Consumer Electronics manufacturer, Denon is celebrating its 100th year in business, but they aren't letting ten decades slow them down. At a press event in Manhattan this week, Denon unveiled the latest receivers in their Custom Integrator ("CI") line. The entire line (except the flasgship 5308) has been overhauled for 2010, based on feedback from professional installers. The new models include features and capabilities requested by the experts as well as those in high demand by their customers.
The AVR-4311CI ($1,999, expected in September), AVR-3311CI ($1,199, June) and AVR-2311CI ($899, also June) promise performance, reliability and ease-of-use, boasting "connected home" capabilities made possible through Denon's partnerships with control manufacturers such as Crestron, AMX, Control4, Universal Remote Control and RTI. Denon will even be creating its own Crestron remote control modules, allowing installers to more simply create fully connected, total-home systems.
Additionally, Denon's new CI-class receivers all feature Control4 Certification, ensuring compatibility and smooth integration with all Control4 IP-based home automation and entertainment systems. They are officially "Compatible with Windows 7," too, ensuring full compatibility with the updated "Play To" functionality of the new Microsoft operating system.
Custom integrators should appreciate the Ethernet connectivity in the AVR-3311CI and 4311CI models, which offer IP control for remote system setup and maintenance, even enabling integrators to potentially diagnose and fix a set-up or configuration problem from their office. These two receivers now allow users to stream both the free Pandora online music and Flickr social photo services, as well as stream audio and photos directly from the PC, with access to over 7,500 Internet radio stations and subscription-based Rhapsody and Napster music services. Users can also stream music stored on Windows PC, Mac and media server products, or network-attached storage devices supporting the DLNA standard. All the new CI models arrive equipped with built-in HD Radio, in addition to Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby ProLogic IIz decoding, as well as handy iPod Digital Direct via USB, which is also "Works with iPhone" certified.
Serving multiple audio/video zones within the home is essential, so all Denon CI receivers offer a minimum of two-zone, two-source capability, with the AVR-4311CI and AVR-3311CI delivering three zones/sources. Other key custom-integration features included in all Denon CI receivers are RS-232 for third-party control, and assignable high-current DC trigger outputs. The AVR-4311CI and AVR-3311CI also offer Audyssey MultEQ Pro Calibration, empowering custom integrators to tailor the sound to the acoustics of any room.
The top-of-the-line 9.2-channel AVR-4311CI includes the latest Audyssey MultEQ Room Correction system, plus Dolby Volume. Connectivity to the most elaborate home theaters is assured by the two parallel HDMI outputs and seven (7!) HDMI inputs, including a front-panel HDMI input for further convenience. Analog and digital video sources are upconverted via Anchor Bay Technologies' VRS processing, up to 1080p/24/60 HD quality. It also incorporates the advanced Denon Link 4th, featuring HDMI Clock Control: When using the HDMI interface for Blu-ray A/V output in combination with Denon Link, Clock Jitter Control optimizes the HDMI digital link to avoid jitter, thereby potentially improving overall sound quality.
To top it all off, the new Denon CI receivers will benefit from a longer three-year warranty, from the AVR-2311CI on up the line.
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