Denon AVR-4311CI 9.2 Channel Networked AV Receiver First Look

[admin]

When Denon came out with the new AVR-4311CI, we could only speculate they asked the following questions: What do you want out of a receiver? Do you want power? Video upconversion? Networking and streaming? 9.2 audio decoding and amplification with expandability to 11.2? Do you want it all plus the ability to shutdown the internal amps to use your receiver as a dedicated Pre/Pro without risk of contamination of the signal by noise and heat? If we have one bad thing to say about Denon in general and the AVR-4311CI specifically it's that they keep exceeding our expectations. When we reviewed the AVR-4310CI we thought it had more than it's price point suggested. Now, the AVR-4311CI has addressed most of our minor gripes with it's predecessor, added features we didn't even know existed, and did it all without changing the retail price. If this isn't a home run of a product, we don't know what is.


Discuss "Denon AVR-4311CI 9.2 Channel Networked AV Receiver First Look" here. Read the article.

[Buckster]

thanks - good preview and looks great product

I do like the new internal layout

[audiokiwi]

thank you Tom for great review, some more photos of front and back would be even better.
Do agree with Buckster, beautiful internal layout, i am using 3310CI now and will upgarde to this once available (this upgrarde will be for 10 years i hope).

I also like the feature of front height (height channels), do anyone know front height speakers will improve sound details for frontstage noticably (for both music and movie?) should I add those 2 height speakers in my current 5.1 setup?

current system 3310CI, OPPO PDB-83, Axiom M3 front, Axiom SQ4 surround and VP100 center, Sub SVS PBultra-13

thank you for your replies.

[Kennydee]

audiokiwi, I have a Onkyo TX-NR3007, 9.2 which has the possibility of connecting 2 front heights or wide speakers. I decided to go with the front heights and I am truly pleased with the effect of PLIIz. Sports and movies is where I use those most often. My heights really do add dimension and realism.

[ParadigmDawg]

Oh crap...since this has Audyssey's MultEQ XT 32, that may negate the need for the SVS EQ I was planning on getting.

I must start researching.

[adk highlander]

Oh crap...since this has Audyssey's MultEQ XT 32, that may negate the need for the SVS EQ I was planning on getting.

I must start researching.

Yup and the Sub EQ HT with the two inputs will do it all for you. The SVS EQ is what about half the cost of this? It is about the same size as your 3310 so Carolyn would never notice.

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Is this the same receiver as the Denon AVR-100 100th Aniversary receiver:

http://www.denon100.com/#/en/products/receiver

Check out the rest of the line-up. They look pretty cool.

But why on earth would anyone buy a SACD player when they could buy the Universal player that looks exactly like the SACD and plays blu-ray?

[ParadigmDawg]

Yup and the Sub EQ HT with the two inputs will do it all for you. The SVS EQ is what about half the cost of this? It is about the same size as your 3310 so Carolyn would never notice.

This may actually drive the price of the SVS EQ down a lot. I may have to wait and see what happens.


What is your take on the 32 bit resolution as compared to the SVS EQ?

[audiokiwi]

audiokiwi, I have a Onkyo TX-NR3007, 9.2 which has the possibility of connecting 2 front heights or wide speakers. I decided to go with the front heights and I am truly pleased with the effect of PLIIz. Sports and movies is where I use those most often. My heights really do add dimension and realism.

So, it is worth to add 2 front height speaker then? I will add a pair of Axiom M3 v3.
The 4311CI does look like AVR-A100 from the 100 year anniversary. Denon changes the name then?
I have SVS PB Ultra-100 but use single RCA connection as recommended, don't know how to setup EQ, anyone knows the best way/setup to use this box?

thank you

[gene]

thank you Tom for great review, some more photos of front and back would be even better.
Do agree with Buckster, beautiful internal layout, i am using 3310CI now and will upgarde to this once available (this upgrarde will be for 10 years i hope).

Actually that was our First Look article not a formal review. Our First Look articles tend to be more detailed than most of our competitors so called "reviews".