertainty surrounding its performance. In our five-star review first published in March 2023, the Era 300 was described as an “immensely immersive experience”.

Particularly impressive is the sheer scale of the sound it’s capable of producing, which projects more effectively than any similarly sized wireless speaker we’ve tested so far, particularly when you feed it Dolby Atmos tracks (although quite how effective it is varies by song).

On the whole it sounds detailed, dynamic and cohesive, with deep, impactful bass and plenty of rhythmic flair.

Fundamentally the Era 300 has set a high standard for the Denon Home 400 to reach, but there are reasons to believe it could give Sonos a real run for its money.

Denon Home 400 vs Sonos Era 300: early verdict

With smart looks, an extensive list of features and promising early signs of its sonic performance, the Denon’s Home 400 looks like it could be a serious contender. The lack of voice control is slightly surprising, but with Alexa and co. popping up in so many other devices around the average home it doesn’t feel like a huge absence.

Can it beat the Era 300 though? Sonos’s unusually shaped speaker was the first one to convince us that spatial audio was more than just a gimmick, and its standard stereo performance is hugely enjoyable too, so it’s not going to be easy for the Denon to take the crown.

Once we’ve had the opportunity to fully scrutinise the Denon Home 400 and compare it with the Era 300, we’ll be able to pass judgement on which of these wireless speakers is the best – and it could well be a close battle. Stay tuned for the full review.

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Denon and Marantz are two of the biggest names in audio, especially if you’re obsessed with AVRs like me. Whether it’s the affordable Denon AVR-X2800H or the premium (and super stylish) Marantz Cinema 30, these sister companies occupy three of the five slots on our best AV receivers list.

Speaking of, that list is probably about to receive a bit of a shake-up. Last month, I travelled all the way to Tokyo for a secret mission, which I can now reveal was to check out the highly anticipated AVR-X2900H and AVR-X3900H: both sequels to two home cinema test-room legends.

You can check out our AVR-X2900H hands-on review for our extended first impressions of the new amplifier. But seeing (or should we say hearing?) the new AVRs was only half of the experience.

The other half centred around touring Denon and Marantz’s facilities, which included speaking to the companies’ respective Sound Masters, and experiencing the listening rooms in which these products are developed and tuned.

Denon is based in the historic city of Shirakawa, 185km northeast of Tokyo. It has called this city home for more than 40 years, and around 200 people work here across various divisions, including manufacturing and research and development (R&D).

Marantz joined Denon here in 2002, and now both companies share the space. There’s a Hall of Fame and a museum dedicated to products that define both audio companies’ respective histories, and there’s a manufacturing plant on site. Everything from handmade turntable cartridges to mass-produced AV receivers are assembled here.

The most enticing part of my tour of this facility, however, was the listening-room experience that the brands hosted. Denon opted to show off a multi-channel demonstration, whereas Marantz stuck to stereo; both were equally entrancing.

The room featured a 9.4.6 speaker arrangement, with four pairs of Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 floorstanders as the headliners. These cost £36,000 a pair, so it should be clear just how serious Denon and Marantz are about home cinema and hi-fi sound.

These were joined by a matching centre channel – the B&W HTM81 D4 at £8250 – and four B&W DB1D subwoofers at £4600 a pop. Height channels were handled via six in-ceiling Bowers & Wilkins speakers, including one pair of CCM663s (around £650/pair) and two pairs of the CCM664 speakers (around £600/pair).

If our maths serves us correctly, that prices the speaker package at a staggering £172,500, and that’s before we take into account the room treatment, cables, disc players and amplification.

Put simply, this room is an audiophile’s dream, and it was the perfect space to experience the top-of-the-range products being shown by each brand.

Denon also confirmed that this is where it tests and benchmarks new products, including the freshly announced AVR-X2900H and AVC-X3900H home cinema amplifiers.

Each step in the production cycle is tested at the Shirakawa facility, from the first prototype model to the mass production units. Denon confirmed that it uses a mixture of measurements and real-world cinematic content to verify performance, with Godzilla: Minus One, Top Gun: Maverick and Dune: Part One being selected as standout test titles.

Finally, the room has been designed and laid out so that the engineers don't need to use Audyssey room correction during the testing process. This allows for a cleaner and more authentic sound so that the audio engineers know exactly what they are working with when designing a new amplifier.

With all of that important context explained, let’s get into the listening experience...

Denon’s cinematic AVR-A1H...

Denon led with its AVR-A1H home cinema amplifier, known as the AVC-A1H in the UK due to it lacking an AM/FM tuner.

This amplifier launched at £6800, and it sits above the top of the range X-series AVC-X6800H and AVC-A10H amplifiers.

It has been on the market for a few years now, but as the premier of Denon’s AVR offerings, it remains a stalwart for devoted home cinema fans. Featuring 15.4 channels of amplification, it supports Denon’s reference system without breaking a sweat, and is rated to deliver 150W of amplification with two channels driven, meaning it’s plenty powerful.

Denon opted to use three well-known demo sequences, one of which we often use to test Dolby Atmos soundbars and surround sound speaker packages.

Starting with the first performance of the track Shallow from A Star Is Born, the AVR-A1H delivered a powerful, rich and enveloping performance. It balanced immense scale with intricate detail and subtle dynamic shifts, resulting in a supremely natural sound.

I have heard this sequence at countless hands-on events, and in our home cinema testing room, and yet this demonstration revealed some subtle sonic elements that I'd never heard before.

Speaking of sequences I've heard more times than I can count, Denon followed up with the introduction to Unbroken. The dynamic build of the plane approaching at the very start of the film was conveyed with an impressive balance of subtlety and weight, allowing the engine sounds to swell naturally, and ultimately pass to the surround and height channels fluidly.

When the bomber comes under fire, the flak explosions were expressed with a crisp, weighty punch of bass that remained totally in control while also delivering the intended impact.

Denon rounded out the experience with chapter nine of Gravity, in which (spoilers ahead) the space shuttle reenters the Earth’s atmosphere, and the Denon AVR-A1H takes us full circle.

It carried the same authoritative, muscular and rich sound of the five-star AVR-X6800H, but with a much broader and more powerful character that tackles cinematic scale with ease.

The rattling and creaking of the shuttle as it plummets towards Earth felt textured, while the stray debris whizzing past carried a genuine sense of speed and danger.

While the wonderfully overkill speaker system undoubtedly played a part in making this demo as impressive as it was, the AVR-A1H’s balance of sheer power and finesse made it all the more impressive.

Marantz’s musical Model 10, Link 10n and SACD 10 trio...

Marantz followed up with a triple threat of reference hi-fi products. The Model 10 Reference Integrated Amplifier, to give it its full title, was the star of the show, launching back in 2024 for £13,000.

It was joined by the Link 10n network preamplifier (which launched at £10,400) and the SACD10 (also £10,400); essentially, this is Marantz’s full reference hi-fi lineup. While the same B&W sound system was used, Marantz switched to stereo instead of surround and used only the front left and right channels.

To establish its musical prowess, Marantz used classical compositions by Shostakovich and Stravinsky, alongside a duo of jazz renditions from Miyuki Koga and Fourplay.

The classical tracks revealed the system's ability to deliver punch, scale and drama, all while remaining intricately detailed and superbly controlled.

Shostakovich's Symphony No.5 II Allegretto emphasised the big, powerful and rich sound that this system can produce. It did come across as a touch too forward and assertive at times during this track, but that didn't detract from the scale and spaciousness shown during the demo.

Miyuki Koga's rendition of Put the Blame on Mame demonstrated a rich and natural vocal presentation, with a solid sense of timing to back the lyrics up. Despite a lot of words starting with ‘s’ in this track, there was very little sibilance to note.

Finally, Fourplay’s Chant was underpinned by a fresh, airy and open sound, held together by snappy, tight bass that kept everything in check. All of the instruments featured in the track sounded realistic and natural, with the bass guitar and woodwind instruments being two standout elements.

Both systems lived up to expectations in many regards – given the price, I would have been shocked if they hadn't. We’re eager to hear how this testing environment influences the sound of the final products – and the good news is that we won’t have to wait long.

The Denon AVR-X2900H has just landed in our AV testing room, so stay tuned for our full review.

MORE:

Read our Denon AVR-X2900H hands on review

As well as our full Denon AVR-X2800H review

And check out our list of the best AV receivers

Can you believe it’s been four years since Denon released the hugely talented AVR-X2800H? That model stormed our test room to deliver a superb cinematic sound at a reasonable price, earning a rightful spot on our best AV receivers list and a What Hi-Fi? Award.

But 2022 was a long time ago, and things have certainly changed. The Product of the Year-winning Sony TA-AN1000 emerged to dethrone the AVR-X2800H, and we’ve been waiting for Denon to bite back against its Japanese AV opponent since.

Our patience has, as you can probably tell by the headline of this hands-on review, paid off. The AVR-X2900H is a direct sequel to the beloved X2800H, and Denon has made a handful of key upgrades to make it the Kryptonite to Sony’s Superman.

As this is a hands-on review based on a brief introduction to the new amplifier we had at Denon’s offices in Tokyo, we won’t be attaching a star rating yet – that’ll have to wait until we get the new amplifier into our dedicated home cinema testing facility. As for now, here are our initial impressions of the X2900H.

Price

Denon has officially revealed pricing for the AVR-X2900H, and it’s surprisingly pleasant news.

Despite significant global economic instability since 2022, the same £899 price tag applies here in the UK, meaning we’ve avoided a dreaded price hike. While that is good news indeed, there’s still the competition to be mindful of.

Crucially, Denon is positioning this as a direct rival to the TA-AN1000, so the price needs to remain competitive with that amplifier; which in itself may be a big ask as the TA-AN1000 has been on the market for a few year and, as such, is now subject to nearly constant price decreases.

While Sony launched that AV amplifier at a higher £999 price, we’ve seen it widely available for £899, and it can drop to as low as £699 during major sales events.

Build

Consistency is key with Denon’s AVR range, and truth be told, the X2900H looks like it’s long lineage of predecessors.

The genes run strong with the X2900H; this is another angular black box with a brushed metal finish and a rectangular display placed atop a tidy line of on-device buttons.

Denon has made a couple of changes, though. These buttons are now angled slightly upwards, making them easier to press if you have this AVR placed at shin-height in a media unit, and the volume and source select knobs look slightly different.

Subtle upgrades aside, this AVR remains functional-looking rather than particularly eye-catching. Denon’s sister company, Marantz, wins the AVR beauty contest – just look at the Cinema 30 and tell us you disagree…

Features

But beauty is merely skin deep; it’s what the Denon offers in terms of features and sound that is more compelling to us.

Much like its predecessor, the AVR-X2900H offers seven channels of amplification, supporting up to a 5.1.2 or 7.1 surround sound system. Denon claims that this amp can output 95W per channel, though that’s with only two of the seven available channels driven.

The mention of 5.1.2 support might give away that this AVR supports Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X is also supported. Audyssey MultEQ XT also makes a return for straightforward room correction, including automated speaker level and distance settings.

On the subject of calibration, Denon has added the basic version of Dirac Live Room Correction this year, although it’s an optional extra that requires additional equipment to set up.

In terms of connectivity, the AVR-X2900H sports six HDMI inputs, three of which support signals up to 8K resolution, and Denon has added 1440p video pass-through and AMD FreeSync this year for better PC gaming support. There are also dual HDMI outputs, one of which is HDMI eARC, while the other supports Zone 2 functionality.

Denon has made direct reference to this AVR supporting HDR10+, but Dolby Vision hasn’t been mentioned yet. Considering the AVR-X2800H supported the dynamic HDR format, we’d be very surprised to see this missing in the new model.

Wireless connectivity is also solid, with streaming supported over wi-fi, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and Denon’s HEOs application, which also provides access to countless music streaming apps, including Tidal, Qobuz and more.

Internally, Denon says it’s made a few changes in pursuit of improved sound performance, too. It says that it’s implemented an upgraded 32-bit multi-channel DAC architecture for “improved imaging, clearer high-frequency detail and more confident low-frequency energy across every channel”.

Sound

So, have these improvements made a noticeable change to how this amplifier sounds? It’s far too early to say, but we did get a chance to listen to a very familiar test scene from Dune: Part One on both the existing AVR-2800H and new AVR-X2900H, to get a flavour of what the new model is capable of.

The AVR-X2900H was hooked up to a totally overkill speaker package comprising Bowers & Wilkins 801 Diamond speakers; far too high-end to match a mid-range AVR such as this, but fun to listen to nonetheless.

The scene in which the Atreides clan boards an Ornithopter to see the spice fields of Arrakis sounded noticeably richer and larger in scale on the new model, while also remaining agile and exciting in an impressive display of cinematic balance.

Everything felt more layered and detailed, with voices in particular carrying more character and tonality. This helped to convey more natural and emotive dialogue, aiding immersion and allowing us to get sucked into the tense conversation had within the cockpit of the Ornithopter.

Bass and dynamics, two areas that we appreciated on the Sony competitor, also appear to have improved on the X2900H. Bass goes deeper when the tribal drums of Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack burst into life, and it’s a snappier and punchier affair too.

It remains controlled, but it felt like the low end had more attack, resulting in a more engaging and exciting experience.

Early verdict

It’s taken a while, but our early impressions of the Denon AVR-X2900H lead us to believe that our patience has paid off.

After having its confidence knocked by Sony, we’d like to say that Denon is back with a vengeance, but in reality, it seems like the changes made here are both subtle and considered.

That seems like the right move to us, as the AVR-X2900H has made a strong first impression; now all it has to do is live up to expectations in our AV testing room…

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Read our full Denon AVR-X2800H review

As well as our Denon AVC-X3800H review

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It has been only a month since Denon announced the arrival of its new AVR-S980H AV receiver, but the Japanese audio giant has clearly earmarked 2026 as a big year for home cinema. It has just taken the wraps off a further two new models!

Designed and tuned at Denon’s Shirakawa Audio Works in Japan, the new AVRs seem to have sound quality high on the agenda, promising as they do “improved imaging, clearer high‑frequency detail and more confident low‑frequency energy across every channel”.

Key to the audio improvements are the inclusion of a new 32-bit, eight-channel DAC, plus upgraded components and mechanical improvements across both models, many of which are designed to reduce the effects of noise and vibrations.

The Denon AVR-X2900H (£899/€1000/$1349) is a 7.2-channel AVR with 95W per channel, while the step-up AVC-X3900H (£1299/€1499/$1849) is a 9.4-channel AVR with 11.4 channels of processing and 105W per channel.

Both AV receivers feature a refreshed front-panel design and include Denon HEOS multiroom audio and support for Bluetooth (including LE Audio), Apple AirPlay 2 and online streaming services including TuneIn Internet Radio, Spotify and Qobuz.

Movie fans can take advantage of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks through both amps, with the AVC-X3900H adding IMAX Enhanced, Auro 3D, and 360 Reality Audio to its specification sheet.

• Hands on: Denon AVR-X2900H review

HDMI connectivity is, as you would expect, high on the agenda. The AVR-X2900H features six inputs and two outputs, while its pricier sibling gets an extra output. Both amps offer 1440p passthrough and AMD FreeSync.

They will also be compatible with Denon’s Home 200, 400 and 600 wireless speakers via a future firmware update, should you want to use those models as surrounds in a speaker package.

Another promised future update will allow the amps to support Dolby Atmos music via AirPlay 2.

To help get the AVRs set up for your room layout, they each support Audyssey (you get a calibration mic in the box). Should you want to delve deeper into their settings, there is also optional Dirac Live Room Correction support, plus Bass Control and Active Room Treatment (ART) if you opt for the more premium model.

With Denon, Arcam and Yamaha all announcing new AVRs in recent months, 2026 looks set to be a strong year for home cinema enthusiasts. We can’t wait to get all of these new offerings into our test rooms for review.

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There’s a new AV receiver on the block: meet the Denon AVR-S980H, which is set to go toe-to-toe with one of our current Award-winners.

The new unit is being pitched as a scalable option that can run everything from basic stereo setups, all the way up to a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos or 7.2-channel system with 90 watts of muscle per channel.

Lyle Smith, president of Sound United at Harman, added: “With the AVR-S980H, we’re giving families an easy way to make every day experiences feel more engaging and far more enjoyable.”

Audyssey room calibration is onboard, adding to its "no hassle" setup and usage chops.

For people looking to cut the cord, the receiver supports Denon's Home speakers as rears, namely the new 200, 400 and 600 models.

The company says this is ideal for those wanting to create a “fuller home theatre experience in spaces where running wires isn’t practical.”

For music fans, the system supports Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and HEOS (Denon’s multi-room music streaming technology).

In terms of gaming, Denon has included support for 1440p pass-through and AMD FreeSync, which it says delivers “smoother visuals and more responsive gameplay.”

To tinker with the settings of the AVR, you can use the TV’s on-screen menu, the remote app, or a web-based interface from your smartphone or PC.

It's available now on Amazon for £799, although the retailer states it will ship "within three to seven months".

At that price, it has tough competition against our current best overall AVR – the Sony TA-AN1000. Although the Sony model launched at a higher price, it is now regularly available for around £699.

In our review, we praised the TA-AN1000 for its precise sound and impressive dynamics, ultimately earning it a What Hi-Fi? Award.

We will have to wait until we get the Denon model into our test room to deliver a verdict, but its impressive specifications have caught our eye. Hopefully, we'll get one in for review soon.

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Denon has refreshed its Home multi-room system with three new wireless speakers.

The Denon Home 200, 400 and 600 are firmly gunning for the Sonos Era 100, Era 300 and Sonos Five, respectively, and all run on the same HEOS system as the previous Denon Home speakers (as reviewed by our Australian offshoot).

This means you can connect them with other HEOS compatible speakers to create a multi-room setup, should you so choose. All three speakers also support hi-res audio and Dolby Atmos for more immersive sound.

Denon is making a song and dance about the new Home speakers feeling like part of the home. Their designs were chosen with this in mind: each uses seamless woven fabrics, precision anodised aluminium, smooth touch finishes, soft silicon and "simple geometric forms" to help them look like part of the furniture. They're meant to look more like a piece of soft furnishing than a cold, metallic tech product.

The Denon Home 200 is the baby of the bunch. It has three drivers and amps to deliver "natural, room‑filling sound with a spaciousness that feels larger than its size."

It's joined by the Home 400, which doubles the number of drivers and amps to six apiece. It also adds upfiring drivers for a greater sense of dimensionality for more immersive listening (especially when using Dolby Atmos).

The biggest of the three is the Denon Home 600, which has dual opposing 6.5-inch woofers, plus an array of tweeters, midrange and upfiring drivers. It promises "deep, authoritative bass".

All three models have touch controls, wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as USB-C and aux inputs.

The HEOS platform is supported by certain Marantz products too, and it means you can connect this new system with the original Denon Home 150, 250 and 350 speakers. In all, you can connect up to 64 HEOS devices across 32 zones.

HEOS supports hi-res music streaming services too, like Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited and Qobuz.

All three speakers are available now in both Stone and Charcoal colourways. The Denon Home 200 is £299 / $399 / AU$699, the Home 400 is £449 / $599 / AU$999 and the Home 600 is £599 / $799 / AU$1,499.

It's a welcome return for Denon Home, but it will have its work cut out to dethrone Sonos. We'll be putting the Denon Home speakers through their paces as soon as we can – in the meantime, read our hands-on below.

MORE:

Read our first impressions of the Denon Home 2 range

The best wireless speakers you can buy

When you think of multi-room wireless speakers, there's a good chance you think of Sonos. The US brand has been the de facto king of multi-room readiness for a good while now, building a reputation as much on its user-friendly ecosystem as its sonic prowess.

Things might, might, be about to change. Sonos has endured a rocky past few years, with the brand's disastrous app relaunch ultimately leading to the resignation of its then-CEO, Patrick Spence, in 2025.

That tricky period has opened the door to Denon and its revamped Home 2 series of multi-room wireless speakers. Denon's original Home range launched seven years ago, so now seems to be the perfect time for Denon to give its multi-room speaker series a new lease of life.

To get an idea as to whether the revamped range is worthy of taking the multi-room crown, we headed to London for the grand unveiling of the Home 2 series of wireless speakers and to sample the entire range for ourselves.

Denon Home 2 range overview

Denon's new Home 2 range consists of three models: the compact Home 200 (£299 / $399 / €349 / AU$699), the mid-sized Home 400 (£449 / $599 / €499 / AU$999) and the biggest and most expensive of the lot, the flagship Home 600 (£599 / $799 / €699 / AU$1,499).

Denon's watchwords in terms of actual use are focused on flexibility and customer control. The entire range runs on Denon's 'HEOS' multi-room platform, which hosts all the popular streaming services and whereby users can stream sound directly between their speakers, AV receivers and even compatible soundbars.

Via the app, you're able to tinker with your multi-room wireless audio set-up and manage the various components therein, all while accessing services such as Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify in their Connect forms. The Home 2 speaker series promises hi-res audio support up to 24-bit/192kHz alongside DSD128, while Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 are also on the menu.

For wired connectivity, all three speakers also features 3.5mm and USB-C inputs.

All three speakers are compatible with Dolby Atmos-powered spatial audio tracks, either natively or via upsampling. You can even adjust the height and breadth of the speaker's output in the HEOS app when listening to spatial audio tracks, depending on your listening environment and what you want from your speakers' sonic output.

A lot of ways to enjoy Denon's new range of wireless wonders, then, but all the fancy tricks and features in the world mean little if that all-important question isn't met with satisfactory acclaim: how does the Denon Home 2 series actually sound?

We had a preview of the three speakers at the demo to get a first impression...

Denon Home 200

Standing around as tall as the more affordable Sonos Era 100 (originally £249 / $249 / AU$399) and looking rather attractive thanks to a smooth cylindrical form and chic metal base, the Home 200 is billed as a "compact yet powerful" contender.

It features twin 25mm tweeters and a single 10cm woofer. The Home 200 is capable of stereo output thanks to that twin tweeter array handling left and right signals, distinguishing itself from the mono output of its spiritual predecessor, the Home 150. If you like, you can pair two Home 200s together for what Denon describes as "a high-fidelity stereo soundstage".

That trio of drive units is complemented by three built-in amplifiers and 65 watts of total power, and certainly appears capable of helping the compact Home 200 punch above its weight. During our demo, a Tidal stream of Nora Jones' Come Away With Me sounds bold and emotive through the Home 200, with the speaker providing ample body to Jones' vocals and the twangy guitar noodling away beneath.

A Dolby Atmos mix of Ed Sheeran's Shivers, meanwhile, gives the speaker a chance to showcase its rhythmic capabilities, bringing a decent amount of punch and power to the snappy underpinnings of the Ipswich crooner's upbeat arrangement.

The compact Home 200 appears to make a solid impression with its meaty and confident sound. Of course, we would need more dedicated time to assess whether the Home 200 is as dynamically engaging as its Sonos Era 100 or Apple HomePod 2 rivals, or if it is capable of dealing with more complex or layered tunes to really stretch the limits of its abilities.

Still, in the time given, we're struck by how composed and confident the smallest member of the new range sounds, ably filling the hotel demo space with ample helpings of assertive, but rarely shouty, audio goodness.

Denon Home 400

It's time to step things up a gear, with our listening switching to the more sizeable Home 400. A bulkier, larger specimen, the Home 400 packs a six-driver array fed by 90 watts of total power, with each drive unit powered by its own dedicated amplifier.

We're back playing Ed Sheeran's Shivers, discerning that this speaker, thanks to its more omnidirectional driver array and larger size, sounds more open and spacious.

When our demo team make tweaks to the sound via the HEOS app, adjusting the sliders to grant more width and height as appropriate, it's easy to discern the resultant changes in the speakers' sonic output.

The Denon Home 400 has a Spatial Audio width selector thanks to angled up-firing speakers, as well as a height extender when playing Dolby Atmos tracks, and can even be used as a rear channel with a compatible Denon HEOS soundbar.

The Home 400 is more open and provides a greater sense of space between instruments, but just occasionally, we discern vocals can sound a little recessed, be it on Shiver or via a Dolby Atmos mix of The Doors' Riders On The Storm, although that may be due to tinkering with the digital signal processing to achieve those fancy spatial effects.

Still, it will be interesting to pit the speaker’s spatial audio talents against rivals such as the Sonos Era 300.

Instruments, voices and sonic effects seem to be more carefully placed across a more three-dimensional soundstage, granting a more atmospheric feel to The Doors' infamously moody classic. We would need a longer, more dedicated listen to make final judgements, but our first impressions are broadly positive with the Home 2's middle speaker.

Denon Home 600

At £599 / $799 / €699 / AU$1,499, the Home 600 is the most expensive of the speaker trio by some distance.

The Home 600 sounds the most cohesive and wide ranging in our demo, in part thanks to its eight-driver array and 170 watts of total power. Each driver has its own dedicated amplifier, with twin 6.35cm upwards firing units to give a great sense of scale and dimensionality to the sizeable speaker.

Like its siblings, you can stereo pair the flagship unit with another Home 600, though given its larger size, that does feel a bit like sonic overkill. Plus, you'll be paying around £1200 / $1600 / €1400 / AU$3,000 for the privilege.

This is a speaker that appears to go big on power and scale. Riders On The Storm comes across as atmospheric and imposing as Jim Morrison sings ominously that "there's a killer on the road", yet rarely do we feel that the iconic frontman's moody delivery is being lost amid this grander, more cinematic canvas.

We give Shiver another listen to get a proper full-range comparison, and thanks to its larger sonic scale and size, we discern more space between instruments and textures, underpinned by a fairly punchy and propulsive lower-end that seems to keep itself reasonably in-check.

We sense solid variations in dynamics, too, though we'd love to put the Home 600 up against its competitors at this price to discover its true sonic mettle.

During our demo listen, Chris Stapleton's Death Row gives the Home 600 a further chance to flex its musical muscles, with the speakers' pleasing blend of punch and spaciousness adding a more cinematic feeling to the track than its smaller sublings can muster.

It's an enjoyable rendition of Death Row, though do we hear just a touch of hardness in that twanging, southern-fried guitar the more we listen? This is a large unit playing loudly in a small room, so perhaps a little leeway can be afforded to the Home 600.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, more testing time in our own controlled listening rooms might well be needed before we can make any concrete assessments.

Does Denon have Sonos sweating?

On the face of it, there's huge potential appeal to Denon's revamped range of multi-room wireless speakers.

The three new members of the new Denon Home 2 series appear to be nicely made, well-designed and crammed full of features to facilitate their readiness as flexible wireless speakers built for modern home listening. The HEOS platform could potentially give Sonos – a company which has built a reputation on user accessibility and multi-room streaming – a few restless nights.

Sonic prowess have to follow what appear to be some impressive on-paper credentials, but if Denon can deliver its lofty promise of "superior audio performance", it could emerge as a viable alternative to Sonos's established range.

We've heard hints of the new range's audio performance in our brief preview demo, but naturally will need our own review samples and days of rigorous testing to reach final verdicts. For now, we remain cautiously optimistic that Denon might pose a serious contender in the multi-room wireless speaker market.

Your move, Sonos.

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Denon has unveiled its first-ever Bluetooth turntable, the DP-500BT, but there's a catch: it won't be coming to the UK or Europe any time soon.

Still, for other global markets, including the US, the arrival of Denon's first Bluetooth record player feels like a big deal.

The new spinner uses a semi-automatic belt-driven design, with Denon promising a deck which blends classic looks and functionality with modern streaming smarts in a bid to appeal to "both new vinyl fans and long-time collectors".

The DP-500BT has a weighty aluminium die-cast platter and an S-shaped tonearm that is designed to reduce unwanted distortion. Denon teases a sonic signature "that feels rich, present, and detailed".

The new deck also comes fitted with a pre-installed moving magnet cartridge, and it has a built-in switchable phono preamp for flexible use within your system.

Bluetooth powers are, naturally, a big part of this Denon deck's appeal. The new model offers aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive hi-res codec support, allowing listeners to pair it with their Bluetooth-capable speakers and wireless headphones for convenient wire-free playback.

The DP-500BT can also integrate with Denon's Home series of wireless speakers and amplifiers via the brand's HEOS platform, potentially letting users have their turntable's sound beaming throughout their multi-room wireless home setup.

Inspired by the design of Denon's flagship DP-3000NE spinner, the DP-500BT aims for a "refined, modern aesthetic" with its minimalist, two-tone finish to help it slot into any home and system. To round things off, the deck features cast metal feet and a vibration-resistant overall construction aimed to maintain stability, and it comes with a removable dust cover.

According to Lyle Smith, President of Sound at Harman International (Denon's new parent company):

“The DP 500BT brings timeless analogue and modern wireless freedom together in a way only Denon can. Whether someone is building their first vinyl setup or expanding an existing system, this turntable delivers a premium experience with simple, flexible Bluetooth streaming that carries the depth and detail of vinyl into any room.”

The Denon DP-500BT Bluetooth turntable is available now, priced at $899. It's good news for US vinyl fans, but sadly, this model won't be coming to the UK or the EU markets at the time of writing.

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Looking for a home cinema sound solution? You’ll find two paths branching before you: one leads to an AVR and surround sound speaker package, the other to a Dolby Atmos soundbar.

You might think that these devices could live in harmony, but we often see people claiming soundbars to be inferior and incapable of delivering cinematic sound that even remotely rivals that of the best AVRs.

While there is a modicum of truth to that – we have tested hundreds of soundbars, AVRs and surround sound speaker packages in total and find that a true surround sound system will almost always beat the soundbar experience – there is actually plenty of nuance to the matter.

Convenience is the main draw of a soundbar – and the reason I use one myself. Not everyone, especially those in pokey city flats or shared houses, has the space to deploy a full 5.1.2 (or greater) system; and attempting to route cables around a rented property is a concept that sends a shiver down my spine.

There is also the financial aspect: when it comes to budget considerations, a Sonos Arc Ultra for £899 is a far more appealing all-in-one Dolby Atmos solution compared with an AVR and 5.1.2 speaker package, which can cost upwards of £2000.

Put simply, soundbars have their place in this world, and we are fans of them regardless of whether or not they are deemed to be “true home cinema” audio solutions.

But that doesn't mean there isn’t room for improvement.

Relatively speaking, soundbars are much newer than AV amplifiers. Yamaha introduced the first soundbar, the YSP-1, back in 2004, while Denon is credited with introducing the world's first AV amplifier back in 1985 with the AVC-500. That's a 19-year difference, and as we know, a lot can happen in the world of AV in almost two decades.

With that in mind, I feel soundbars could learn a thing or two from their elders, and that sentiment is felt with the current crop of soundbars and AVRs on the market.

Don't be stingy with the HDMI ports…

While soundbars have been improving in this regard in recent years, we are still seeing some models launch without the most important connectivity options. HDMI passthrough – which (I have recently lamented) Sonos and LG have not included in their latest soundbars – is a feature I think every soundbar should include.

AVRs have, understandably, featured an abundance of HDMI sockets for connecting Blu-ray players, streamers, games consoles and more to your TV or projector for quite some time. As such, AVRs have become the beating heart of many home cinema setups, acting as the central interface which manages connected devices and home cinema sound alike.

We have to give the likes of Samsung, JBL and Sony kudos for including full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets on their flagship soundbars; and Sennheiser and Harman Kardon also earn my favour by including HDMI sockets on their ’bars, even if they tend to be of the 2.0 standard and therefore don't support quite as many gaming features.

If a soundbar is going to take up a precious HDMI 2.1 socket – many TVs only have two of these, by the way – then it's only fair that it should give something back.

Fewer apps, more on-screen setups…

I have lost count of how many soundbar apps are currently clogging up my iPhone's storage – and I would rather drop the majority of them. While this isn't a blanket issue, I have tested many soundbars which have less-than-ideally optimised apps, and connectivity is usually the first hurdle to overcome.

I’ve had soundbar apps flat-out refuse to connect to their respective soundbar, and that has locked a handful of crucial features, including calibration, access to sound modes and input selection, leaving them to be handled via a remote control handset or on-device buttons and interpreted by either a dot-matrix display or a confusing array of flashing LEDs.

All of this could be avoided if more soundbar manufacturers included an on-screen setup, one which would allow us to adjust settings without having to rely on an app.

We have recently seen this included on the Yamaha True X Surround 90A, which was a welcome addition, while many AVRs have offered on-screen setups for quite some time. Denon’s range has supported this for a while, and we even saw a trimmed-down (yet surprisingly functional) version included on the JBL MA7100HP, which made setup and operation a lot easier.

Considering many soundbar manufacturers also produce TVs (think Sony, LG and Samsung), an on-screen menu system that ties into their respective smart platforms would be a rather nice touch.

Get serious about sound customisation and calibration…

I think this is where people place the most emphasis on the differentiation between AVRs and soundbars. A soundbar is essentially a plug-and-play device; sure, there are often various sound modes, and most Dolby Atmos-supporting soundbars include a method of calibrating them, but there aren’t often many ways to customise deeply the sound of your soundbar.

Vague EQ settings aside, I understand why soundbars aren’t as in-depth as AVRs when it comes to sound customisation. They are usually aimed at people who have no interest in the complexities of a full home cinema speaker system; for them, the ease of use and immediate sound payoff are the primary concern. That being said, a deeper customisation menu for enthusiasts would go a long way to winning over staunch audiophiles.

Calibration, on the other hand, could easily be improved on many soundbars. We often see soundbars use a built-in microphone, or utilise the microphone in your smartphone, to take measurements and calibrate the sound to your room.

While this is usually pretty effective, I much prefer the accuracy of an AVR calibration system, which usually involves hooking up an external microphone (often included in the box) and placing it in your main seating position, to best tailor the sound to the place you will be watching your movies or TV shows.

We have seen this once on a soundbar – the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max launched with an external microphone for this very purpose. But very few soundbars sporting this feature have passed through our home cinema testing room since.

A more accurate and thorough method of calibrating the sound could negate some of the criticism surrounding the notion that soundbars “don't do real Dolby Atmos”. If you’re spending in the region of £1000 on a flagship model, an included microphone shouldn't be out of the question.

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Home cinema amplifiers are a personal favourite category of mine. Despite being one of the most awkward products to set up and test in our home cinema room, the cinematic sound payoff is, more often than not, a total joy to experience.

It's been far too long since we've had an AVR to test in our home cinema room, which is a shame considering we've had a handful of impressive surround sound speaker packages from the likes of KEF and Fyne Audio.

In fact, 2025 was a pretty disappointing year for new AVRs, as new reveals were slim to none. Sony, Denon, JBL, Arcam and Yamaha were all suspiciously quiet, whereas Marantz did show off a high-end pre-amp and power amp duo, but that's about it.

Thankfully, 2026 immediately seems to be off to a better start, and we have an inkling that it could be the start of a much bigger year for the product category.

This confidence has been inspired by the announcement of Arcam's absolutely stunning-looking Radia AV range, which includes no less than three new AVRs and a processor/power amp combo. If these AVRs sound as good as they look, we're in for a total treat.

Arcam seems to be targeting the upper-mid-range AVR market with its new AVA15 (£2599 / €2999 / $3000), whereas its two more premium models – the AVA25 (£4499 / €4999 / $5000) and AVA35 (£5999 / €6999 / $7000) – look to covering the upper price range and, most importantly, challenge the Award-winning Marantz Cinema 30.

With a plethora of HDMI 2.1 sockets, a 6.5-inch glass-bonded full colour display, and between 12 and 16 channels of amplification depending on the model you choose, this new AVR range already has me on the edge of my seat.

While it's great to see Arcam take the first step in launching new AVRs in 2026, what I'm really hoping for is that this new range of AVRs will be a sign of things to come from other manufacturers for later this year.

I've already mentioned that many AV amplifier brands have been suspiciously quiet for over a year. Denon unveiled its last AVR, the exceptional AVC-X6800H, back in 2023, whereas Yamaha has remained tight-lipped regarding new AVRs since its last launch in 2021.

The less said about Sony, the better; I'm still waiting for another model to accompany the repeat Award-winning TA-AN1000 after it hit the market back in 2023.

While I won't get my hopes up for Sony currently, as it has bigger fish to fry with its new home entertainment partner, TCL, I do hope that Denon, Yamaha and JBL are priming new models as we speak.

We're overdue for new ranges from all of those mentioned above, and I think that my patience will be rewarded later this year. An AVR renaissance is on the cards for 2026; I just hope that it comes to fruition.

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It's been an unfortunately quiet year for home cinema amplifiers. The key players in the market, namely Denon, Marantz, Sony, Yamaha, JBL and Arcam, have all been suspiciously quiet, leaving us to choose from an existing cohort of five-star AVRs when it comes to appointing this year's Award-winners.

It should, therefore, come as no surprise that we settled on the exact same winners as last year, and for good reason, too.

Kicking off with the previous Product of the Year-winner, the Sony TA-AN1000. This (frustratingly) remains the only home cinema amplifier in Sony's lineup here in the UK, so we're thankful that it performs exceptionally when it comes to delivering cinematic audio.

We first reviewed the TA-AN1000 back in 2022, when it dethroned the Denon AVR-X2800H as our pick for the best-value AVR, though both now live harmoniously on our best AV receivers list.

The Sony made an incredibly strong first impression with its sleek design and easy set-up, and it happened to sound exceptional too. We complimented its punchy, agile sound that was bursting with life and detail, and it happened to be an absolute champion when it came to dynamics, too.

While a couple more HDMI 2.1 sockets wouldn't have gone amiss, the Sony TA-AN1000 is a practically flawless home cinema amplifier, and that's why we continue to use it in our reference home cinema set-up to this very day.

However, we think it's always best to have two AVRs on hand, and that's where the Award-winning Marantz Cinema 30 comes in...

The Marantz Cinema 30 looks as good as it sounds

The devilishly handsome Marantz Cinema 30 defends its title for another year, making it the "Best home cinema amplifier over £1500". This suave AVR serves up a rich, powerful and engaging surround sound experience, all in a price that undercuts its more expensive peers, such as the Arcam AVR31 and JBL Synthesis SDR-38.

It also happens to support more amplification channels than its rivals, with 11 channels supporting up to a 7.4.4 system, thanks to its four subwoofer outputs. There are seven HDMI 2.1 inputs, all of which support up to 4K/120Hz or 8K/60Hz signals with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ included. Add to all that the Audyssey set-up system, which calibrates this AVR with minimal effort required, and it's hard to argue that this AVR is anything but feature-packed.

It’s all wrapped up in a stunningly designed chassis, embellished with a textured metal faceplate, an adorable port-hole display, and a touch of tasteful ambient lighting that allows the AVR to shine in dark home cinema rooms.

And it impresses where sound is concerned, too. Punchy, powerful and dynamic, yet totally controlled and capable of digging up subtle detail, the Marantz Cinema 30 will appease even the pickiest audiophiles when it comes to delivering cinematic audio.

It's no wonder that we continue to use it in our reference set-up as our go-to AVR for testing home cinema speaker packages, and it happens to match the Award-winning KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 system rather nicely.

It's a two-horse race here, but you'll have to wait until the 14th of November to find out which AVR takes home the coveted Product of the Year title.

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2025's What Hi-Fi? Awards winners have been revealed and it has been an explosive year with multiple new entries in most of our home cinema categories.

There are 17 new Award-winners across the TV, soundbar, speaker package, and projector categories (I've counted them myself), and they are all very well-deserved.

KEF has scored big with the exceptional XIO Dolby Atmos soundbar and the fantastic Q Concerto Meta 5.1 Speaker System, while Hisense snags another projector Award with the M2 Pro. A surprisingly potent budget wireless Dolby Atmos system, the AX5125H, also scores Hisense its first-ever win in the soundbar category.

Other big winners include Sony, Panasonic, LG and TCL, all of which scooped up Awards in the TV category. So there's cause for celebration all around, right?

Generally yes, but two major home cinema categories haven't had anywhere near the same amount of love – and they happen to be two that I care about a lot.

2025 has been something of a drought for new AV receivers and Blu-ray players. In fact, we reviewed only one new AVR this year, that being the three-star JBL MA7100HP. And that, unfortunately, could not rival the likes of the Award-winning Sony TA-AN1000 or any of the currently available Denon amplifiers – all of which are a few years old now.

Denon and Marantz didn't really announce much in the way of new home cinema amplifiers. Though, being fair, this is understandable considering they have both been scooped up by Harman International, so they are probably letting the dust settle before launching anything new.

Elsewhere, Arcam has been focusing on its hi-fi components, Yamaha has retained its existing lineup for at least another year, and Pioneer hasn't made a return to our AV testing room since we reviewed the VSA-LX805 towards the beginning of last year.

That has left the AVR Awards category with the same two winners as last year: the Sony TA-AN1000 and the Marantz Cinema 30. Both are excellent in their own ways, but I wouldn't have been opposed to a new contender this year.

In the world of physical media, alas, things are equally grim. Our Blu-ray player category features a singular winner that has held its spot for seven years in a row. And, while the DP-UB820EB is a superb 4K disc player which delivers a crisp picture and dynamic sound at a reasonable price, there's hardly any competition for it out there.

Sony did launch a new version of its previously Award-winning UBP-X700 Blu-ray player; however, it appears to be the same as its predecessor, just without any of the network functionality, such as screen mirroring or streaming apps.

When asked, the company confirmed that the performance was the same as the existing model – not exactly the grand return to 4K Blu-ray players we were hoping for.

Panasonic hasn't budged on its lineup either. The only major updates we saw this year came from Magnetar, which announced MKII variants of its two 4K players. Both of those are currently only up for pre-order; perhaps we have some contenders for the 2026 What Hi-Fi? Awards.

So, with 2025 coming to a close, my biggest wish for 2026 is to see these two categories bounce back – wishful thinking perhaps, but I hold out hope.

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The recent news that Harman International’s $350 million acquisition of Sound United and all the brands associated with it has been signed, sealed and delivered is one of the biggest pieces of hi-fi news to break in recent memory.

In case you missed it, Bowers & Wilkins, Denon and Marantz are all now under the same ownership as AKG, Arcam, Harman Kardon, JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel.

This makes Harman quite the audio behemoth, with an even longer list of major brands under its belt, all with serious pedigree and impressive global reach.

We sat down with Dave Rogers, President, Lifestyle Division, Harman, to give us a bit of background on the deal, explain how Sound United and all its brands fit into the Harman family, and how things might take shape moving forward.

Rogers reveals that when Sound United was originally bought by Masimo back in February 2022 for $1.025 billion, Harman was also in the mix as a potential purchaser.

“When Masimo bought them, we were in the discussion at that point. We were one of the companies – there were some other parties involved – and then Masimo stepped in while we were talking to them, made the offer that they made, and we stepped away at that point.”

According to Rogers, many of the people involved in the 2022 discussions were involved this time around, too. “We’ve had interest in Sound United for a long time, and many of the leadership team were involved in those (2022) discussions. Those same people were in the meetings this time.

“At the end of last year, there was some press that was starting to show up before CES. And when we went to CES 2025, we arranged a first discussion to connect again – and it just evolved from there.”

Rogers mentions it’s only natural that Harman would be interested.

“99 per cent of the products we build are audio related, and they (Sound United) are pre-eminent brands in the space, in categories where we don't have a super strong presence.”

Rogers clarifies, “The AVR space, I mean. Arcam’s a great brand; we do nice business, but it's in a very small sliver of the market geographically, and we plan to keep it in that space, in that niche space.

“Maybe there's some learning on feature set or manufacturing capability in the plant in Japan, that Denon and Marantz have – maybe they could do some manufacturing there.”

It’s in manufacturing and engineering where Rogers feels big things could potentially happen.

“Leveraging the manufacturing capability of Sound United in the Worthing plant and in Shirakawa, could there be benefits? That would be the first place we'll look – but no decisions have been made.

“We'd look to leverage those facilities and then create a dialogue between engineers to share best-in-class, knowledge, information, testing that they’re doing and so on. Certainly, facilities are open to share; there are no hard lines between them.”

Denon has consistently made some of the best AV receivers we have tested in recent years, while the Marantz Cinema 30 is the AV receiver we use in the reference home cinema system in our dedicated London test room.

Rogers continues, “Equally, with the Bowers brand, we hope to leverage the UK plant for some Harman speaker manufacturing, assuming they have the capacity.

“There are some great engineers in Japan designing products. We'd like to get the team in England over there, or the team in Japan over to England, to share ideas on Arcam with the Japanese colleagues.

“We'd like to have some of the (Harman) loudspeaker engineers collaborate with the Bowers engineers looking for improvement.”

With that many brands under one roof, could there be any big clashes?

“In JBL, there's not a lot of crossover. There's not a lot of crossover in the headphone space. Bowers sits more premium, above everything that we're doing with the JBL brand; even Denon does to a certain degree.”

Part of the appeal for Harman appears to be in brands that have different appeal in different markets, due to the different sounds those territories favour. Rogers points to Bowers & Wilkins speakers as an example.

“You’ve got a UK/Europe-based loudspeaker, which has a different sonic signature from a US-based, dome and cone speaker, such as a Revel or a Polk, or a horn or waveguide speaker, such as a JBL. There's a different sonic character. So we believe there's a market for all those brands to coexist. Maintaining that core identity of each brand is, I think, imperative.”

“We are very committed to having unique brand identities and heritages – we don’t want to disturb it, we're not looking to homogenise. We think each brand has a special place, especially in the high-end market.”

Does Rogers foresee much change? Initially, no. He sees the relationship following a similar path to that Harman took following its purchase by Samsung. That means Sound United is, and will continue to be, run as separate businesses.

“Sound United will come into the lifestyle division (of Harman), independently managed with its own sales force, with its own supply chain, with its own customer service. So we're pulling it in, but they're going to run the business within the consumer space.

“They have built a nice business, and we want to amplify that and put 100 per cent focus on audio, to identify features and use cases of consumers, and try to anticipate those use cases based on how people consume content.”

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Harman's acquisition of some of the biggest names in hi-fi is now complete.

It has taken over Masimo's Sound United stable of brands, which encompasses Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, HEOS and Boston Acoustics.

Harman – which has been owned by Samsung Electronics since 2016 – already owns Arcam, AKG, JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel.

This gives Harman a broad spread of devices across all sorts of audio categories, including home audio, electronics, headphones and in-car audio.

The deal was announced in May.

“Harman’s vision is to create experiences that enrich people’s lives through exceptional audio experiences,” said Dave Rogers, president of Harman's Lifestyle Division. “Sound United’s impressive roster of brands is rooted in a deep passion for sound, innovation, and commitment to quality that aligns with Harman's own values.”

Customers shouldn’t notice any immediate changes, as Sound United will operate as a standalone Strategic Business Unit (SBU) within Harman’s Lifestyle Division. Which will mean that each brand’s “heritage, expertise and loyal customer base remain central to their identity.”

But with Harman’s extra resources, its new brands “will gain greater reach with enhanced capabilities, while continuing to realise their distinct goals and better succeed in the marketplace.”

US medical company Masimo acquired Bowers & Wilkins in 2020, and added the eight audio brands from Sound United only three years ago.

Hopefully Harman will provide some much needed stability and help the brands prosper.

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A few years ago, I set up a Spotify Family account. It includes me, my wife, my dad and my brother. I probably shouldn't be confessing that, as I don't think it's really allowed, but here we are.

Having switched music services once or twice in the past, I know first-hand what an absolute pain in the backside it is. Yes, even with those playlist syncing apps – they're good, but not flawless, and fixing those flaws takes almost as long as just starting from scratch.

But switching is even harder when there's a Family Account involved. Even if I could get all of my family members under one subscription with a rival music streaming service (certainly not a given), there is no way I could persuade everyone to up sticks and start again.

I'm a stickler for sound quality, though, and I've had to watch as rival service after rival service has added lossless or even hi-res music to their catalogues, while I've been limited to the 320kbps streams on Spotify that should have gone extinct with the MP3 player.

In truth, I do have a Tidal account for testing and serious listening, but I don't like to use it too often as I'm also rather addicted to the stats and taste profile elements of Spotify. My Discover Weekly really is rather good these days.

So, yes, ultimately, you could say I was just too lazy to switch streaming services and drag my family into the lossless realm. But it seems as though that laziness is about to be rewarded.

Lossless on Spotify Premium is finally (I notice that even Spotify itself is using the word 'finally') here, and, as the name suggests, it's a free upgrade for Spotify Premium subscribers.

Said subscribers will be automatically upgraded to Lossless in the coming days, and it sounds as though most of the catalogue is covered.

Despite the use of the word 'lossless' rather than 'hi-res' (also note that the rumoured 'Spotify HiFi' name is not being used), support for streams up to 24bit/44.1kHz in FLAC quality will be included. Strictly speaking, that's above CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) and just into hi-res territory.

Lossless will work via Spotify Connect, too, which is how I do most of my listening, but while some compatible AV devices I use will be supported from the off (Sony and Denon are in the list of launch partners), others will be added in time (Sonos next month, for example).

To be clear, I haven't yet had a chance to test out the new Lossless content on Spotify, as I, like everyone else, am waiting for my account to be upgraded.

But I am nevertheless thrilled that this upgrade is finally coming. Finally, doing nothing has been rewarded. And, best of all, my family will also start listening to higher quality music, even if they don't necessarily know it.

MORE:

Spotify Lossless officially launches after years of speculation

Read our Spotify review

The full story: an excruciating timeline of our wait for Spotify HiFi (Lossless)

Check out the best music streaming services around

Amazon Prime Day isn't great because it's an Amazon thing – it's great because it brings with it awesome deals right across the internet.

If you are an Amazon fan, then of course you can shop all Prime Day deals at Amazon, but even if you refuse to spend any money at Amazon, you can still get some brilliant deals.

In fact, avoiding Amazon is the best way to find great deals on serious home cinema kit, because a lot of that isn't sold on Amazon at all.

So, I have trawled all of my favourite non-Amazon retailers and found five awesome AV deals that can't be beaten by Bezos.

Below, you will find big discounts on two AV amplifiers, a wireless Dolby Atmos speaker package, a UST projector, a stunning 'proper' home cinema projector and two beautiful OLED TVs.

Quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• Sony: new lowest-ever price for the A95L QD-OLED at Richer Sounds
• John Lewis: soundbar, Blu-ray and streaming deals
• Peter Tyson: big deals on projectors, speaker packages and soundbars
• Sevenoaks Sound & Vision: up to £1800 off home cinema packages

Editor's picks

• LG G4 MLA OLED TV: down to just £1499 at Richer Sounds (save £1801)
• TCL: four-star TV down to just £104 at Amazon
• LG C4 OLED TV: huge discounts on all sizes at Amazon
• Sony: new lowest-ever price for the A95L QD-OLED at Richer Sounds
• Samsung: OLED TV deals direct from Samsung.com

When JBL announced its latest range of home cinema AVRs, there was a collective sense of excitement throughout the What Hi-Fi? AV team.

Denon has ruled the roost with very little competition for a long while now, dominating the entry-level and mid-range markets with its excellent X-series of home cinema amplifiers.

JBL’s mission is simple; the Modern Audio series is an accessible line of AVRs aimed towards those looking to dabble in home cinema audio or graduate from a soundbar. Likewise, JBL hopes to entice seasoned cinematic audiophiles, which is a tricky balance, though the five-strong lineup of amplifiers should cover most bases.

We have the MA7100HP here today, which serves as the step-down model from the flagship, and it has a promising feature list on paper, too, but the most important factor is – no surprises here – sound quality. With a small yet talented cohort of competitors in this area, the MA7100HP must excel. So, does it?

Price

The JBL MA7100HP is priced at £1399 / $1199 / AU$2055, putting it into the mid-range sector of the AVR market, where the five-star Denon AVC-X3800H looms large.

Some notable alternatives undercut the MA7100HP too, including the Sony TA-AN1000 (£999 / around $1240 / AU$1850) and Denon AVR-X2800H (£869 / $1200 / AU$2399) – both of which are now heavily discounted at many retailers. Need we also remind you that both the Sony and Denon are previous What Hi-Fi? Award winners, so the competition is piping hot.

If we’re being honest, the JBL feels a touch overpriced for our liking – especially when we take the build quality and feature set into account compared to its aforementioned peers.

Build

We’re not entirely convinced by the JBL’s build as, while it's unique compared to the fairly uninspired-looking Denon models in our test room, we wouldn’t consider it to be to our collective taste.

We’ll start with the positives; the display on the front is a really nice touch – especially when you stream music to the AVR as it shows album artwork, track listing and a 'play bar' akin to a premium music streamer. It also makes navigating the system menus a breeze, though these menus are handily mirrored on your connected TV or projector.

Furthermore, the customisable LED light strip along the bottom of the unit adds a pop of colour, and it can be disabled if you have an aversion to ambient light.

Flipping the unit around, we appreciate how straightforward the set-up is; you’ll find neatly laid-out ports that are all clearly labelled. This should make set-up very easy, even for those not au fait with home cinema receivers.

The AVR is also available in two finishes – black and white – and the cheeky nod to This Is Spinal Tap that adorns the volume knob is also a fun Easter egg.

That all being said, we find that the MA7100HP doesn’t feel particularly premium to the touch.

At 7.6kg, the JBL is much lighter than the Sony TA-AN1000 or Denon AVR-X2800H; and while that isn’t necessarily an issue, it just makes the JBL feel slightly cheap despite it costing considerably more than both of those models.

And, while the edgy orange accents might suit some people’s taste, and we certainly can’t knock JBL’s effort to create something unique that’s not just another black cuboid, it certainly won’t appeal to everyone.

Features

This home cinema receiver features seven channels of Class D amplification and two subwoofer outputs, meaning it can support up to a 7.2 surround-sound system or 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos system.

This is on par with its Sony, Denon and Arcam competitors, and means you’ll need to step up to the JBL MA9100HP if you have a larger system such as a 7.2.2 speaker package with rear surrounds and height channels. Sound format support includes all of the usual suspects, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

JBL claims 125W of power output with two channels driven, which is considerably higher than the Sony and Denon (85W and 95W, respectively), and less than the Denon AVC-X3800H’s claimed 180W power output.

There are a total of six HDMI inputs, three of which are the 2.1 standard that support 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz sources with VRR and ALLM. All inputs support HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, too, while the dual outputs feature HDMI eARC connectivity and Zone 2 functionality.

There is also a built-in moving magnet phono connection for hooking this AVR up to a turntable, alongside coaxial, optical and USB digital audio inputs, and RCA line-level analogue inputs. Wireless connectivity is solid, with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and Bluetooth with support for the aptX Adaptive codec.

JBL has also taken an unconventional and, if we’re being brutally honest, frustrating approach to room correction.

You’ll need to download the EZ EQ app, which is different from the JBL Premium Audio app that’s required to stream music and connect devices via Bluetooth.

From there, the app requires you to correct each speaker individually (front, centre and surrounds) by walking around the room with your iPhone’s microphone (tough luck if you have an Android smartphone, as you’ll need to buy an external microphone).

There’s a catch to this process, however: it doesn’t set speaker distances or levels, you’ll need to do that yourself. The Sony and Denon receivers, on the other hand, have intuitive microphone-driven auto calibration systems that handle this for you.

It’s a strange omission considering that JBL is attempting to make this a user-friendly home cinema amp. This amplifier is Dirac Live Ready, though that process is a lot more involved and incurs additional costs.

Sound

This is the make-or-break category for any home cinema receiver, so does the JBL deliver? Unfortunately, we’re not entirely convinced it does. We’ve hooked the amplifier up to our reference speaker package – the PMC Twenty5.23 package in a 7.2 configuration – and raided our 4K Blu-ray shelf for a collection of reference discs including Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049, Oppenheimer and Dune: Part Two.

There are positive aspects to the MA7100HP, namely its big and bold sound characteristics. For scenes that require sheer brawn and scale, the JBL can deliver a punchy, room-filling sound with ease, which is shown off in the rip-roaring introduction montage of Top Gun: Maverick.

It also does a solid job of tracking the positions of the fighter jets as they speed down the aircraft carrier and soar into the sky, with effects passing seamlessly between channels.

Speaking of which, the MA7100HP manages to create a harmonious balance between each channel in a convincing surround-sound effect, with no noticeable gaps between the speakers to detract from the immersive bubble of sound.

Finally, it produces a solid, weighty kick of bass when needed, with plenty of punch and heft. We’d hesitate to compliment its bass control, but if you’re after sheer low-end rumble, then this JBL is capable of delivering.

Unfortunately, that’s really where the positives end, as elsewhere the JBL just misses the mark.

There is an overall sense that the 7100HP is lacking in subtlety, as the spacious sound comes at the expense of finer sonic details.

Low-level dynamics, for instance, are a notable weakness, which leads to flat and unengaging dialogue. The strained conversation between Cooper and Brand, as they realise that the minutes they’ve spent waiting for their waterlogged engines to reboot equate to years in Earth-time in Interstellar, should be conveyed with desperation and panic – but the JBL doesn’t quite capture this.

Sticking with Interstellar, we take issue with synthetic-sounding effects – specifically the waves that lap against the hull of the Endurance space shuttle. There is a metallic quality to the water that’s accentuated when a character steps through it, causing unnatural-sounding splashes.

Furthermore, the overall sound of this AVR can be best described as mushy, with a noticeable shortcoming when it comes to definition and detail.

There is a congested nature to the audio, which means that dialogue is often lost in scenes with many competing effects. The bustling Fremen party in Dune: Part Two, during which Paul Atriedes is granted the Muad’Dib title, is a prime example, as crucial pieces of dialogue are mixed up in the general hustle and bustle of the tent.

Switching to some music in stereo, the JBL’s issues persist, with Taylor Swift’s The 1 and Bombay Bicycle Club’s Luna both sounding fine, but by no means particularly engaging or inviting.

We pair the MA7100HP with JBL's own Stage 2 loudspeakers to see if the synergy between the AVR and speakers improves the experience.

While you don’t necessarily have to pair these together, they were developed in tandem to suit each other when it comes to sound characteristics. Ultimately, though, we find the issues to persist, with scale and punch presented at the expense of subtlety and detail.

While these sonic shortcomings are certainly an issue in isolation, they become even more apparent when we put the JBL side-by-side with the Award-winning Sony TA-AN1000.

Considering the Sony costs considerably less, there is no competition when it comes to sound quality. The Sony’s expert handling of dynamics and more detailed sound seal the deal, while the comparatively expansive soundstage makes it the obvious choice.

Verdict

The JBL MA7100HP isn’t a complete write-off, thanks to its big, bold and encompassing sound. However, it's not a home cinema receiver that we can really recommend.

The sub-par detail, weak dynamics and lack of sonic subtlety hinder its true potential, and it likely won’t be enough to tempt die-hard soundbar fans to join the world of true home cinema sound.

SCORES

• Sound 3
• Features 4
• Build 3

MORE:

Read our review of the Arcam AVR5

Also consider the Sony TA-AN1000

Read our Denon AVR-X2800H

Best AV receivers: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested

Our AV testing room is an integral component of every single TV, projector, soundbar, AVR, streaming device and surround-sound speaker system review that we conduct.

It's safe to say we spend quite a lot of time in there evaluating the latest TVs and home cinema kit.

While we're more than familiar with the space, and you've likely seen glimpses of it in our reviews, in the spirit of Home Cinema Week, we're taking a deep dive into our testing facility.

More importantly, we're sharing our 2025 reference home cinema set-up that we have for reviewing the newest AV products.

We always have our reference devices on hand; consider them an elite squad of five-star recipients that we use to benchmark the latest products.

This roster is constantly changing, as the bar is always rising with every new five-star review. However, some components of our reference kit have stood the test of time, occupying a multi-year residency in our facility.

Before we dig into the reference system, we'll get some of the specifications of the room out of the way.

Our home cinema room measures 2.3 x 6.0 x 5.0m (hwd), meaning it is suitably sized to house a full 7.2.4 surround-sound speaker set-up, with plenty of room for an AV rack which houses our amplifiers and projectors.

There is also room for two 65-inch TVs to sit side by side, a 96-inch projector screen, and we couldn't forget about our trusty sofa.

We also have adjustable acoustic panels affixed to the walls and bass traps in the corners of the room to ensure that interference from the room itself is minimised for our audio-focused reviews.

Last (but by no means least), we have Chord Company cables throughout the room to power our surround-sound speaker package.

Now onto the fun part, our reference home cinema set-up...

Two 4K reference displays from Sony

It's imperative that we always have a 4K reference display on hand, so we've got two, just to be safe.

One is an Award-winning OLED TV, the other is an Award-winning 4K home cinema projector, both of which are made by Sony.

We'll start with the Bravia 8, an OLED TV that trumped the likes of the LG C4, Samsung S95D and Philips OLED809 last year.

Sony has opted to keep the TV in its lineup, with no direct replacement for 2025, however we take no issue with this as it's a damn good TV.

It sports a 144Hz panel with Dolby Vision support, as well as Sony's excellent picture processing, which puts it at the top of our list and makes it a reference product to pit other TVs against.

We've used it to test a handful of streaming devices, soundbars and other TVs recently, and it's already proving to be a fine addition to our system.

It has just replaced its equally well-regarded predecessor, the Sony A80L, which served admirably as our previous reference set.

When we're not using a TV for testing, we have our Sony VPL-XW5000ES 4K projector, which comes into play for AVR and surround-sound speaker system reviews.

It's a serial Award-winner, and while it's not the flagship model in Sony's range, we find it to be the sweet spot in the lineup. We reviewed it at £5999 / $5998 / AU$9990, which puts it in the premium sector, but not out of reach entirely for those who want to get serious about home cinema.

While it's not a budget projector by any means, it sits well below the flagship Bravia Projector 9, which costs £27,599 / $31,999, and it still provides a crisp, detailed image with excellent black levels.

A duo of Award-winning AV amplifiers (and a couple more for good measure)

If there is one thing we have an abundance of in our AV testing facility, it's AV amplifiers. On average, there are four set-ups at all times, each occupying a specific price point or feature set.

Starting with the headliner, and our overall pick for the best AV receiver, we have the Marantz Cinema 30. With its superb specification, rich and powerful sound and stylish chassis, the Cinema 30 is an all-around stunner.

It's pricey, £4000 / $4500 / AU$7900 to be exact, but there are more costly AV amplifiers in our testing room.

The JBL Synthesis SDR38, for example, is our high-end pick that we have set up for premium AVR comparisons, and that amp comes in at a cool £7300 / $8550 / AU$16,999.

The Marantz remains our preferred method, as it boasts 11 channels of amplification, which means it can support a full 7.4.4 channel speaker system, perfect for us.

Not all great AVRs are wildly expensive, however, as we also have the Sony TA-AN1000 and Denon AVR-X2800H on hand for comparison to more affordable AVRs.

These are two brilliant home cinema amplifiers in their own right, and we often find ourselves switching over to the Product of the Year-winning TA-AN1000.

It's important to test surround-sound packages with a couple of amplifiers, as pairing your speakers to your amp is just as important in the world of home cinema as it is in the realm of hi-fi.

Some may say four AVRs are too many, but we think we could squeeze another one on our rack.

A surround-sound system that's stood the test of time

While our TV and amplifiers are on the newer side of things, our speaker system is a well-established favourite.

The PMC Twenty5.23 system, which we reviewed all the way back in 2017, has remained our reference speaker system ever since.

We admit that it's probably time for an upgrade, and we've seen our fair share of five-star surround-sound systems, but none are as revealing and insightful as the PMC set.

This really is the full package, as these speakers sound fantastic and can easily identify weaknesses in any source that we plug them into.

AVR lacking in dynamics? Streamer dropping the ball when it comes to detail? There's no hiding from the PMCs.

We've added KEF's R50 Dolby Atmos toppers into the mix too, and we're using two of PMC's Twenty5.sub subwoofers for a full 7.2.4 system, which sounds glorious in tandem with the aforementioned Marantz Cinema 30.

A beloved Blu-ray player (that you can no longer buy)

Last, but by absolutely no means least, is our trusty Blu-ray player. We're using the Oppo UDP 203 4K Blu-ray player, a legend in the world of home cinema that's unfortunately no longer on the market.

Its performance remains top notch, and while the likes of Magnetar and Panasonic have premium players on the market, the Oppo remains a popular choice for home cinema purists who don't mind hunting one down on the second-hand market.

We do have a more mainstream player in the form of the Panasonic DP-UB820EB, which is still widely available and a lot cheaper.

You may have seen references to our favourite 4K reference discs in our reviews, but in case you haven't, then these are some of our favourites:

• Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
• Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
• Dune: Part Two (2024)
• Civil War (2024)
• Oppenheimer (2023)
• The Batman (2022)
• Alien Romulus (2024)

And that brings our tour of the What Hi-fi? AV testing facility to a close. We're eagerly awaiting whatever our next addition to this set-up will be.

Stay tuned, as any new products that enter our reference set-up will get a shout-out, and we have plenty of home cinema reviews coming up throughout this week.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best projectors

As well as the best OLED TVs

And these are the best movie scenes to test your home cinema setup

If you’ve dipped your toes into home cinema at any time over the past 20 years, the chances are you’ve heard of Audyssey.

It’s a room correction system designed for AV and multi-channel audio systems, and it’s specifically built into Denon and Marantz receivers and processors, which frequently appear in our list of the best AV receivers.

Although the various versions of Audyssey MultEQ room correction are simple to use in their basic form, there’s also a chance for more experienced consumers to dig in with more advanced levels.

Getting a room to sound good can be a big challenge. But the prospect of hiring a sound professional to consult on your room’s environmental shortcomings isn’t at the top of most AV enthusiasts’ lists. Nor is buying pricey acoustic treatments such as absorbers, diffusers or bass traps.

Luckily, automated room correction systems such as Audyssey go some way to compensate for the worst acoustical quirks.

Let’s find out who Audyssey is, how many versions there are, and why you might need it.

Who is Audyssey?

Audyssey hails from the US. It’s a spin-off from the National Science Foundation, a research centre at the University of Southern California. Among its alumni is Professor Tomlinson Holman, famously the ‘TH’ of Lucasfilm’s original THX group.

The company specialises in the acoustical properties of audio equipment in different environments, including home cinemas, studios, cars and even professional cinemas.

The first technology to emerge from the company was the Audyssey MultEQ room correction system in 2004.

What are the different versions of Audyssey MultEQ room correction?

Before we get into how Audyssey room correction is set up at home, let’s look at the three layers of the software that might be built into your Denon or Marantz AVR or processor.

Audyssey MultEQ – also known as ‘Bronze Built-in’

This is the base level version of Audyssey room correction with adjustment of speaker levels and time delays. It includes Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ (more on these later). It is designed primarily for small rooms.

Audyssey MultEQ XT – also known as ‘Silver Built-in’

This mid-size room version provides more measurement positions and better equalisation filters than basic MultEQ. It allows for more precise adjustments with emphasis on low frequencies. MultEQ XT also includes Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ.

Audyssey MultEQ XT32 – also known as ‘Platinum Built-in’

This is the top level and latest version of MultEQ with yet more measurement positions and high-resolution filters available. MultEQ XT32 is suitable for large rooms with complex setups. With more than 10,000 control points, it supports 32 times the resolution of plain MultEQ. It includes Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ, as in the previous entries, along with SubEQ HT and LFC (also explained below).

How does Audyssey work?

The built-in versions of Audyssey MultEQ contain an easy walk-through as part of the Denon or Marantz on-screen menu interface.

Audyssey tries to correct for off-axis listening and room acoustics. An included microphone needs to be placed in the main listening position (MLP) as well as up to seven other locations, all from a tripod.

In doing so, the system looks for acoustical anomalies and attempts to fix them. The idea is to improve the sound for all seating positions while smoothing out the frequency response.

It can be a good idea to enter levels and distances manually (using a tape measure or laser distance meter, test tone generator and SPL meter). Audyssey tends to undercook the subwoofer and centre channel levels in the automated procedure.

MultEQ, in all its incarnations, works by analysing the acoustics of a room and applying digital signal processing to optimise the audio output.

Both frequency responses and time domains help the software to pick out reflections, standing waves and other acoustical anomalies. But the key difference between the versions of MultEQ lies in the increasing efficacy and resolution of the filters applied.

Are there software and hardware add-ons?

Yes. For £20 / $20 / AU$31, you can purchase the Audyssey MultEQ Editor app for Android or iOS, which allows for more fully fledged control of your room correction and offers customisation.

Because a phone or tablet has more processing power than a typical AVR, making adjustments in the app can create more detailed profiles and more accurate results. The app supports saving of profiles, target curve adjustments and subwoofer levels.

For those who wish to dig in even deeper, it costs $200 (around £145 / AU$300) for the Audyssey MultEQ-X software, which is compatible with a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC.

This gives the user many more levels of flexibility and control, including detailed frequency responses of individual channels, an ‘advanced curve designer’ with targets for each channel and more sophisticated subwoofer level adjustments.

MultEQ-X is designed essentially for professionals or hardcore enthusiasts who want to tweak their system to perfection. (A Pro version of the software is more expensive and includes multiple licences.)

All Audyssey versions must use approved microphones, whether the basic model included with a receiver, or the more accurate ACM1-X (£80 / $80 / AU$140). You can also go for the MultEQ-X Calibrated Microphone kit with extender leads, particularly useful if the AVR is in a remote location in the house.

What are some of the other Audyssey MultEQ features?

Dynamic Volume

Applying to all versions of MultEQ, this feature protects against sudden volume peaks or troughs for a more consistent sonic level.

It tracks the volume in real time and optimises the dynamic range for the situation. This can be useful for late-night viewing, not startling the neighbours or recalibrating the output when loud adverts suddenly interrupt programme viewing.

Dynamic EQ

Also available on all MultEQ platforms, this feature optimises sound quality at lower volumes by boosting bass and treble responses.

Again, the adjustments are made in real time and account for the way humans perceive audio at varying levels. Dynamic EQ is also useful for late-night viewing by enhancing content at low levels.

SubEQ HT

This feature is found on the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 platform only. Designed to work with two or more subwoofers, SubEQ HT allows individual calibration of each bass enclosure. It also aligns their timing and levels, so that they should blend seamlessly.

SubEQ HT ensures that room correction filters are applied to all the subwoofers, as if they were a single unit.

LFC (Low Frequency Containment)

Also reserved for the XT32 version only, the LFC feature limits the transmission of low frequencies through walls to different rooms. It does so while maintaining the sound quality.

LFC is a great asset for shared living spaces or those with close proximity to neighbouring homes.

Verdict

While Audyssey in its basic forms promotes easy setup and operation, there’s plenty of scope for digging in and expanding your horizons with the MultEQ Editor app or MultEQ-X software.

With so many competing room correction systems, such as those from Yamaha (YPAO), Emotiva (Emo-Q), Lyngdorf (RoomPerfect), Trinnov (Trinnov Optimizer) and Anthem (ARC), you should read up on their potential advantages/disadvantages when compared to the Audyssey platform.

But because Audyssey is so simple to execute - with its delightful user interface and pleasing results – perhaps it’s not surprising that it’s still very much in contention after 20 years of great service to home cinema users.

MORE:

Check out all of our Home Cinema Week content

Here are the best AV receivers you can buy right now

Check out our Marantz Cinema 30 review

Denon's X-series of home cinema receivers have been consistent hits in our AV testing room, with the AVR-X2800H, AVC-X3800H and AVC-X6800H all scoring top marks in their respective reviews.

As a whole, Denon has delivered some of the best AVRs on the market, despite competition from the likes of Sony, Arcam, JBL and even its sister brand, Marantz.

The only issue with the models mentioned above is that they can be quite pricey. The Denon X2800H has dropped in price plenty of times; however, the AVC-X6800H has stuck at a premium near-£3000 price point for the majority of its lifespan.

So, if you want a Denon AVR that delivers most of the features of the more premium models in the lineup, but are looking to spend well below £500, then we have the deal for you.

It's not a model that we've reviewed (yet); however, the entry-level AVR-X1800H is down to just £399 at Peter Tyson. That's down from the launch price of £699, meaning you're saving yourself £300.

You'll need to be a member of Peter Tyson's VIP programme; happily, that's a free and easy sign-up that's certainly worth doing to save yourself an additional £100.

Building a home cinema set-up on a budget doesn't mean that you have to compromise. The Denon AVR-X1800H is the smaller sibling of the excellent, Award-winning AVR-X2800H, and it shares many features with it.

These include support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio formats, as well as up to 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz video with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision supported.

It's a 7.2 channel receiver with a claimed 120W per channel (with two channels driven), meaning it can support up to a 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos system.

With six HDMI inputs, three of which support the HDMI 2.1 specification with VRR and ALLM, this is also a great AVR for gamers.

It's also well suited for those looking for a wireless music streamer, as Denon's HEOS multi-room platform is featured here too, which supports a range of services including Tidal and Amazon Music HD. You'll also find AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and TuneIn internet radio, as well as Bluetooth.

On the subject of radio, this doesn't appear to be the version with DAB tuner capabilities built in, but we don't deem that to be a deal breaker.

While we haven't put this specific model through its paces in our AV testing room, the rest of this range has thoroughly impressed us.

If you're looking for a feature-rich AVR with major pedigree at a great price, this Denon £300 deal at Peter Tyson is looking like the early Prime Day deal to beat.

MORE:

Read our full Denon AVR-X2800H review

And check out the best surround sound speaker systems

As well as the best AV receivers

These days a lot of people default to soundbar packages when looking for surround sound systems. And there are plenty of good reasons for that.

The systems don't require cable management, as many – including the Award-winning Samsung HW-Q990D – use wireless satellites and subwoofers. They also take up less space than a proper 5.1 setup.

So if ease of use is your priority, going for a soundbar system makes a lot of sense. If, however, performance is your be all and end all, there’s not getting around the fact that a full-fat, multi-speaker package is usually your best bet.

After decades of testing surround sound systems we know that a good one will deliver audio with a sense of directionality and heft that you just can’t get anywhere else.

Which is why home cinema aficionados with the space to accommodate one are very likely to be looking at the wealth of new AVR / surround sound package deals that recently launched on Richer Sounds.

If you meet that description, we also have good news: after price checking the components of each deal to make sure they are actual discounts, and of course with our years of experience in using the products, we have two recommendations for you.

Sony TA-AN1000 with Q Acoustics 3020i 5.1 speaker package

The first deal we recommend gets you a Sony TA-AN1000 AVR with a Q Acoustics 3020i 5.1 surround sound package for £1489 at Richer Sounds. That’s a £106 saving on the two if you bought them separately.

Why this specific system? The two products certainly represent stellar value, but they also leave plenty of room for growth.

Sure, the Q Acoustics 3020i package is getting long in the tooth, having launched in 2021, but, to this day it offers solid value for money and a sound profile that’s great for movies.

Highlights include an atypically rich, warm sound with a full bass and precise treble. This, plus its ability to deliver sweeping dynamics makes it a great entry-level option.

For context, our perennially broke editor (me), still uses a stereo pair of the 3020i with a Technics SA-C600 system in his lounge for music listening.

The only real downside is that, despite being standmount units, they are atypically deep and you shouldn’t place them with their backs to a wall if you want the best results. So you should certainly measure the space you intend to put them in before buying.

The Sony TA-AN1000 is another impressive, stellar value option if you're just getting into “proper” home cinema surround sound. So much so that we described the Award-winning AVR as a “no brainer” purchase when we first reviewed it.

Could you get away with paying for a less muscly, cheaper AVR to power the 3020i? Probably; but the main selling point here is that the Sony has lots of room for growth, meaning you can continue to use it even if you choose to add extra channels or upgrade/replace the speakers down the line.

This, plus its flawless HDR and surround-sound standard support make it a wonderfully flexible, future-proof unit. And, even more importantly, it sounds sublime. As we say in our Sony TA-AN1000 review:

“Its crisp, precise and punchy sound strikes a nearly perfect balance, and it elevates every movie and song we throw at it. This amplifier ticks all our boxes, with a sleek design, good feature set and outstanding performance, making it so easy to recommend. If you’re looking at buying an amp at this level, then the Sony TA-AN1000 is a no-brainer.”

Denon AVC-X3800H with Dali Oberon 5 5.1 speaker package

The second deal lets you grab a Denon AVC-X3800H AVR with a Dali Oberon 5 5.1 speaker package for £2599 at Richer Sounds. Doing the maths after a thorough deal hunt, that’s a £150 saving on how much the two would cost if you bought them separately right now.

This is a great mid-tier package, ideal for people looking for a louder, more powerful system.

The speakers are another What Hi-Fi? Award-winner and it's the package we recommend to most buyers looking for a 5.1 system for less than £2000.

The package uses Award-winning Dali Oberon 5 floorstanders as the main left and right channels, with five-star Dali Oberon 1 standmounters taking on the surround duties. Add to these the Dali central channel and subwoofer, and you get a system that offers more heft and volume than the Q Acoustics – but requires more space as a result.

It also offers some sonic improvements, which justify its higher price tag. During testing, the system delivered a wonderfully full sound, with a hefty, but controlled low end and agile dynamics.

The end result is a surround sound system that delivers truly immersive home cinema experience, whether in conversation dramas or explosion-filled action movies. Which is why the verdict of our review says:

“The Dali Oberon 5 5.1 system presents every frequency in full, but with honesty and warmth that brings the best out of any soundtrack. They’re transparent but fun, powerful but subtle; we’d have them round to ours any day.”

Similarly, the five-star Denon AVC-X3800H is a step up on the Sony TA-AN1000, both in price and performance. It’s also one of the mid-tier AVRs we recommend, even at full price.

For starters, it’s crammed with hardware, making it one of the most future-proofed units you’ll find at its price. For regular surround sound, it can power 9.2 to 11.4 channels. If you want to make the leap to Dolby Atmos down the line, it can go up to 5.4.4 out of the box.

We tested it with 5.1 and Atmos systems and it delivers excellent results in both – so there is plenty of headroom for a system expansion in the future if you need it.

Then there’s flawless HDR support and six HDMI inputs – three of which are HDMI 2.1 ports rated to 40gbps. You shouldn’t run out of connectivity options, then, even if you have a ludicrous number of players, streamers and consoles.

But, as with the Sony, the Denon's main selling point is its excellent audio ability. All of which makes it a stellar AVR to match with the fine Dali package, and an easy recommendation at its current price. As we say in our Denon review:

“Combining future-proofed connectivity, flexibility and a mature, authoritative but expansive sound [if] you’re looking for an all-round performer with plenty of features and ample scope for system expansion, then the 3800 is a superb choice.”

If you want something significantly better than the Denon, you will need to go up a tier and invest in a more expensive AVR – such as the Marantz Home Cinema 30 we currently recommend, which costs £3800.

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Marantz has unveiled its latest preamplifier and power amplifier duo, and they feature a medley of features derived from the Award-winning Cinema 30 AVR, as well as the company's flagship AV 10 series.

The AV 20 AV Preamplifier and AMP 20 Power Amplifier sport classy designs similar to the Cinema 30, with the stylish "porthole" screen and tasteful side illumination returning; two aspects we thoroughly approved of in our full review. Marantz's premium aluminium remote is also included, with backlit buttons ideal for operating these new amps in dark home cinema rooms.

While these amps certainly pass the style check, it's how they sound that's truly important. Starting with the AV 20 preamplifier, Marantz has outfitted this AV processor with the "latest and most powerful" Analogue Devices SHARC dual-core DSP chipset, which has been coupled with 32-bit two-channel DACs complete with dedicated jitter reduction.

It claims that this powerful digital platform will be able to "precisely decode" and "accurately process" a wide range of cinematic audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Pro and IMAX Enhanced. And, with 13.4 channels supported by the discrete HDAM SA-3 preamplifier stage (via either RCA or XLR), the AV 20 should have no trouble delivering a full immersive surround sound experience.

Connectivity seems strong in usual Marantz (and its sister company Denon, for that matter) fashion, with seven HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of supporting up to 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz signals. While Marantz hasn't explicitly confirmed which HDR formats the AV 20 will support, we'd be surprised if it wasn't the same HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision suite found on the five-star Cinema 30. The AV 20 also sports three HDMI outputs, two of which are labelled as supporting 4K signals.

Wireless connectivity appears equally strong, too. Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Tidal Connect, and the newly announced Qobuz Connect are all supported, alongside Bluetooth and Marantz's HEOS multiroom streaming platform.

There is also a robust suite of room correction technologies on board, including Audyssey MultEQ XT32 advanced room optimisation via the included microphone.

This will automatically measure speaker sizes, levels, distances and more via a simple setup process; in our experience, it has worked a treat on various Marantz and Denon AVRs. This is supported by an on-screen display, which should make setup even more of a breeze.

Furthermore, optional Dirac configurations are available, with Dirac Live Room Correction plus Dirac Live Bass Control for "fully optimised low-frequency integration" on up to four independent subwoofers.

Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (ART) is also supported, which will reportedly deliver the "most cohesive and tonally consistent listening experience" of any available room optimisation system. It's worth noting that this feature won't be supported at launch, but will be added with a firmware update down the line.

Moving onto the AMP 20, Marantz is positioning this as a powerful and versatile power amplifier. It delivers 12 channels of amplification, rated at 200W with two channels driven, which Marantz points out is enough to "drive multiple different speaker configurations and speaker layouts with ease".

If their speaker system requires more power, users can reconfigure the 12 channels into up to six 400W bridged-tied-load (BTL) outputs. Alternatively, if preferred, users can bi-amp up to six speakers.

The Marantz AV 20 and AMP 20 will be available starting today from selected retailers, and are both priced at £4750 / $6000. Therefore, the full system should cost £9500 / $12,000, though Marantz notes that these components are available to mix and match with other preamplifiers and power amplifiers in its range.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best AV receivers

As well as our Marantz Cinema 30 review

And our JBL Synthesis SDR-38 review

Denon is back with two new pairs of wireless earbuds, the AH-C500W and the AH-C840NCW. Denon took on the big names on the block with its premium PerL Pro buds last year, but this new duo of contenders is aimed at the more budget to mid-price area of this ever-competitive market.

The more affordable AH-C500W earbuds tease "high-performance sound" from an open design which sees the buds sitting on the ear rather than burrowing deep into it – think of the AirPods 4 with ANC for a comparable configuration. An IPX4 waterproof rating, meanwhile, should keep the new Denon buds safe from splashes of water or trickles of sweat during those rigorous cardio sessions.

The AH-C500W offer up to 24 hours of battery life with the case included, while a 10-minute quick charge will grant an extra hour of listening in a pinch. Twin microphones in each earbud tease "crystal-clear" voice calls, while Auracast audio sharing technology lets you connect the buds with any number of other compatible sources and devices. It's a tech that seems to be gaining traction – JBL's latest raft of Bluetooth speakers, such as the JBL Flip 7 or the Charge 6, are all Auracast-compatible.

If you're happy to spend a bit more, the slightly more costly WH-C840NCW feature the same 12mm drivers as their budget counterparts, but if you know anything about earbud naming conventions, you'll have guessed that the 'NC' in AH-C840NCW stands for 'noise cancelling'. The AH-C840NCW offer adaptive hybrid ANC alongside a passthrough transparency mode for greater awareness of your surroundings, as well as a dual microphone array for taking voice calls on the move.

The AH-C840NCW go bigger on battery life than their stablemates, teasing up to 35 hours of total playtime from a single case charge, whereas a mere five-minute boost grants an extra hour of playtime. As is the case with the AH-C500W, the new noise-cancelling buds boast Auracast capabilities for connecting with multiple compatible sources.

The AH-C840NCW also sport an IPX4 rating for handling water splashes, but owing to their in-ear rather than open design, they're furnished with three sizes of ear tips: small, medium and large.

The Denon AH-C500W and AH-C840NCW are available in black or white finishes, priced at £99 / €99 and £159 / €159 respectively (further prices pending).

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If you like the look of the Marantz Model M1 streaming amplifier but aren't so keen on the price, Denon's Home Amp is for you. It's a very similar device – hardly surprising, given both brands are owned by parent company Masimo – but at £200 / $200 cheaper.

The Home Amp is another just-add-speakers streaming amp that can be hooked up to a TV, turntable, CD player or hi-fi system – all you need is speakers of some sort. And it brings all the joy of streaming.

Like the Model M1, it plays nice with Denon's HEOS ecosystem, so can fit seamlessly into a multi-room setup. Also like the M1, it boasts 100W of power per channel into 8 Ohms, and has been tuned by the Denon Sound Master himself, Shinichi Yamauchi. 

There are plenty of physical connections: HDMI eARC, a subwoofer out for adding some extra bass, USB, Ethernet, optical and line-in. It's small, too – about the size of an Apple TV 4K – which makes finding space for it pretty easy.

On the wireless side, there's Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music. It also has some preset buttons on the front (which don't feature on the M1), as well as controls for play/pause, and volume up and down.

Given the spec similarities but price difference, performance is likely to differ somewhat between the Denon Home Amp and Marantz Model M1. Still, the Home Amp looks like a good option if your budget won't stretch to the £999 / $1000 M1.

The Denon Home Amp launches in early August for £699 / $799 / AU$TBC.

MORE:

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Also consider: Bluesound Powernode Edge review

Canadian audio manufacturer Classé has unveiled its latest high-end preamplifier. The new Classé Delta Pre MK II builds on the groundwork laid by its predecessor, the Delta MK I, and introduces an "extensively upgraded digital front-end" which aims to bring "imperceptible levels of distortion and truly world-class performance".

Central to the MK II is the multiroom streaming platform HEOS, a service already used by the likes of Marantz and Denon. The HEOS platform gives access to audio streaming from Amazon Music, Tidal and Deezer, while the new preamp can also find and play files stored on your local network, such as from a NAS drive. Fear not; AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect are also built-in and ready to go.

The supported file format list is extensive, with the MK II capable of handling WAV, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, DSD and even MQA. The range of inputs is just as impressive, including dual XLR, twin RCA and dual phono inputs (MM/MC), five XLR and five RCA outputs, two USB, three coaxial and three optical digital inputs. There's also an ethernet port for wired internet connectivity and a headphone output for plugging in your favourite cans, plus two subwoofer outputs. If you desire TV connectivity, you can upgrade your preamp for an additional cost, adding an optional 4K board with four HDMI inputs and a single HDMI output.

The twin hearts of the machine are the dual 32-bit/384kHz AKM DACs, with the Delta MK II capable of giving hi-res support for files up to PCM 384kHz/32-bit, DSD512 and, as mentioned above, MQA. 

If you already own an original Delta Pre and you're jealous that you might be missing out on the fancy new second-gen model, you can modify your existing unit via the separately available Upgrade Kit (£2600 / €3000 / $3000) which elevates your module to the new MK II specification. 

If you're simply keen to buy a brand new preamplifier, the Classé Delta Pre MK II is available now from selected retailers, priced at £11,000 / $12,000 / €12,000.

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The latest AV receivers are so jam-packed with features that it's sometimes hard to conceive of a single user who might make use of them all. But the impressive specs of really excellent AVRs are designed not only to adapt to the changing technology of a myriad of potential source devices, but also to owners who might decide to modify and expand their home cinema in the future.

With its new mid-range home cinema amp, the AVC-X3800H, Denon has crammed in several hardware and software upgrades, no doubt intended to prolong its lifespan and make it appealing for a host of different buyers. The result is a highly flexible, well-rounded amp that owners can expect to keep for a long time and that will adapt to suit their evolving systems.

Price

Launching at £1499 / $1700 / AU$2999, the AVC-X3800H supersedes the two-time What Hi-Fi? award-winning AVC-X3700H, which was released in 2020 priced at £999 / $1199 / AU$2699. That’s quite a significant difference and it puts the formally budget-friendly mid-range AVR in competition with several higher-end models.

But it’s not an entirely unexpected hike. The cost of the AVC-X3700H hasn’t dropped since its launch during the pandemic as markets and supply chains have undergone massive changes. Despite now being discontinued, retailers that still have remaining stock are listing it at ‎£1049 / $1599 /‎ AU$2690.

Denon’s six-strong premium X range is amidst something of an overhaul, with a number of new models due over the coming months and into next year. Somewhat disappointingly, they all retain the same utilitarian design as the last few generations.

The AVC-X3800H is right in the middle of the series, just below the similarly specced but soon-to-be discontinued AVC-X4700H, which launched at £1550 / $1700 / AU$3500. It sits above the new AVR-X2800H, priced at £869 / $1200 / AU$2199 and offering seven channels of amplification and 7.1ch of processing, but with less advanced processing, a smaller power transformer, lower-current power transistors and less sturdy construction.

Features

The most notable upgrade to the AVC-3800H compared to the company’s previous models is an increase in its processing from 9.2 to 11.4 channels, which is handled by a new Griffin Lit XP processor. With nine channels of amplification as a single unit, it's suitable for configurations up to 5.4.4 out of the box but can be expanded to 7.4.4 with the addition of an external stereo amp.

Of course, you might not have four subwoofers when you purchase the AVC-X3800H, but if somewhere down the line you decide that more bass is what you need in your life, then this is an AVR that can oblige.

Similarly, users can also take advantage of a new selective pre-amplifier mode that allows each speaker pair to be assigned to ‘Pre-out only’ for use with an external power amp. Previously this option could only be activated for all or none of the outputs. But now if you decide to upgrade the amplification of your front pair, for example, you can do so.

It’s touches such as this that indicate that the AVC-X3800H has been built with longevity in mind, and its connectivity spec seems to echo that. There’s almost certainly no one eyeing up this amp who has six 8K sources right now, but when the next resolution revolution happens, the AVC-X3800H is ready.

All of its six HDMI inputs and three outputs are now HDMI 2.1 ports rated to 40gbps and capable of 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz video pass-through. They boast compatibility with every major HDR format (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log Gamma) and there’s a raft of gamer-friendly technology supported too, with VRR, QFT, ALLM and FRL (Frame Rate Link) all on board.

Denon says that as HDMI.org has updated its specifications for QMS (Quick Media Switching), the AVC-X38000H can handle the old standard (as the AVC-X3700H did), but not the latest changes. We can't imagine that being a major issue for anyone though.

Elsewhere there’s also 8K upscaling offered on all HDMI inputs, plus eARC on one of the outputs so that advanced audio formats such as Dolby Atmos can be received by the AVR via the same HDMI through which it sends video signals to the connected display.

There are plenty of ways to wirelessly connect to the AVC-X38000H too, with support for Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Roon and HEOS, Denon’s multi-room software that integrates streaming services including Tidal and Deezer and lets users stream to compatible products.

The front panel of the AVC-X38000H includes a USB port for a mass storage device, with playback support for high-resolution formats, including FLAC, ALAC and WAV files, and DSD 2.8/5.6MHz, and at the rear there’s also a phono input for vinyl playback.

The AVC-X3800H is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri voice assistants, and it can also be controlled via the Denon AVR Remote app and the included remote, which has had a new shortcut button added to it for quick switching between HDMI outputs.

The AVC-3800H is the most affordable model in the X series to offer support for Auro 3D, IMAX Enhanced, 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H formats alongside Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and it’s also where support for Audyssey’s more advanced MultEQ XT32 room calibration software as well as Dirac Live (as a new, optional extra) begins.

For all of its new AV receivers, Denon has revamped its graphic user interface to make the entire set-up process even slicker. Not all brands include full-screen video output, and it's incredibly beneficial for buyers planning to install their AVR themselves.

Those wanting to get more granular with their calibration can further customise settings using the Audyssey MultEQ Editor app (available for purchase on iOS and Android), while a Dual Speaker Presets feature lets users store and switch between two different speaker configurations and Audyssey settings. Users now have a choice of optimisation programs, with Dirac Live supported on the 3800 after a firmware update in early spring 2023 for an additional fee that’s still TBC.

Sound

In our test room, we use Audyssey MultEQ XT32 to calibrate our 7.2.4 system, which uses Dolby Atmos toppers. For most of our reviewing, the AVC-X3800H is in its Pure Direct Mode.

Watching No Time To Die on Blu-ray, we quickly discern that, like the 2800, the 3800 has had something of a retune that results in a slightly leaner low end in favour of a more balanced, quick and precise sound overall.

The explosive scene at Vesper’s tomb early on is dynamic and weighty, but the tumbling debris that scatters the mountainside remains distinct and nicely textured. In the aftermath, all the audio is filtered to indicate Bond’s temporary deafness. On the 3700, this can seem a little boomy and unwieldy, but with the 3800 we can still hear the subtle details of his gasps and the orchestration as it gradually creeps in, and the moment that the bullet cuts through the soundfield and the entire frequency spectrum bursts to life once more has an even more significant impact. Effects are well spread but accurate, and the result is exciting and immersive while remaining authentic.

Compared to the impressive and strident Yamaha RX-A6A, the AVC-X3800H can feel a touch more gentle and laid-back. The Denon is perhaps a safer, more all-around option, but which you prefer will depend on taste, the speakers you pair it with and possibly the type of content you enjoy watching.

Switching to Dune, we listen to the dialogue in the Ornithopter as the family flies out to the spice field for the first time. Set in a small enclosed space with a hefty dose of exposition, this scene can often suffer from feeling muted and certain characters overly sibilant, thanks to reflections from the headsets that they’re wearing.

Through the 3800, though, there are rich-sounding voices with a warmth and naturalism that’s more engaging than the 3700 and even some of its pricier competition. There’s more sense of the space that the characters are in, too, with the short reverb of the cockpit and the background whirr of the engine adding plenty of depth.

Streaming SBTRKT’s Trials Of The Past, the AVC-X3800H delivers a surprisingly nuanced musical performance with an assured attack at the start of each synth note and the envelope of each reverb tail given space to breathe. The hefty bass is solidly controlled, while at the top end of the spectrum, the shakers are nicely defined and spread wider than with the 3700.

Switching to James Blake's Limit To Your Love, we can appreciate the fluidity and rhythmic coherence of the 3800. While the Yamaha RX-A6A is livelier, the Denon still produces a snappy performance with surefooted timing and an emotive vocal that’s full of character.

Verdict

The increased price of the mid-range Denon AVC-X3800H puts it in the path of some exceptional AVRs. But despite this increased competition, it still proves to be a force to be reckoned with, combining future-proofed connectivity, flexibility and a mature, authoritative but expansive sound.

If you’re looking for an all-round performer with plenty of features and ample scope for system expansion, then the 3800 is a superb choice.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 5

Also consider

Read our review of the Denon AVC-X3700H

Also consider the Yamaha RX-A6A

Read our Arcam AVR5 review

Best AV receivers: excellent home cinema amplifiers for every budget

Denon’s domination in the realm of home cinema receivers has gone on for so many years that it can be easy to overlook just what makes the brand’s AV amps such a popular choice.

Glancing at Denon’s latest release, the AVR-X2800H, and comparing it to its predecessors, there’s 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, staunchly sticking to its brushed black finish and monochrome display. 

It’s a kind of confidence that’s well earned, because the AVR-X2800H doesn’t need to draw attention to itself – quite simply, like its precursors, it has one of the best all-around feature sets of any AVR at this price point, designed to appeal to serious gamers and movie buffs alike while bringing futureproofed features to an affordable price point.

Price

Mind you, that price point is a fair bit less affordable than before. The AVR-X2800H launches at £869 / $1200 / AU$2399 and supersedes the AVR-X2700H, which was released in September 2020 and priced at £599 / $849 / AU$1999. Like most AV receivers, the cost of the AVR-X2700H has risen in the intervening years due to ongoing supply issues and changes in the market. Although the X2700 is now discontinued, it’s still available from some dealers with an updated price of £749 / $1099 / AU$1999, so while it’s disappointing to see such a hefty price hike between generations, it’s not a huge surprise.

In Denon’s six-strong premium X range, the seven-channel AVR-X2800H now sits below the all-new AVC-X3800H, which costs £1500 / $1700 / AU$2999, and packs nine channels of amplification with processing for 11.4 channels and also has 8K support across all six of its HDMI 2.1 inputs and three outputs.

Meanwhile, below it is last year’s AVR-X1700H, which costs £599 / $699 / AU$1399 and offers the same channel count, format support and room calibration software as the AVR-X2800H but with a drop-down in power from 95W to 80W per channel under stereo conditions and only 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.

Features

With a generous six inputs and two outputs, the HDMI board on the AVR-X2800H 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 with various HDR codecs, including HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG).

Gamers are well looked after, with VRR, QFT, ALLM and FRL (Frame Rate Link) on board for a smoother playing experience. HDMI ORG has recently changed the specifications for Quick Media Switching (QMS) and the AVR-X28000H supports the old standard (just like the AVR-X2700) but not the latest changes, though we can't see that being a big deal to anyone for the foreseeable. Elsewhere there’s also 8K upscaling offered on all inputs and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) to deliver uncompressed audio via a single HDMI cable.

For wireless music playback, the AVR-X2800H is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Roon and HEOS, Denon’s multi-room software that integrates streaming services including Tidal and Deezer and lets users stream to compatible products from anywhere in the home. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity and a Bluetooth Audio Transmitter that allows users to listen back via wireless headphones on their own, or simultaneously with speaker playback. 

The front panel includes a USB port for a mass storage device, with playback support for high-resolution formats, including FLAC, ALAC and WAV files, and DSD 2.8/5.6MHz. Meanwhile, there’s a phono input for those more interested in physical music formats, and radio lovers will be pleased to know that the AVR-X2800H has a sister model with a DAB module. This AVR-X2800H DAB will be available in the UK and Europe priced at £899.

It’s possible to control the AVR-X2800H with voice commands via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. But for physical control, Denon’s classic AVR remote is included with a new button that lets users toggle between HDMI outputs for quick switching between a projector and TV.

Another handy usability upgrade for this model is the overhaul of Denon’s graphic user interface to 1080p from 480p. Plenty of brands don’t include a full-screen video output for access to settings at all, but we think it's a nice touch that helps users get to grips with the options available, especially if they’re not having their AVR professionally installed.

The new, smart-looking, informative interface is where users can access Audyssey MultEQ XT calibration technology. This software detects the speakers' size, type, and configuration and measures their response in the room to optimise performance. Listeners can further customise settings using the Audyssey MultEQ Editor app (available for purchase on iOS and Android), while a Dual Speaker Presets feature lets users store and switch between two different speaker configurations and Audyssey settings.

Although Denon’s pricier AVRs have a more advanced version of this software and an optional upgrade for alternative software from Dirac, a basic, step-by-step calibration process is always a welcome feature for those configuring the amp for themselves.

With seven channels of amplification and 7.1ch of processing, the 2800 can be configured to drive a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos or DTS:X system. But those without vertical channels can take advantage of DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization technologies which aim to recreate 3D audio for 7.1, 5.1 or 2.1 speaker arrangements.

Sound

In our listening room, we put the AVR-X2800H through its paces with a 5.1.2 set-up using Dolby Atmos speaker toppers. Starting with Dune on Blu-ray in Dolby Atmos, we’re instantly aware that despite many of its internal components remaining the same as the 2700, the 2800 has been tuned to produce a more open, well-spread soundstage that’s less reliant on heavy low-end prowess to produce a mature and authoritative sound. 

In the climactic moment in which the sandworm first bursts out of the sand, the powerful synth elements of the score, piercing brass and booming effects have more separation than with the 2700, where they almost sit on top of each other. This moment can be underwhelming and almost choked on some sound systems, but the 2800 gives a bit of space to each facet for a more coherent, dramatic presentation. It also feels like there’s a touch more dynamic headroom revealing additional detail and helping to create impact through more than just sheer bass.

High frequency surround effects such as the swirling sands, whispers of the Bene Gesserit and reverbs are clear and crisp, helping to build an expansive soundstage that feels precise but not overly diffused. Of course, the weighty delivery and warm sound that Denon AVRs are known for is still there, but with a slightly less dominant bass. Although some may miss its colossal impact in big explosive scenes, the compromise seems to have resulted in snappier timing and a more balanced top end.

This tonal shift also lends transients, such as the gunshots in the Matera car scene in No Time To Die, more impact and a heightened sense of propulsion and danger. As bullets rain down on the Aston Martin, there’s ample audio variation to each crack, thud and smash, and while the 2700 has a bit more low-end punch, it's a bit one-dimensional in comparison. Similarly, dialogue with the 2800 has more liveliness and clarity for more engaging viewing.

Thanks to its improved timing, the 2800 is also a more musical performer than its predecessor. Streaming Ani DiFranco’s Little Plastic Castle, there’s a nice attack to the opening acoustic guitar, and there’s a clean feel to the vocal that helps pick out her lyrics. 

When the full arrangement kicks in, room is given to each instrument, and rhythmically everything locks together well.

Switching to Robert Glasper and Amir Suleman's In Tune, there’s more breath and expression audible in the throaty vocal that lends it a lively presence compared to the 2700, which instead has a greater sense of proximity. As the simple accompaniment of the piano blooms into a free-form jam of trumpets and percussion, the 2800 opens out to reveal a broad, airy soundstage.

Verdict

In some ways, the spec of the AVR-X2800H isn’t that dramatically different from its predecessor. But that’s partly because the AVR-X2700H was already one of the most comprehensive, reasonably priced AVRs available. 

The AVR-X2800H ups the ante with more HDMI 2.1 inputs, a new user-friendly interface and, most importantly, a more responsive, coherent and spacious sound. It retains Denon’s signature authoritative weight but refines and balances it with a bolder top end that can do better justice to both music and movies. With its onboard room calibration software and a modernised full-screen interface, it's relatively easy to use and well-equipped.

Despite the price hike, the AVR-X2800H still sits at the head of the class, just as its excellent predecessor did.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 5

Also consider

MORE:

Read our review of the Yamaha A6A

Also consider the Denon AVR-X2700H

Read our Denon AVC-X3700H review

Best AV receivers: amazing home cinema amplifiers for all budgets

So you've taken the leap into the world of true cinematic sound? Congratulations! You're about to experience true surround sound that even the best soundbars can't quite match.

However, if this is your first rodeo, then be prepared; setting up an AVR is a bit more involved than plugging in a soundbar.

If you're mystified by the endless connections on the back of your new amp, or perhaps you're befuddled by the calibration process, then don't panic.

We've set up more AVRs than we count, and have come across our fair share of pitfalls. So, we've compiled a guide to help you through the process and help you dodge the same hurdles that we've encountered.

We're covering everything from which AVR you should buy to some key tips and tricks to ensure you get the best possible performance out of your new home cinema amplifier.

Choosing and buying your AV receiver

AV receivers may look complicated, but it can be easier to pin down requirements for buying your new amp than most other hi-fi or AV kit. They all look the same, after all – a sturdy rectangular box – so at least you don’t have to make many aesthetic choices beyond perhaps black or silver.

You mainly need three things on your checklist: how many speakers do you have, how many HDMI inputs will you need, and what’s your budget?

Since you’ve (presumably) already made the big decision of having a surround sound system in your home, you probably already know how many speakers you can fit in – from a basic 5.1 to an all-out Dolby Atmos extravaganza. So your choice of amplifier will largely be dictated by this.

If you’re only ever going to have room/space for five speakers and a subwoofer (the minimum for a proper surround system), then you don’t have to look further than a five-channel AV receiver. If, however, you’re toying with the idea of expanding – adding some surround back channels say, or maybe you want an Atmos system at some point – it’s worth investing in a nine or 11-channel amplifier so you’re future-proofed.

Thinking about installing an Atmos system from the start? Firstly, we envy you. Secondly, double-check your AV amp supports Atmos soundtracks – most amps at £500 / $500 / AU$700 and above should do as standard by now. Fair warning, amplifiers around this price don't tend to deliver supreme sound quality; for instance, the Denon AVR-S670H proved to be somewhat lacklustre.

We’d also recommend looking for an amp that lets you accommodate four Atmos speakers (a 5.1.4 or 7.1.4 configuration), not two (5.1.2 or 7.1.2, for instance, which you’ll find in many low to mid-range amplifiers). There are some great amplifiers in this price range, such as the Award-winning Sony TA-AN1000 (£1000 / $1240 approx / AU$1850 approx)

If you are set on the full Dolby Atmos package, and want an all-in-one solution, then you’ll be looking at amplifiers in the upper-mid range to high-end region. Take a look at the Denon AVC-X6800H (£2999 / $3500 / AU$5999) or the Product of the Year winning Marantz Cinema 30 (£4000 / $4500 / AU$7900) if you're after the best sound performance and feature sets.

These models aren't cheap, but they are worth it. Why? We don’t find two Atmos speakers enough for a genuine Atmos effect, so if you’re serious about getting immersive, overhead, 3D sound: go for four. Just take a passing glance at Dolby's speaker set-up guides to ensure your room will work for it.

Next to consider is connections. You’ll want to make sure you have enough HDMI inputs if you’ve got multiple sources – Blu-ray player, games console, set-top box – and that they support the latest 8K and HDR specifications to allow a degree of future-proofing.

Most amps will come with some legacy analogue connections too – great if you’ve got kit that pre-dates HDMI, like a VHS player.

Price is obviously a big factor, too. You can only buy what your budget dictates, after all, and that does simplify matters somewhat.

As a general rule of thumb: if the amp is below £500 / $500 / AU$900, you’ll get basic 5.1, a handful of HDMI inputs, and probably no internet.

Move up to the sweet spot of around £700 / $700 / AU$1400 and you get every single cutting-edge AV feature – wi-fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, 4K HDR passthrough, multiple HDMI inputs, all music streaming features – thrown in.

If you've got £1000 / $1000 / $1900 to spend or more, then expect everything above, but more power, bigger scale of sound, more speaker terminals, more fine-tuned audio calibrations and more features.

How much should you spend in a given system? As a rough guide, if you have a £1000-£1500 (around $1250-$1850 / AU$1950-AU$3000) speaker package at home, you should aim for a £500-750 (around $750 / AU$1180) AV receiver. Similarly, if you have your sights on a £2000 (around $2500 / AU$4000) amp, your speaker package should be in the £4000-£5000 (around $5500 / AU$8900) region – essentially, double the amplifier’s worth (and add a bit more).

How to connect your kit to an AV receiver

You’ve bought your amp, congratulations! Now it’s time to plug everything in.

The sheer number of connections on the back of any amp can be daunting, but take your time to get it all set up properly in one go and you’ll never have to do it again.

We’d recommend keeping the amp powered off when you’re plugging in your speakers, subwoofer and sources. That will stop any pops, shorting of circuits or any other possible damage to your system.

Most, if not all, amps have everything clearly labelled. Some, such as Denon’s amps, helpfully colour code the speaker terminals to make plugging in five (or more) pairs of speakers easier. Surround backs, height or front width speaker terminals can double up as those for Dolby Atmos speakers, too: these might be labelled as “assignable”, “5.1.2ch” or “Extra SP”.

If you’ll be playing 4K HDR content, look out for the “HDCP2.2” label above the HDMI inputs. In some cases, only a couple of HDMI inputs will be HDCP2.2 certified – make sure you plug your 4K Blu-ray player into these.

You’ll also notice that each HDMI input has a source assigned to it: Blu-ray, DVD, CD, Game, CBL/SAT, media player and so on. This isn’t just friendly guidance. This means the manufacturer has taken care to optimise these inputs for those particular sources. The Blu-ray input, for example, might offer the shortest signal path to the processor and so delivers the best performance.

Two more connections worth talking about: we’d recommend using the wired ethernet connection if you can, as it’s more stable and reliable than wi-fi.

And the USB port in front? It’ll play media files off a USB stick, but we find it useful for charging our smartphones too (if the amp allows it).

Calibrating your AV receiver

Here comes the lengthiest, fiddliest part of setting up your AV receiver.

Most AV receivers come with a set-up mic. Plug that in and run the auto-calibration when prompted – it will measure your speakers and your room, set the speakers’ distances and levels and, in the case of fancier (read: pricier) amplifiers’ calibration systems, optimise the speaker package's performance to match its surroundings.

We recommend running the auto-calibration right after plugging everything in – get that fuss out of way in the very beginning, then the sooner you can start listening to your new home cinema.

Also, the system won’t sound right until the calibration is done. Once the mic is plugged in, simply follow the on-screen instructions to the letter and let the calibration run its course. Some take only a handful of seconds, while others can take more than five minutes because they take multiple measurements. We tend to go off and make a cup of tea for the longer ones.

If you have Dolby Atmos speakers installed, you need to tell the amp so before calibrating.

Head into the manual speaker settings (you may have to delve into subfolders in the menu) to tell the amp if they’re upward-firing Atmos-enabled speakers (such as the KEF R50s) or installed in the ceiling – then it can calibrate accordingly. The amp will ask for your room’s ceiling height, so keep a tape measure handy.

You’ll also need to tell the amp if you’re using one or two subwoofers. Set the subwoofer's built-in volume control about halfway, run the calibration and then adjust accordingly if it sounds too bassy (or not bassy enough) when playing a film clip.

If the calibration flags up a fault with one of the speakers during measurement (or doesn’t recognise it when it’s there), double-check it’s plugged into the right terminal – sometimes it flags up when a speaker is out of phase.

Most calibration systems these days are largely accurate, but it’s always worth delving into the manual speaker settings to double-check the distances and levels, and tweak the results where needed. Trust your ears: if it sounds wrong, it probably is, so adjust away.

The main thing you’ll need to change is when the amplifier hasn’t recognised whether your speakers are large or small (this happens a lot).

You can even get nerdy like us and adjust the speaker levels using a sound pressure meter level (or use the equivalent smartphone app – they genuinely work).

It’s worth noting if you ever change your speaker package, change its position or move furniture around in the room, you’ll need to run the whole calibration again. So don’t lose that set-up mic.

We'd also suggest going back into the menus and manually turning off any dynamic range compression (sometimes referred to as DRC) in the menus. This reduces the dynamic range of the amp and is really for late-night listening so any huge bangs and crashes don't annoy the neighbours. If you're going to be mainly watching movies at more sociable hours, then you'll want to hear the soundtrack in all its glory, right?

Surround sound modes and DSPs

Just as you’re coasting the post-calibration high and are ready to hit play on your 4K Blu-ray, you might notice another couple of options: surround sound modes and DSPs.

DSP (digital sound processing) can vary from Dolby or DTS processing modes to specific Drama/Sci-Fi/Adventure/Game modes that boost certain aspects of the sound. You may even enjoy more fanciful effects that simulate the acoustics of a cathedral, a concert hall, an NYC jazz club or LA’s Roxy Theatre.

This last group can be enormous fun to play around with. Yamaha has some of the best sound programs for invoking a specific environment and delivering a subtle yet convincing effect.

But since we prefer not to colour the sound signal too much (if at all), we’re going to focus on just a handful of sound modes that put sound quality at the fore. Look out for the ‘straight’, ‘direct’ or ‘pure direct’ modes on your amplifier – these tend to offer the purest signal from source to output.

The modes vary with each manufacturer, but they generally switch off any part of the circuitry that isn’t needed, thereby reducing distortion and getting rid of any interferences – all in the name of keeping the signal path as pure as possible.

On the other hand, you might find you need a specific mode or setting to play Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks (which are layered on top of the standard 5.1 or 7.1 soundtrack on Blu-ray discs).

For example, when you select Movie Mode on the Denon AVR-X1800H, you also get a sub-menu to choose the surround mode you want the soundtrack to be played in – i this case Dolby Atmos/Surround.

One more thing: if you’ll be watching/listening to a variety of content – films, sports, video games, stereo music – through your amp, it’s worth setting up shortcuts with bespoke settings for each type of content you watch. A particular movie mode for films, two-channel stereo mode for music only, another DSP for games – it’ll save you from having to change the sound settings all the time.

When we test an AV receiver, we let it ‘run in’ (i.e. keep it playing for a day or two) to get it sounding its best before any critical listening. Since you’ll be living with your amp, you’ll find that it sounds better the more you use it.

So what are you waiting for? Pop in your favourite film, grab some snacks, and enjoy your new, perfectly set up home cinema system.

AV receiver tips and tricks

• AV receivers are big and heavy objects, so give your amp enough space on your AV rack.
• Make sure it has plenty of ventilation, too, as it can run hot during playback.
• Keep the display turned off for a boost in sound quality.
• Smartphone apps can be nice, but we prefer a trusty physical remote control. Bonus points if the remote is backlit.
• Go look through every single folder and subfolder in the amp’s menu – you’ll find loads of useful settings tucked away.
• Use quality speaker cables and HDMI cables to get the best out of your system.
• Try to keep all the speaker cables from tangling with each other too much, to reduce any interference.
• Check for software updates regularly, and switch on automatic updates if you can.
• Try to match your AVR to your speaker system. Have a leaner-sounding speaker package? Try to find an AVR with a richer and fuller sound, such as a Denon or Marantz, to balance it out.
• Ignore the power ratings stated by the manufacturer. Every manufacturer measures them in a different way, so the results can be misleading. It may be tempting to go for the largest number (e.g. 200W per channel), but the power ratings on an AV receiver don’t accurately represent the performance.
• Top tip: before you sit down to enjoy film night, turn on the AV receiver about half an hour earlier to let it warm up – it’ll sound considerably better than if you start playing it when it's cold.

MORE:

5.1 vs 7.2 surround sound: which is better?

The best Dolby Atmos movies of the decade (so far) to test your home cinema

13 of the best movie scores to test your system

Our pick of the best surround sound systems you can buy

Big changes for two AV stalwarts today, with the news that D+M Group, the company formed by the merger of Denon and Marantz, has been sold to a US private equity firm.

The new owner is Sound United, with Boston Acoustics, Denon, HEOS by Denon and Marantz joining Definitive Technology and Polk Audio on the company's consumer electronics roster. Sound United is a division of DEI Holdings, a portfolio company of Boston-based private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners. Charlesbank acquired DEI Holdings in 2011.

As expected, the talk is of expanding product portfolios and extending the reach of the brands, with the new owners eager to stress Denon and Marantz will keep their own identities.

Kevin Duffy, CEO of Sound United, said: "We welcome the addition of the D+M team and are excited to work together to ensure that this strategic combination capitalizes on its global leadership position, while also ensuring that each of our individual brands continues to be highly differentiated in the marketplace. Our existing customers and channel partners will benefit from the enhanced breadth and depth of the combined product portfolio, while our strategic suppliers should be well-positioned to expand with us as we grow.”

However, with plenty of product crossover between Denon and Marantz - notably in the world of AV receivers - it will be interesting to see how the two companies progress following this news.

While Marantz is a more specialist brand, popular in territories such as the UK and Japan, with its headphone and wireless speaker ranges, as well as hi-fi and home cinema products, Denon arguably has the wider appeal.

Marantz picked-up a What Hi-Fi? Award for its CD6006 CD player, while Denon's AVR-X2300W was our favourite home cinema amplifier of last year.

See all our Denon reviews

See all our Marantz reviews