Denon Introduces S-Series 2-channel Surround Systems

[Audioholics]

<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/DenonSseriesStereoSystems.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 116px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=[DenonS101receiver1] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/DenonS101receiver1_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>Denon Electronics today announced the first products in a planned family of advanced “S-Series” integrated home entertainment systems. The two Denon 2.1-channel surround sound DVD home theater systems, Models S-301 (SRP: $1,599) and S-101 (SRP: $999) are the world’s first home entertainment products to provide simple, convenient connectivity and control of today’s portable digital music devices, including the popular Apple iPod series of portable players. In addition, the S-301 includes a front-panel USB port that lets users easily connect with Rio and other popular portable MP3 players, as well as USB Flash memory devices. Both units also provide an analog connection to all makes of portable devices via their headphone jacks. The Denon S-101 and the S-301 will both be available in August.</FONT></P><P><FONT face=Arial size=2>[Get Details and Photos]</FONT></P>

 

[Jaycan]

Why would anyone want to play MP3 files in a high end AV system? That belies the "no compromise" moniker. There is a large compromise, and it's in audio quality. While MP3s might sound OK in the car or on a computer, the stripped down data is painfully unmasked by a revealing, transparent audio system. When I hooked up my computer to my receiver, I was shocked at how thin the MP3 files sounded, even those with sampling rates above 300KBPS. I can see a person with a huge MP3 library obtained by free peer networking wanting to use them as background music in the house, but they wouldn't stand up to critical evaluation, perhaps not even good enough for party tracks.

 

[av-man]

jaycan,
The new S-series stuff is not what most would call high end, and the main reason one would use the I-pod and such on a high end system is for audio distribution. It's no different than high end music servers that are being used in a lot of large installs.
But I agree the sound is less than adequate for the main zone for most of us.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

I think it's pretty.

 

[Spiffyfast]

They are kind of slick looking, but there are much less expensive ways to hook up an mp3 player