The best soundbars deliver excellent sound quality in a compact form factor. In fact, we recommend buying one to elevate the audio of almost any TV we review.
But they don't offer the best performance. For that you'll need a full-fat, multi-speaker package instead. It will give you a sense of directionality, heft and involvement that a soundbar simply can't.
And one of the best surround-sound packages is the Denon AVC-X3800H AV amplifier paired with the Dali Oberon 5.1 speakers. For a limited time only, you can pick this system up at Richer Sounds for £2499. That's a £250 saving for a very capable package indeed.
This is a great mid-tier package, ideal for people looking for a more powerful system.
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 centre-channel speaker and subwoofer, and you get a system that offers plenty of heft and volume – but requires a fair amount space to breathe as a result.
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 a 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 are 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 from 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 is crammed with hardware, making it one of the most future-proofed units you can find at its price. For regular surround sound, it can power 9.2 to 11.4 channels; if you then choose 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 40 Gbps. You shouldn’t run out of connectivity options, then, even if you have a ludicrous number of players, streamers and consoles.
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.
MORE:
These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we have reviewed
We rate the best projectors we have tried and tested
Our picks of the best OLED TVs
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