Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Denon AVR-1909: Great receiver but poor instructions November 4, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was finally ready to upgrade to an HDMI receiver with the latest HD audio options so I could take full advantage of my LG BH200, Samsung LCD, Cox Cable HD DVR and Polk speakers. Previous receiver was an Onkyo TX-SR504 and I really liked it, so my first look was at Onkyo receivers. However, after reading the AVS Forum and Amazon reviews, the heating issues of the newer Onkyos concerned me.
Enter the Denon AVR-1909 with multi-eq, Audyssey, and Dynamic Volume, 3 HDMI inputs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master processing. Glowing write-ups from users at AVS really had me psyched (and provided a great deal through J&R Electronics). I have to say that this receiver is incredible for the price.
I love the multi-eq and the dynamic volume is a big help while watching TV so I don't go from quiet TV shows to blaring commercials. The Audyssey set-up was extremely easy, and really makes this receiver shine. Even my mother, who doesn't really pay attention to surround sound, commented it was "really nice to hear the sound all around" while watching "Independence Day" on blu-ray. The sound out of this unit is fantastic.
Having said that, the one big weakness of Denon is the manual. As mentioned by another reviewer, check out and print the FAQ section on the AVS Forum to help you set this AVR up because the manual is totally insufficient. Even with the help of the FAQ, I still spent a couple hours getting inputs assigned and setting up the various profiles for TV, DVD, etc. and I generally don't have problems with electronics. I also spent the next couple of weeks haunting the forum to see how others had wired their speakers and tweaks they had made to their systems so I could get the most out of this unit. I know there are still way too many things I don't understand about it, but since I have it sounding the way I want it to I don't think I need to delve any deeper.
So this is a great receiver, well worth the money, but with a very poor manual- which is why it garners 4 stars.
 Top notch, unbelievable sound October 22, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Spent a while looking for an AV receiver, and looked at many of the same models other reviewers report evaluating (Onkyo, H/K, etc.) This is my first Denon and I've been just wow'd by the sound it produces. The Audessy EQ feature works incredibly well -- you get perfectly balanced sound when watching a movie. I'm using KEF 3005 speakers in a 7.1 set-up.
I also concur with the other reviewers who comment on the complicated setup. Granted, any decent AVR will take a bit of time to setup, but the Denon manual seems to go out of its way to make the process more convoluted than it needs to be. There's a great setup "crib sheet" and FAQ on the AVSforum site -- a must read before you set yours up. Without that, I'd still be lost in the weeds!
The upside is that after a few hours of cursing the setup process, you're rewarded with the best sound you'll hear unless you're willing to spend thousands more.
 Great features, unbelievably difficult setup October 20, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Looking at the back of the unit, I wasn't at all intimidated by the number of inputs and connections. I rate pretty high in geek-factor, so I had no fear. But sadly, the manual is more "technical reference manual" than instruction manual, so getting the inputs set up took hours. Though I have just a few inputs (DVD, iPod, Satellite TV, and 2 game systems), assigning the inputs took several iterations and connector swaps; sometimes I had only sound, sometimes I had only video. Yet after some hours, I've hit a brick wall and simply can't figure out why I'm not getting iPod video. One thing that made this unecessarily complicated was that the manual, the on-screen assignment actions, and the rear of the unit all used different and sometimes overlapping terms to refer to the connection locations. So you end up kind of guessing at times.
Even the most mundane activities required several minutes to figure out. For example, you probably want the subwoofer going when listening to music, yet you must figure out the TLAs (three-letter-acronyms) and complicated menu system to get find that feature. Turned out that "LFE" setting won't get subs, I needed "LFE+MAIN". Seem obvious? Not to me.
Overall, there are numerous TLAs that I still don't understand, and I've gradually accepted that I'll never understand even a third of what this unit can even do. For example, the manual has page after page of different functionality available to the dozens upon dozens of sound modes. Skip. I'm oddly curious about the Restorer button on the front. I can't even fathom what that does, even after playing with it.
I liked the Audyssey auto setup, and I think I might even understand its purpose. Regardless, the system sounds great and seems to be performing properly (mostly). The first unit I bought had its front display fizzle out after a few short minutes. Fortunately, I purchased locally, so replacing it wasn't too much of a chore.
I haven't yet experimented with the Dynamic Volume, but I suspect this will be a useful feature. Fingers crossed. Next step is to read about the remote control, which appears brutally complicated. I just need to learn enough to get my universal remote set up, and I dread that chore. Overall, a good unit with great features for the price, but apparently intended to be installed by only a professional.
im enjoying this great reciever since the the day i got it !!! September 9, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
after bad experience with harmen kardon avr-254 (i left a review on it's page),
i did tons of research, to make sure im not falling again. i'll make it short, and tell u that DENON is top of line company with a big line of recievers that had me confuesd for a while, but, i found out that, actualy, almost all of us don't need the pricy $1000 and up recievers- they are good but with a lot of functions and over power than what we ever use on daily basis.
the avr 1909 is new -2008, have everything that you need and more to enjoy bd (ps3) and music- the power is great - sound is just perfect, setup is fast, 4 hdmi- upconverts, hd decoders and a lot more.
that reciever, for me- it's the best, watching movies is so fun now that, the movie theather looks old comper to the quality u have now with bd + lcd + denon.
recommended !!!!
one more thing- great customer service from amazon and fast shipping. thats why every purchasing, i make sure it's by amazon.
Beautiful sound! September 8, 2008
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
I'll echo what the other reviewers have said -- the sound quality of the Denon 1909 is fantastic!
After using a Harman/Kardan 245 for the last year, and being frustrated by its inability to handle audio over HDMI and therefore play the latest lossless audio codecs, I decided to look for a replacement.
I had narrowed my choices to the Harman 254 or 354, the Onkyo 606 or 706, and the Denon 988 (on sale at Amazon for a fabulous price now) or 1909/789, when --iIn a stroke of good fortune -- I chanced across an open box 1909 in perfect condition at Best Buy for $200 below list. Couldn't resist temptation, even though I hadn't been able to pre-audition it.
Wow, was it worth it! My home theater system finally lives up to expectations. I don't know whether to credit Audyssey, Denon, or the lossless audio from Blu-Ray discs via my PS3, but I am blown away by the sound I've been getting, even though I have only just begun to tweak the settings.
Yes, the manual for the 1909 is ludicrously bad, and it will be frustrating to set up such a complicated receiver for someone without a little prior experience in this area, but it is actually easier and more intuitive than my H/K, I found.
Aside from the manual, my only gripe with this receiver is the onscreen menu display/user interface... it looks like something from the stone age, with jagged blocky white capital letters on a black background. (To get Denon's nice new GUI you need to upgrade to pricier models.)
But any frustration with the quirkiness of the setup menus melts away when I hear a soundtrack from a blu-ray movie in full lossless glory. In short, I am glad I didn't take a chance on the new Harmans -- while they look nice and sound great, they are still rife with technical issues and have problems playing nice with the PS3.
The Denon just works. No HDMI handshake issues, no problems whatsoever... just stunning 7.1 surround sound. Recommended.
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