Hands-On Review: Denon AVR-4310CI Audio-Video Receiver

HIGH POINTS
Powerful, neutral, effortless sound
Extensive audio processing options

This is the third-from-the-top model in Denon's receiver lineup. The "CI" in the model number stands for "custom integration" referring to multi-room options and control interfaces that allow the receiver to be integrated into a whole-house entertainment system. Power rating is 7x130 watts, and retail price is $2,699.

Finished in black, the receiver has large knobs on either side: one for source selection and the other for volume. Also on the front panel are three handy programmable buttons that can be set to perform any function. Secondary controls and inputs are hidden under a flip-down panel. The AVR-4310C comes with a full-size touchscreen remote and a smaller secondary remote that performs key functions.

The AVR-4310CI supports all the high-resolution surround-sound formats used on Blu-ray Disc (including Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio), all the familiar formats used on DVD (Dolby Digital, DTS) and those that can be used to enhance two-channel content (Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS Neo:6), plus a bunch of others. The most interesting are Dolby Pro Logic IIz and Audyssey DSX (Dynamic Sound Expansion).

With Dolby Pro Logic IIz processing, an extra pair of speakers is added in the front. These are mounted above the main front left and right speakers, and add a vertical dimension to the sound. Dolby Pro Logic IIz does not require special content. According to Dolby, the decoder identifies and processes low-level uncorrelated information in two- and multi-channel content, such as ambience and effects like rain and wind, and directs it to the front height speakers. The result, says Dolby Laboratories, is greater spaciousness and realism with both movies and music.

With Audyssey DSX processing, extra height speakers can be added to the front. Even more effective, according to Audyssey Laboratories, is an extra pair of front wide speakers to the side and slightly in front of the main front and left speakers. The wide channels can make a more effective contribution to a realistic soundstage than extra surround speakers behind the listener, where our hearing is much less acute.

I tested these receivers with an Energy Reference Connoisseur 5.1-channel speaker system, and assigned the rear surround amplifiers to the front so that I could biamplify the main front speakers.

The Denon AVR-4310CI uses Audyssey MultiEQ XT room-correction processing. During setup, the receiver will analyze acoustics in as many as eight locations, and optimize settings across all the tested locations. After testing, I used the menu system to change some of the settings. These include the ability to adjust the crossover frequency (the frequency at which bass output is handed over to the subwoofer) separately for each channel. These adjustments are made easier thanks to the AVR-4310CI's snazzy graphical user interface. Operations of different options and settings are explained right on the screen. The manual is also very thorough and well organized.

There are many different audio-processing options that can be applied during listening. These include Audyssey Dynamic Volume, which automatically adjusts volume during listening to compensate for sudden increases in volume (for example, during TV commercial breaks), and Audyssey Dynamic EQ, which adjusts tonal balance based on listening level (so that sound remains full at modest volume levels). Again, these options are explained by the graphical menus.

The AVR-4310CI has USB and Ethernet connectors. I connected it to my home network, and it found the music library on my Linksys NAS200 server with no problem. Similarly, it played music from my iPod when I connected the player to the receiver's USB port. Searching through the music libraries on the network and iPod was responsive. With network and iPod audio, the receiver displays album artwork. Internet radio stations can be sorted by genre or country, and you can register favourite stations so they can be recalled easily. The receiver will also connect to the Napster online music service.
These network functions are great for casual listening. For serious listening, I turned to several recent Blu-ray movie releases, and a few favourite CDs and SACDs from my music collection.

The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray version of Passchendaele was fabulously reproduced. The climactic battle scene, with driving rain and artillery exploding everywhere, was absolutely terrifying, and produced without a touch of strain.
Similarly, Valkyrie on Blu-ray Disc sounded massive. The marshalling of the Deutschland Guard Berlin in Chapter 20, and the big martial soundtrack, had huge impact.

The Dolby True HD soundtrack of The Dark Knight sounded ever-so-slightly strident. Even so, the big chase scene was huge and dramatic, and reproduced effortlessly.

Turning to music, and staying with a martial theme, the Denon receiver convincingly conveyed the incredible power of a full symphony orchestra when playing a surround-sound SACD of "Mars: The Bringer of War" from The Planets by Gustav Holst.

A surround-sound SACD of Pink Floyd's classic Dark Side of the Moon sounded completely thrilling. In the famous opening of "Time," alarm clocks clanged convincingly, and the percussion and bass that followed had wonderful impact.

Turning to something more tender, Norah Jones' voice in "Cold Cold Heart" had wonderful expressiveness, and the instrumental accompaniment sounded superb: the string bass and piano sounded fast, dynamic and completely natural.

Bottom line: this is a superb receiver, with fabulous sound quality, extensive connectivity, very well implemented network features, and an almost endless array of useful audio and video processing features, all tied together with an excellent interface.