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We’ve tested Denon’s entry-level, mid-range, and premium AVRs in recent years, but it’s been quite some time since we reviewed the brand’s most top-of-the-range home cinema amplifier.
Now, we finally have our hands on the AVC-A1H.
This flagship amplifier promises superior cinematic sound accompanied by a long list of home cinema features, but that all comes at a considerable price.
The thinking here is that if Denon can impress us with its mid-range amplifiers, then its flagship is sure to blow us away. And indeed it does just that…
Price
Officially priced at £6300 / AU$12,499, the AVC-A1H sits at the very top of Denon’s consumer AV amplifier range. It’s sold as the AVR-A1H in the US for $7200, with the ‘R’ in the name denoting the presence of an AM/FM, tuner, which is absent from the UK and Australian version. Otherwise, these amplifiers are functionally the same.
The AVC-A1H has been on sale for a little while now, which means that we are seeing some hefty price drops. It can be found for closer to £5000 in the UK, for example.
Generally speaking, the A1H sits between two notable five-star amplifiers. The Award-winning Marantz Cinema 30 launched at a lower price of £4000 / $4500 / AU$7900, though it can be found for £3500 in the UK (pricing in the US seems to have risen to $4800).
The JBL Synthesis SDR-38, meanwhile, launched at a more premium price of £7300 / $8550 / AU$16,999 – though that, too, is subject to considerable discounts at the time of writing.
Build
The AVC-A1H is one of the bulkiest home cinema amplifiers to cross our home cinema testing room’s threshold in recent memory.
Weighing in at a staggering 32kg, we recommend asking a friend to help you lift this behemoth out of the box and into position. It also has a large footprint to match, measuring 43 x 50 x 20cm (hwd), so you’ll need to make sure you have ample space in your TV unit or, more realistically, AV rack.
If you’ve seen a Denon AV amplifier before, chances are you won’t be taken aback by the AVC-A1H’s looks. This is essentially a scaled-up version of the other amplifiers found in Denon’s range; that’s to say it's a large metal cuboid that comes in either black or silver, with a rectangular screen stretching across the front edge flanked by asymmetrical source selection and volume wheels.
Much like the AVC-X6800H that sits below it, the A1H sports a door that opens downwards to reveal a selection of on-unit controls. However, we find that the backlit, metal-clad remote is the vastly preferable way to interact with the home cinema amplifier. Most Denon remotes we’ve seen on other models are all-plastic, so this is an appreciated change to reflect the A1H’s premium position.
The Denon AVC-A1H leans towards practicality rather than aesthetics, but as we’ll come to find out, the superb functionality is worth the sacrifice of form in this instance.
Features
Denon’s AV amplifiers are renowned for their extensive feature sets, so it should come as no surprise that this is one of the most thoroughly equipped amplifiers that we’ve seen.
With an impressive 15 channels of amplification, the A1H can support speaker configurations up to 9.4.6. Users with smaller speaker packages can also split those amplification channels across two additional zones, meaning you can comfortably power additional speakers in your home from just one amplifier.
Denon claims that the A1H delivers 150W of amplification per channel into 8 ohms, though that is with only two channels driven.
The sheer number of amplification channels is a considerable upgrade over the JBL Synthesis SDR-38, which sports just seven channels, although that amplifier touts a higher 180W output with two channels driven.
Denon has also outfitted the A1H with its most premium internal components. This includes the brand’s most powerful transformers, as well as 10 two-channel ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC chips, a high-spec DSP processing engine, and gold-plated speaker terminals.
All of these components have been specially selected and tuned by Denon’s highly experienced engineers at its Shirakawa audio works, where it is also tuned by the company’s Sound Master for the ultimate seal of approval.
This amplifier sports three HDMI outputs (eARC, Zone 2 and Zone 3), and seven HDMI 2.1 inputs. All of these can handle video signals up to either 4K/120Hz or 8K/60Hz, and a plethora of gaming features such as VRR, ALLM and QFT which aid smoother and more responsive gameplay.
This AV amplifier also supports all major HDR formats, including HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The same is true for immersive sound formats, as the A1H can handle Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro 3D and Sony 360 Reality Audio, and it’s IMAX Enhanced certified.
Wireless connectivity is also very comprehensive, with Denon’s HEOS wireless streaming platform handling the likes of Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music and more. Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and TuneIn are also supported, as is Bluetooth 5.0. HEOS also allows for multi-room playback, meaning you can tie this amplifier into a system with other Denon and Marantz wireless speakers and network amplifiers.
Finally, the A1H, much like the rest of Denon’s AV amplifiers, supports Audyssey MultiEQ XT32 room correction. Simply plug the included microphone in and follow the simple on-screen instructions, and the amplifier can measure your space to determine speaker levels and distances. Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control are also supported, though the licenses to use these need to be purchased separately.
Sound
Denon has piled on the features, but how does the AVC-A1H sound? That is the most important factor at the end of the day, so we’re pleased to report that this AV amplifier sounds simply incredible.
We’ve hooked it up to the five-star KEF R Meta 5.1 Speaker System for our testing, plugged in our reference Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, and selected a handful of reference discs from our 4K Blu-ray library.
Starting with F1: The Movie, the Denon’s strengths are made immediately obvious during the opening 24 Hours of Daytona race. This amplifier makes light work of creating a hugely spacious and totally immersive sound, with every aspect of the scene bursting with three-dimensional energy.
Everything from the clattering of gravel hitting the tarmac and the screech of tyres as cars spin out, to the crackling of fireworks and a swooping helicopter sounds superbly crisp.
That detail is essential, as it ensures that while this amplifier sounds hugely spacious, it also remains superbly focused and positionally accurate. Most importantly, the A1H knows exactly how to handle each of these competing effects, ensuring that they’re all presented in a way that sounds natural, while ensuring nothing gets lost in the wider mix.
That is also felt with the presentation of dialogue. The way voices are handled, with a reverence to low-level dynamics and tonal variation, is truly impressive. The Marantz Cinema 30 also sounds superb in this regard, but the Denon takes things to another level with natural, balanced and realistic voices that sound as though the actors on screen are instead standing before us to deliver their lines.
What bowls us over most during our testing, however, is how this amplifier handles bass. Two of our favourite bass stress test sequences – Blade Runner 2049’s flight to the LAPD sequence, and Dune: Part One’s worm attack scene – both shine through this amplifier.
The rhythmic drumming of the Dune soundtrack feels wonderfully textured and expertly timed, whereas the tricky effects in Blade Runner’s chapter two balance deep bass and tonal variation with finesse, resulting in a steady build of tension throughout.
This is also a testament to how the AVC-A1H handles dynamics. This amplifier is extremely talented when it comes to dynamic expression, meaning that rather than presenting instant jumps in volume, we feel the swell of larger volume shifts, which once again makes everything sound more natural and immersive.
The Denon doesn’t feel sluggish or lethargic, and when needed it can punch through with big, bombastic dynamic shifts, and it moves sounds around with an excellent sense of agility and pace. Switching back to F1, we find that the rumbling engines of the GT3 cars build and dynamically move around our listening position as they approach and execute an overtake on the racetrack.
This bold, rich, warm and powerful sound also extends to music. Carly Rae Jepsen’s On Wires features a balance of soft vocals with a powerful chorus that suddenly bursts to life, alongside a mix of acoustic and electronic elements; all of which are handled with extreme finesse from the Denon.
The sizzling electronic score of Tron: Legacy (composed by legendary DJ duo, Daft Punk) is presented with equal vigour. The thumping bass and sparkling snares of Derezzed sound electric through the Denon, ensuring the pulse-pounding nightclub action sequence is presented with an appropriate sense of drama and style.
The real question is: how does this amplifier compare to our reference Marantz AVR? Simply put, the Denon takes everything we love about the Cinema 30 and dials things up multiple notches. Considering the price difference, this is sort of what we’d expect, and it certainly doesn’t detract from the Marantz's talents.
In other words, if you have the space in your budget, the Denon is well worth the extra outlay, but no one who can’t stretch that far will be disappointed by the sumptuous performance of the Marantz.
Verdict
Denon’s flagship amplifier justifies its large price tag, and even larger chassis. With a rich, powerful and natural sound, it takes every film and song we throw at it and makes them shine without breaking a sweat.
Equipped with an exhaustive feature set and an intuitive set-up, this enthusiast-level amplifier is actually a stellar choice for all levels of home cinema fans – providing they have a generous budget.
SCORES
- Sound 4
- Features 5
- Build 4
MORE:
Read our review of the JBL Synthesis SDR-38
Also consider the Marantz Cinema 30
Read our Arcam AVR31 review
Best AV receivers: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested
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