- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 44 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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40 out of 40 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"An absolutely amazing HTIB system!"
Pros: Component system sound with a HTIB size. Superior quality of workmanship. Unbelievable (until you try it) sound quality. Many more listed in the review.
Cons: A very all-inclusive, complex manual with a skimpy index that doesn't list the many items covered in the manual.
Summary: At age 60, but still a geek and ex-audiophile, I'm at the point in my life where I wanted to simplify things. Yes, my expansive component Home Theater system was great...but it still required constant tweaking and manipulation...mostly just because all the features and capabilities there there...not because they actually needed adjusting.
We have two home theaters...the high end components of the primary one were recently stored away and replaced by a Bose Lifestyle 48, which is a very nice (and simple) system...but I needed something even more simple (and with only a 2.1 speaker configuration) for a 10x12 alcove area in our FROG for a private theater, where I didn't have room for rear speakers. Enter the Denon 301.
I lugged this thing home, all the while telling myself there was no way it would ever live up to my expectations, but since it was not optimally setup at the store for a decent demo...this was my only option.
From opening the box to being completely setup was maybe 15 minutes. In fact, it's packaged so well that unpacking it takes longer than setting it up. Default setting were all set to flat, so you have to tweak it to suit your tonal preferences, but that's a good thing.
I was absolutely blown away by the sound this tiny little system puts out. If you have it setup against a wall, with another wall reasonably close behind you, you're in for a real surprise...especially if you are a non-believer in virtual speakers. The left and right rear virtual speakers sound almost as if they are really there! Granted, this system is best suited for two, very friendly, people, as you have to be in the center of the sound field, but even outside of it the sound is great.
The remote: first one I've seen that is done right. All the controls you need to use a lot are on the front, and all the buttons you need occasionally are on the back behind a clever little door. Very cool, Denon!
I only have two (very small) nits about the system. First, the neon blue light that circles the power button is a bit too bright...thus distracting from your overall vision that should be focused on the TV. Second, the manual is VERY complex and all inclusive...but very few things are even mentioned in the index, so it's difficult to find answers to your questions without spending a lot of time thumbing through the manual.
I have this paired with an Hitachi 42HDX62 Director Series Plasma and I simply could not be happier. FWIW, this replaces a very expensive Klipsch speaker system). Thanks, Denon...for disproving that small HTIB systems are inferior. Yes, it's a bit expensive...but in the grand scheme of things...it is well worth it.
- 3 replies to this review
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Anyone know of a product that has as good intergration with I-pod, but with 5.1 or 7.1.
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hey did you try the dim sensor and the display settings to adjust the brightness of the buttons ??
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hey did you try the dim sensor and the display settings to adjust the brightness of the buttons ??
Denon S-301:
