As high-quality AV receivers bring cinema-quality picture and sound into our living rooms, the difference between the big screen and the home theater is becoming less noticeable. With the right home theater equipment, we can create an experience worthy of a movie theater or live concert that completely redefines everything we love to watch. But when choosing between all the products available on the market, there is a key question: how many channels does my AV receiver have to have to offer me the immersive sound I am looking for?
AV Receivers Redefine Surround Sound
All AV receivers offer at least the typical 5.1 surround sound configuration, consisting of six channels: center, front left, front right, surround left, surround right and the subwoofer (the “.1” channel). While this setup can provide an excellent sound experience, much better than no AV receiver, to get the full depth of sound of a movie theater you need to add speakers and upgrade to an AV receiver that has more than 5 channels. .
A 7.1-channel AV receiver allows audio to be played through rear speakers, creating a sound experience that surrounds the listener. Many Blu-ray discs and streaming services now include 7.1-channel soundtracks, so a 7.1-channel AV receiver is suitable for fully reproducing the sound of a movie or concert.
3D Sound: Why It Is Necessary In A Home Theater
These standard configurations are not enough to capture the full potential of a home theater. The main problem is the lack of verticality. The sound comes from the left, right and rear, but this layout is too basic because the height channels are missing. For more nuanced and detailed sound, your AV receiver should have more channels and support new 3D audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D. Imagine you’re watching Independence Day and you actually hear the alien spaceships hovering overhead. That’s what 3D sound does: give you the most immersive home theater experience possible.
Denon has a complete range of AV receivers, for all budgets and applications, allowing you to enjoy authentic 3D surround sound from 7.2 channels (configurable as 5.2.2) with the AVR-X1600H or AVR-X2600H and up 9.2 channels (5.2.4 or 7.2.2) with an AVR-X3600H, 11.2 channels (7.2.4 or 9.2.2) with an AVC-X6500H or 13.2 channels with the flagship AVC-X8500H (7.2.6 or 9.2.4 ). The last figure in the configuration indicates the number of height channels, so a 5.2.4 configuration has 5 speakers for standard surround sound, 2 subwoofers, and 4 height speakers. Think about how many speakers you can install in your home depending on the possibilities you have to add height speakers, your aspirations and your budget. Taking these considerations and the size of the room into account, you will know which model of Denon AV receiver is best for you.
Height Effects Without Height Speakers
The downside to a true 3D sound system is that you have to install speakers in the ceiling or purchase upward-facing speakers to place over existing floor speakers. If none of these options are viable for you, you don’t have to give up altitude effects. Thanks to DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization technologies, Denon’s new AV receivers offer an immersive experience without the need to install height speakers.
