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Denon AVR-3805 Review Summary and Conclusions

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The Denon AVR-3805 is an impressive all-around receiver. It is feature-rich and is the next in line of an unbroken a pedigree of solid performers from Denon. We recommend the Auto Setup for those who are not comfortable with using an SPL meter and reference tones. For Room EQ your mileage may vary. I cannot recommend the Normal mode under any serious listening scenarios, however the Flat and Front modes may do well in certain room/speaker configurations. Denon has attempted to provide this functionality to give everyone a fighting chance to counteract the effects of room acoustics and possibly mismatched speakers... something I think they should receive credit for.

The customization offered by the AVR-3805 rivals just about anything in its price class. With the ability to bi-amp the main channels, full customization over your speaker configuration, and ample control over how DSP modes are utilized and configured for each source mode, the Denon AVR-3805 tops our recommended list in its price class. Add to this 8 Burr-Brown 24-bit 192 kHz DACs on all eight channels, 24-bit 192 kHz A/D conversion on ALL stereo analogue inputs, and some of the latest, most progressive features yet to hit the hi-fi market and you've got a real winner.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

  • StarStarStarStarStar — Excellent
  • StarStarStarStar — Very Good
  • StarStarStar — Good
  • StarStar — Fair
  • Star — Poor
MetricRating
Multi-channel Audio PerformanceStarStarStarStarStar
Two-channel Audio PerformanceStarStarStarStar
Build QualityStarStarStarStarStar
Ergonomics & UsabilityStarStarStarStar
Ease of SetupStarStarStarStar
FeaturesStarStarStarStarStar
Remote ControlStarStarStarStar
PerformanceStarStarStarStarhalf-star
ValueStarStarStarStarhalf-star
About the author:
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Clint Deboer was terminated from Audioholics for misconduct on April 4th, 2014. He no longer represents Audioholics in any fashion.

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