Denon AVR-5803 A/V Receivers

Denon AVR-5803 A/V Receivers 

DESCRIPTION

THX Ultra2 Certified THX Surround EX/DTS ES 6.1 Discrete/Dolby Digital EX Pro Logic II/DTS A/V Surround Reference Receiver

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 25  
[Feb 19, 2012]
SKMP123
Audio Enthusiast

Please normal for a Denon 5803 gets very hot with 5 channels driven? which may be causing enough heat?
Samyr thanks.

por favor es normal que un denon 5803 se calienta mucho con 5 canales conducidos ? cual puede ser la causa de bastante de calor ?
thanks samyr.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Dec 09, 2008]
fred neal
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

170 WPC, i must admit this reciever is far beyond me. i am old school and thought i could never find what i wanted in todays market. man was i ever wrong. it has the power i wanted as well as the surround sound functions that far exceed anything i had ever dreamed

Weakness:

the owners manual is the only one of 3 weakness i can find. another weakness is the ability to get sound out of the rear surround speakers without the remote. the last weakness is figuring out how to preset the tuners fm stations

what can i say? i have finally found the last piece of stereo equipment i will ever need. the 170 WPC give me the power i have longed for. having 4 cerwin vega D-9 speakers for my fronts and an infinity HPS 1000 sub along with infinity center and rears, i am finally listening to music as it was intended to be. I cant say enough about this reciever. the 7 channel stereo option allows me to play back music from all my speakers without being over powering in any field. this is an option that i never knew existed. if you have a chance to own this reciever, buy it. you will not be disapointed

Similar Products Used:

onkyo turntable, sony 200 disk cd player, cerwin vega D-9 speakers, infinity surround speakers and an infinity HPS 1000 powered sub.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 07, 2004]
Luis31
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Built quality Amplification/power reserves (for being a receiver that is...) Processing, processing, processing

Weakness:

None (well, maybe price, but not for those who are looking for "sonic karma")

It's pretty obvious the review below by JoseAlvarez (2nd review below mine...) does not belong here with the Denon AVR-5803, so please ignore. This is my 2nd review after owning this incredible piece of audio equipment for over a year. And yet after a year, it still continues to amaze me with a "beefy" amplifier section, the SHARC D/A converters, and IMO, the most complete processing capabilities. The 5803 is the "finish" line when it comes to receivers and if anyone feels the need to upgrade from this beast, separates in the likes of Bryston, Krell, or Mark Levinson would be the only way to go. I know one thing for sure, this receiver will continue to be the "main staple" of my A/V setup until it "hits the can"...

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR-DE875, Yamaha RXV-2200, Denon AVR-4802 and some old Pioneer Dolby-Prologic receiver too old I can't remember the model number.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
[Dec 12, 2003]
Dan
AudioPhile

Strength:

Everything you need in one box (if that's for you). I want to *stress* a point - without a proper room, *don't* spend big ($15k up) money on audio equipment. My next upgrade is a new addition or house!

Weakness:

Speaker terminals are very poor quality. Manual is terrible so get some dealer help if you need it. Automatic room setup in newer receivers is *very* nice, the 5803 doesn't have it. Without careful setup and *experimenting* for your room and speakers, your $ won't be well spent. Plan for a few weekends of a few hours each to get it the best it can be. The Atkis remote (RC-8000) has software to program it on your PC but it has downloading and programming problems. See http://www.remotecentral.com/ureview/25.htm or Google - Denon remote programming - for help.

The other reviews are quite right -- it is an excellent home theater receiver. I bought it for it's excellent video and audio processing, it really can't be beat for the money (yr 2003). Beautiful up-converting of VHS and S-video to component. The surround decoding covers all current (yr 2003) types and switching them for different movies based on preference is the way to go. We watch about 10 movies a week and I have found that there is more variation in DVD and CD recordings than in the sound differences between high end receivers. There is little a receiver can do to improve what the studio did to the sound. THX, DTS, Ultra, ES, dual DACs whatever, if the mix is poor they won't help. We have found that the simulated 7 channel surround is terrific on older material or bad Dolby 5.1 mixes. I would recommend the 5803 for anyone where $3-$4K is the most they can spend and want to get it at a local dealer. There are other values, Sunfire, Outlaw and others, but they can be harder to find. In the Onkyo, Yamaha etc. lines, Denon shines. There is a reason you see so many dealers using the 5803 to demo speakers. My system consists of: Mains - Martin Logan ReQuests Center - Martin Logan Theater Sides - Martin Logan Sequel II Rears - Martin Logan Arieus Sub - Velodyne HGS-18 Projector - Sony VPL VW10HT AV - Denon 5803 Sources - Sony DVD, CD, VHS, tape etc. Screen - DayLite standard 7x10 Many acoustical room treatments Video cable - Beldon 7710A (by Blue Jeans Cable) Audio interconnect - Beldon 89259 w/Eichmann Bullet RCA (by Heartland Cable) Spkr wire - Belden 8237 bi-wired The Denon is *NOT* worthy of the ML ReQuests. It runs the Sequel IIs but that signal is side surround, not main. Remember the MLs are 4 ohm electrostatic panels and require a lot of clean power, your mileage may vary. I added a Sunfire Cinema Grand (5 channels at 400W @4 ohm) and used two channels to each ReQuest to bi-amp them and used the 5th channel to drive the center. Now they have the sweet captivating sound that transcends you into the movie. The 5803 now has plenty of reserve power to drive the limited signals of the sides and rears during those *big* explosions etc. If I did it today, I would buy a lower power unit with all the processing I need and add an amp. This way I could toss the unit when new formats come out and keep the expensive amp although this combo would cost more than the 5803 alone. My better-half appreciates the sound so much she agreed to let me remove nearly all of our living room furniture and create a dedicated home theater. Curtains, acoustic treatments etc. have created a nearly perfect environment for the audio system and I have an 8 ft wide projected image - huge!

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Oct 15, 2003]
Monty
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Remote, sound stage, adjustments, power and more power.

Weakness:

None that I can see as yet

Love the 5803 beyond words. Set-up was a snap compared to my Marantz SR-18. Remote was easy to use with lots of options. Control, sound and flexibility are outstanding! For those who still use turntables this unit still supports it. My SR-18 didn't and it's only two years old.

Similar Products Used:

Marantz SR-18

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
3
[Sep 03, 2003]
DTSFREAK02
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

EVERRRRRYTHING!!!!!

Weakness:

NOTHING,FORTHOSE WITH REMOTE CONTROL DIFICULTY,YOU SHOULD READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST, THEN TALK!!!!!READDD!!!!!!!!!!IS GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN!!

JUST AMAZING THIS IS A BEAST!!!!!!!,DECODES ALL FORMATS,DUAL DACSFOR ALL CHANELS(16 IN TOTAL)EASILY COMPARE TO SEPARATES,AWESOME POWER,THERE'S NO OTHER RECEIVER OUT THERE THAT CAN TOUCH THIS BEAST!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

AVR-3803,ONKYO 787,ONKYO 797.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 01, 2003]
frankie1
AudioPhile

Strength:

170 Watts out, very nice. Easy to set up. The new up graded Denon link allowing pure digital play back with DVD audio.

Weakness:

Need more control in room balance set-up for speakers. Would of liked to be able to select CD volume at set level and when i select DVD the volume is set to what it was last left at. No one from Denon seems to be able to advise me on how to set up the new up grade denon link second addtion, to allow me to get the best out of the system. Plus i am unable to select CD play back if i have selected Denon link on. In order to play via CD channel i must go into set-up in the A1 DVD player and turn the denon link off. What a time waste.

My AV amp has blown me away with the sounds, pictures and sytle. I have tried many amps in the past, but not 1 has matched up to the level this amp is set at. I have just had the second upgrade done for the denon link to my DVD player A1 (UK) and i have found the sound quality very good.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
3
[Aug 25, 2003]
Luis31
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Built like a tank - 65 lbs. Massive power supply, transformer, headroom. Processing, processing, processing - supports all current sound formats. As good a performer for movies as it is for music.

Weakness:

Weight - placement could be troublesome, make sure your A/V rack can support it.

I've had this unit now for a good 9 months and it still continues to impress me. The processing capability of the AVR-5803 is what sets this unit apart from other flagship receivers and many "far more expensive" pre/amp processors. I took home the Pioneer Elite 49tx, the Integra DSP-9.1, and Parasound separates to try them at home for 30 days. I spent a month for each unit and the Denon AVR-5803 was the winner. All of these units have "above average" power, but when it came to processing, the Denon beat them all. The Pioneer Elite and the Integra could not match the Denon is 2-channel, 5-channel, and 7 channel stereo playback. The Parasound separates and the Denon were pretty evenly matched in 2-channel stereo. Considering there are pre/amp processors costing thousands more, but not having nearly the processing capabilities, it makes the 5803 a great buy, since it matches many separates sonic characteristics. I give it "5 stars" for value because of the thousands $$$ more you would have to spend in order to match the Denon's processing.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha, Pioneer Elite, Integra, Parasound.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 18, 2003]
jimmyp58
AudioPhile

Strength:

Power, cleanliness, straightforwardness, flexibility, expansiveness, & overall design.

Weakness:

Front display panel --- hard description (see above). Support --- I e-mailed Denon as I was somewhat confused as to setting up my multi-zone speakers --- they've never e-mailed me back. I'd be picky to say that for all the money I paid for this unit, the remote's display could/should be clearer and in color.

Why waste your time looking anywhere else? This unit has everything and more. A lot of folks complain about the remote (too bulky, too difficult, too whatever). Is it perfect? No, but show me a universal remote that is! No one ever said life was perfect anyway. I fell in love with this system from the first time I heard it and that admiration/affection will grow in time. Power --- awesome. Cleaniness of sound --- you betcha. Design --- very good (the one drawback is the "hard" coding on the front display of what is hooked into the thing --- I would have liked to be able to program onto the main unit's display what they are (e.g., SACD/DVD-A player instead of me having to say it is a "VDP"). I've owned McIntosh separates, Phase separates, and a SONY-ES line A/V receiver and none could touch this unit. As advertised, this unit would rival and top many of today's separates costing much, much more. This unit is built like a tank too. The setup is really simple --- remember guys, read & follow the instructions. I know we're not real good at this but if you do, it is simple, albeit time consuming, to set this bad boy up. And if you have a lot of pieces to plug into this thing, don't worry as there's way more than you'll probably need (6 optical ins, 2 optical outs, 5 coax ins, 3 component ins, seemingly countless S-video ins, on and on...); great design and separation on the speaker terminals too. Like I said, don't waste your time looking for any other unit. If you've got the money to live in this neighborhood, don't cheap out on another unit just to save a couple hundred bucks. I looked at a much less expensive SONY ES (7A) --- forget-about-it. B & K 507 --- very close but clumsy front panel design --- takes a number of entries to get to play what I'd want. Pioneer Elite, two units --- does Pioneer produce anything that holds up? My system includes a pair of Def Tech 2002TLs in the front, Def Tech C/L/R 2300 center, Def Tech Reference SuperCube sub, Def Tech BPX rears, Speakercraft ROX speakers for my patio, Denon DVD-2900 SACD/DVD-A player, SONY 300-disc carousel DVD player (DVP-CX875P), Pioneer Elite PDR-W37 CD Recorder, two (2) SONY CDP-M555ES 400 disc CD players, SONY MDS-501 MiniDisc player/recorder, & Mitsubishi WS 48311 HDTV. All plugged into two Monster Power HTS 5000 (protect your investment). I am sure 7 to 10 years from now I'll have to switch this out for some new toy in order to keep up with new technology but I will have lots of enjoyment between now and then with the AVR-5803. If you are into SACD/DVD-A, this unit sounds incredible when the 5.1 is playing. That is what got me started in upgrading from my 333ES Sony receiver. My SACDs & DVD-As just didn't sound all that impressive with the unit. So I auditioned some "newer" units and noticed a huge improvement in performance; the 5803 blowing everyone else away. Again, don't fret and don't waste your time looking anywhere else. You're ears will love you for buying this wonderful receiver!!!

Similar Products Used:

See above.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 11, 2003]
francis
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

CONTROLS OVER THE BASS MANAGEMENT, HIGH AND LOW FREQUENCIES ARE SUPERB. SELECTABLE ADJUSTMENTS FOR ALL YOUR SPEAKERS.

Weakness:

I FIND THE REMOTE TOO COMPLICATED TO OPERATE IN A WAY, IT WILL TAKE TIME TO GET USED TO IT.

MY SYSTEMS SETUP, DENON 5803 DRIVES MY TWO FRONT DEFTECH BP2004TL, MY CENTER DEFTECH C/L/R 2300 MY TWO SURROUNDS DEFTECH BPX AND SUB VELODYNE CHT15 AND MY DVD PLAYER DENON 3800. THIS RECEIVER IS THE ONLY ONE YOU GONNA NEED BECAUSE ALL THE FEATURES YOU NEED IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE. IT REALLY BLOWS ME AWAY THE FIRST TIME I FIRED IT UP. IT SHOOK MY WALLS LIKE THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE GOING ON. THERE ARE PLENTY OF CONNECTIONS AT THE BACK SO NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT A THING. POWER IS PLENTY ENOUGH TO DRIVE ALL MY SPEAKERS TO THE EDGE SO MAKE SURE YOU PUT SOME KIND OF VENTILLATION IN YOUR CABINET COZ IT PRODUCES HEAT LIKE A CHAMP. YOU WONT REGRET ABOUT BUYING THIS GEAR.

Similar Products Used:

DENON 5700 PIONEER ELITE VSX29 ONKYO 787 JVC (AS A BEGINNER)

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
Showing 1-10 of 25  

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