Denon AVR-X4800H: Specs
Worth: $2,499 / £2,199 / AUS$3,999
Colours: Black / silver
Ports: HDMI, Digital Optical Audio, Digital coaxial audio, analogue stereo, Ethernet, USB
Audio channels: 9 (7.1.2)
Audio codecs: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS:X, DTS, PCM, 360 Actuality Audio, Auro 3D, MPEG H
Energy output: 9x 125W
Wi-fi: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple Airplay, HEOS
Good assistant: Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Siri
Dimensions: 17 x 15.3 x 6.6 inches (w/d/h)
Weight: 29 kilos
The Denon AVR-X4800H is as near future proof as you may get with a present dwelling cinema amplifier. Providing beneficiant 8K and 4K 120Hz playback help, and compatibility with all of the immersive audio codecs you’re more likely to discover within the wild, it is the multimedia hub AV followers have been ready for.
There are two variations of the Denon X4800H. The AVC-X4800H UK/EU iteration, which lacks an FM tuner, and the AVR-X4800H with FM tuner for the American market. In all different respects, they’re the identical beast.
Whether or not you are a die exhausting film fan, or a subsequent gen gamer, each Denon variations have you ever coated with help for all flavours of HDR, in addition to VRR (Variable Refresh Price), QFT (Fast Body Transport) and ALLM for video games console use.
For this evaluate, I listened to the UK and European amplifier model. Learn on to see the way it carried out and to find if it makes the grade to rank as probably the greatest AV receivers round.
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Worth and availability
Obtainable now, the Denon AVR-X4800H sells for $2,499 within the U.S., whereas in Australia, it’s AU$3,999. It is that can be purchased direct from the Denon on-line retailer, and might at present be discovered discounted to $1,700 at Amazon.
Within the UK, the Denon AVC-X4800H launched at £2,199, however is now broadly accessible for £1,499 from on-line retailers together with Sevenoaks Sound & Imaginative and prescient.
Because the mannequin identify suggests, the AVR-X48000H sits above the AVR-X3800H in Denon’s AV Receivers line-up.
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Design
The Denon AVR-X4800H is extraordinarily properly constructed, with a twin layer inside design, and a excessive degree of end. It is designed to impress and has a big, clear show that dominates the entrance fascia, sandwiched between two rotary dials. A lure door conceals a front-mounted USB port and headphone jack.
The premium design is made in Japan, and the weighty providing ideas the scales at 29 kilos (round 13.2kg).
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Connectivity
All seven rear HDMI inputs are 8K 60Hz/4K 120Hz suitable, together with two of its three HDMI outputs, useful in the event you personal a Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Collection X/S console. This lends it appreciable versatility by way of system setup, and will show a compelling motive to improve your present AVR.
Enjoying Overwatch in Excessive Body Price is clean and responsive. The amp’s HDMI board has a 40Gbps throughput.
That triple HDMI output permits you to feed a show and a projector in the primary viewing room, and nonetheless route a secondary video feed to Zone 2. A cool addition to the button strewn distant is the flexibility to toggle by means of the three HDMI outputs.
HDMI help covers Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Imaginative and prescient. There’s additionally IMAX Enhanced certification.
You’ll discover eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) on the Monitor 1 output; there’s additionally a phono enter for vinyl fanatics, seven stereo analogue inputs, a part video enter, pre-out for all channels, plus no fewer than 4 subwoofer outputs.
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Establishing
AV amplifiers are notoriously troublesome to arrange, nevertheless Denon goes out of its method to simplify the method with a crisp 1080p 60Hz show and Audyssey MultEQ XT32 calibration.
There’s a mic equipped and it takes only a few minutes to undergo the motions. As many as eight seating positions might be measured and averaged. I settled on three.
Voice assistant comes by way of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Siri. The amp can also be Apple AirPlay 2, and Heos multi room succesful, and performs good with Roon. There’s additionally the flexibility to improve to Dirac Reside, at further price.
Wi-fi connectivity comes by way of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (sure, you’ll be able to pair headphones over Bluetooth); there’s additionally Ethernet for wired connectivity.
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Options
There are many choices in terms of set up. Providing 9 channels of amplification, you would possibly configure the system both in a 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 immersive audio structure, or 9.2 flatbed encompass, relying on speaker availability.
Should you’re operating a second zone, then there’s the choice of a stereo feed to your second room. Alternatively, you possibly can bi-amp your principal audio system.
There are literally eleven channels of decoding on board. Should you actually need to push the house theatre boat out, you possibly can add an extra stereo amplifier to your stack and add two extra channels excessive or to the rear. These with a very massive, huge viewing room even have the potential of including additional entrance width audio system, so 9.1.2. Some film soundtracks benefit from this wider topography, so it’s actually value experimenting with.
There’s additionally the bizarre provision to help 4 subwoofers. As normal, the identical LFE output is shipped to all related subwoofers. Nevertheless the X4800H additionally has a Directional mode which splits the listening house into 4, and modifies the output accordingly.
In case you have any tactile transducers hooked up to seating in your room, you too can select to drive these by way of the fourth sub output.
Heos interoperability is offered as normal, and never solely helps multiroom audio but additionally excessive decision codecs corresponding to FLAC HD and DSD, as much as 24-bit/192kHz.
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Efficiency
Very like its predecessor, the X4700H, this new amplifier is a dynamic and thrilling pay attention.
The sound profile is greatest described as visceral. The soundstage is crisp and detailed, however there’s a sense of energy and precision as properly; directional panning is completely convincing. Watching Unhealthy Boys for Life (Dolby Atmos) and the drive-by capturing of Mike (Will Smith) is completely timed, gun hearth suitably startling.
It is a blockbuster amplifier designed for blockbusters.
The amplifier’s readability can partly be attributed to its Monolith Amplifier structure, whereby the ability amplifier board is unbiased for every channel, thereby lowering crosstalk and vibration. Every channel has its personal PCB board.
Codec help covers Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS Digital:X, and Auro-3D. There’s additionally help for 360 Actuality Audio and multichannel MPEG-H (the codec behind 360RA), courtesy of its Sharc-Griffin Lite XP DSP chip.
Whereas Denon charges on-board energy at 9x 125W (into 8 Ohms) / 200W (into 6 Ohms), it sounds slightly extra muscular than that. It has no downside pressure-loading my room with huge transients — it is a blockbuster amplifier designed for blockbusters.
The X4800H can also be darn good with music, sounding mild and agile with two channel stereo and seamlessly immersive with 3D audio mixes.
Denon AVR-X4800H evaluate: Verdict
Combining a powerhouse efficiency with class main specification, the AVC-X4800H / AVR-X4800H is a house theatre amplifier with apparent long run attraction. The supply of a full board of 8K /4K 120Hz HDMI inputs, and protection of all the numerous dwelling cinema sound codecs, ensures that this Denon amp will associate any show or supply you would possibly purchase for a very long time to come back.
Construct and value are additionally prime notch. This Denon warrants two thumbs up!
