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Denon is always last to announce its new AV receivers each year, but the company just rolled out its new 2012 line.
Denon’s AVR-1912 was a hit last year with built-in AirPlay support, and now AirPlay is available on all but the entry-level $250 Denon AVR-1513. There aren’t many surprises otherwise, although Denon’s back panels are looking more minimalist than ever before. Here’s how Denon’s 2012 line of AV receivers breaks down:
Denon AVR-1513
Denon
Key features of the Denon AVR-1513:
- 5.1-channel AV receiver, 75 watts per channel
- Four HDMI inputs (three back, one front)
- Supports 3D video pass-through
- Two digital inputs (one optical, one coaxial)
- Front-panel USB input (not iPhone/iPod compatible)
- Graphical user interface
- $250 list price; available now
Denon AVR-1613
Denon
Key step-up features of the Denon AVR-1613:
- 5.1-channel AV receiver, 74 watts per channel
- Five HDMI inputs (four back, one front)
- Built-in AirPlay and DLNA
- Built-in streaming apps for Pandora, Sirius/XM, Flickr
- Ethernet jack
- Audio return channel (ARC) support
- Automatic speaker calibration
- Front-panel USB input, iPhone/iPod compatible
- Controllable via iPhone app
- $400 list price; available now
Denon AVR-1713
Denon
Key step-up features of the Denon AVR-1713:
- 5.1-channel AV receiver, 80 watts per channel
- Six HDMI inputs (five back, one front)
- Audyssey MultEQ XT
- $450 list price; available now
Denon AVR-1913
Denon
Key step-up features of the Denon AVR-1913:
- 7.1-channel AV receiver, 90 watts per channel
- 1080p analog video upconversion
- Dolby ProLogic IIz sound processing
- Component video output
- Powered second-zone audio
- $580 list price; available now
While Denon’s receivers may be a lot more appealing after listening to them (the AVR-1912 was the best-sounding model CNET tested last year), nothing about these models strikes me as a huge improvement from last year. In fact, the Denon AVR-1913 loses support for Rhapsody, which was available on last year’s model. I haven’t tested any 2012 receivers yet, but Onkyo’s 2012 line is the most intriguing from the spec sheets.
That being said, it’s almost always a mistake to buy on specs alone, but if you’re in the market for an AV receiver, last year’s Denon AVR-1912 is selling for just $400 these days and looking like a very attractive option.
