Denon AVR688 Dolby Digital Surround Receiver


Manufacturer: Denon Electronics USA LLC
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

List Price:$449.00
Our Price:$449.00
buy

Features:
  • 7.1 channel home theater system with 75 Watts per channel
  • Dolby Digital Surround EX and DTS decoding
  • Component video switching with 3 inputs and 1 output
  • XM Satellite ready
  • Automatic room equalization

Description:
The AVR-688 surround sound receiver is network ready and can integrate into a home networked system when used with the optional ASD-3W/3N iPod docks, allowing more sources for playback then ever before. HDMI 1.3a video switching has been employed for today's demanding HD sources, providing rich color quality for 1080p signals. Digital audio is distributed by either optical or coaxial connections to high speed surround processing circuits for premium quality Dolby Digital and DTS Digital decoding. Seven high-current style amplifiers are used in the AVR-688 to deliver clean, clear performance for unmatched sound quality from your DVD or set top box digital devices. Analog video up-conversion makes switching various types of analog video signals easy, as duplicate wiring can be eliminated and signals channeled into one single component video output. Audio Delay is provided to allow for exact matching of audio and video signals when signal delays occur from some audio/video sources. Our newly styled pre-programmed remote control provides ease of use for the newcomer, or enhanced use for the seasoned user.


Denon AVR688 Dolby Digital Surround Receiver
Reviews:

starsSo much better than the Onkyo TX-SR605!!
My 2005 Yamaha 650 series was very good to me until my dog chewed one of the speakers wires and shorted out the receiver, so I decided to try the new Onkyo TX-SR605 model everyone was raving about besides the overheating problem with Onkyo, everything I heard about the receiver was good. Which I agreed until I tried the Denon. I did all the automatic speaker calibration which worked very well. The sound was ok but not very impressed so I tried tweaking with the sound but did not get much better. Remember, I was comparing this unit to my Yamaha. Then I decided to look to see what else what out there around the same price and the Yamaha and Onkyo. I found the Denon AVR-688, so I tried that out since I knew Denon was pretty reputable. Both places had a 30 day return policy so I new I had 3 1/2 weeks on left on the Onkyo to do the comparison. After the lengthy set up with the Denon (took me 4 times longer to set up the Denon than the Onkyo), which is not as hard as people say as long as you go step by step through the instruction. I decided to play some music and all I can say is this thing sounds 20% better than my two year old Yamaha and 40% better than the Onkyo. The Onkyo was very good for the money but the sound did not have the depth of the Denon. Listening to a TV program, the center speaker sounds so much more life like. The Onkyo had a very thin sound compared to the Denon. It was almost like teh Onkyo was playing through curtains. This is playing on a $400 center speaker. I wish I could put a picture on here of me with both receivers just to prove that I did the test. This is not just my opinion but even my wife, who could care less of how it sounds, said she could tell a difference. I had them both out side by side so I could quickly plug up one to compare. I also use banana plugs to for the speaker connectors to make the swap even faster. I will be returning the Onkyo this weekend. I do have not have a vested interest in this article but the difference in sound was worth writing.



starsHorrible in every way
I have bought this receiving to the city of the circuit in order to replace an old Yamaha, dawning to a plasma TV, a Wii and a dvd of the upconvert. I have hesitated between the Denon and a Onkyo in comparable way estimated (TX-SR605). Ché error! After 3 days to try to convince all mine members in order to work correctly I have given in on and I have coupled all in on through the TV and then outside to receiving. In the meantime I have tried 3 times to half the next week and to put in contact with the service of customer of Denon from the email for a sure aid without one answer. A great problem with this receiving is that not ago to work the audio through the HDMI connections, coaxial separate or optical an audio cable is demanded. Naturally you cannot find these information until that you do not obtain from the box it to them and you pass through the handbook. Even if I have had all cables demands and have followed the guide I could not obtain all that it works as it must. Finally I have taken it to the cc of new and I have exchanged it for the Onkyo. 45 minuteren more subsequently ALL have worked perfectly. Over a month still I have more subsequently not had email of return from Denon. Stay via


starsGood product, terrible manual
Accosento with the front review that the handbook for this product is close-useless. It resembles to a translation robot of originates them Japanese. I was tiny via from the restitution it to Amazon after 3 days of the frustration. Noticed enough for case that the handbook points out in a famous one to piè of page that the attachmnents of the HDMI cable does not transport the audio with AVR 688. It has had to use optical cables audio and finally calculated towards the outside that one these were input allottable. Once that assgned they correctly, all work the just ndemnity. I have a SONY audio Bravia HDTV full, loudspeakers of Polk (SW404, RC80i' s and RTi6' s) a SONY that upconverting the HD/DVD player. Moreover it connects one miniums-sintonizzatore wireless XM. I love my putting to running point, but if you had it in order to make the surplus I probably would wait for the AVR788. Once that you decomposed in the cost of a connection of optical cables audio, the difference of prices is nearly negligible. While the putting to point is not definitively for the heart weak person (an incubus, really) the product is a good value. It loves the sound of circond and integrated radio XM is one real one more.


starsBad purchase
I purchased this product and for the first time in my entire life had to spend 3 evenings setting it up. Read the manual 3 or 4 times but the explanations are weak at best.

Overall, very unhappy with this and I plan on returning it. To give you a bit of background i have a HDTV, PS3 and Mac Mini hooked up to the receiver and was looking for a solution that would give me a single cord for each component.

I was very surprised when i discovered that this was not the case (that or i just couldn't figure it out) and I could only manage to get sound with a digital cable. The manual specifically stated that I had to put the input on "Auto" for HDMI sound, but that never worked.

The sound was average, again most likely due to poor user set-up, but come on: this is 2007, how hard do i have to work to watch TV? I understand that this may be for people who like to tweak their Receivers for perfection, but this is a $450 piece of equipment; a starting module in comparison to the others.

Regardless, i had an Onkyo 605 for a few days and i plan on exchanging the Denon for the Onkyo again. At least it only took 10 mn to watch a movie, whether from DVD or cable and listen to music from my computer...



More Products:


--end of Denon AVR688 Dolby Digital Surround Receiver