Denon AVR-1604 AV-receiver

The amplification system of the new Denon AVR-1604 is made according to the proprietary Twin Drive Rectifier scheme, but the declared power consumption is one of the lowest among competitors. Real output power can barely reach 6x15 W, which is quite small for a 20 m2 hall. However, under the hood is a powerful Melody 32 decoding chip from Analog Devices, there is a Cinema Equalizer for sound field correction and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 compatibility (DTS 96/24 is not supported). But the control system seems not quite logical.

The Denon AVR-1604 sounds fine - until you turn up the volume. At medium and quiet levels, the receiver exhibits a soft and enveloping sound field, but as soon as you need to "turn up the heat", it seems to be lost and goes into the shadows. It is a pity that the company paid so little attention to amplification - after all, everything is in order with the decoders in the AVR-1604.

There are also problems with playing CDs - excessive fragility does not benefit the sound at all. On the other hand, the asking price for the device, especially given the name of the company, is quite low - and if you intend to use the new Denon in a small room, you may well like its sound.