OTHER TECH

[May] This megasized receiver offers more power, more channels, and more smarts than you're ever likely to need.

We're Americans. We like big stuff. Big skies, big steaks, big trucks - and big receivers. So by all rights Denon's AVR-5805 should set U.S. sales records despite its eye-watering $6,000 price tag, because it's the biggest receiver I've ever seen - possibly the Moby-est mother yet made. But it's cited here not because of its gargantuan size but its Herculean abilities.

Of course, it has all the power and basics you'd expect from a flagship receiver: 150-watt channels - ten of them - plus superb surround decoding and ambience enhancement across a full gamut of Dolby, DTS, and proprietary surround modes. You also get vastly flexible A/V switching that includes no less than three HDMI inputs (and one output) and more digital audio jacks than even I could wish for. But it's the extras that set the AVR-5805 apart - a rare admission from me, since I consider most "features" unwanted encrustations on otherwise worthy designs.

First, it's amazingly configurable - you can use its ten channels to create either two independent 5.1-channel systems or one multichannel setup plus several stereo or mono systems distributed over multiple rooms. Next, Denon's colossus incorporates fully automated setup for the main system, including digital equalization to compensate for room acoustics. (This is one of the first room-correction programs I've used that actually improves the sound.)

On the video side, Faroudja's stellar processing upscales and cross-converts signals so that you get the best quality from just about any video source. But all this is just the tip of the iceberg - the larger, less visible part is true separates-grade performance from a (barely!) receiver-shaped package. -Daniel Kumin usa.denon.com

View Another Editors' Choice Award Winner Product of the Year and Best Video Product: Sony KDS-R50XBR1 50-inch SXRD HDTV Best Portable: Apple iPod nano portable music player Best Network Product: Sonos Digital Music System whole-house audio network Best Audio Product: Denon AVR-5805 multiroom receiver Retail Innovation Award: Best Buy Visionary Award: Mark Cuban

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