Denon S-301 User Manual download pdf (Page 2)

Cable connections are similarly simple, with everything running from the subwoofer. A pair of heavy-gauge 18-foot speaker cables

fitted with proprietary plug-

in connectors run from the sub to each speaker; a third thick control cable connects the subwoofer to the

main head unit. Aside from the power cord and a video output to your TV, that's it.

Features

The Denon S-301 delivers 70 watts to each speaker and 140 watts to the subwoofer. The speakers are outfitted with twin 3-inch

woofers and a 1-inch tweeter; the sub uses a down-firing 7-inch woofer. The universal DVD player offers compatibility with pretty

much every disc format under the sun: DVD, CD, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), and numerous home-burned disc formats,

including MP3, WMA, and JPEG CD-R. In addition to the standard provision of Dolby and DTS surround-processing modes , the S -

301 offers Dolby Virtual Speaker processing, which synthesizes surround effects from DVDs and CDs, and Dolby Headphone,

which creates surround effects over conventional stereo headphones.

The Denon S-301 has two key features that set it apart from the pack. On the audio front, the receiver can be used with all of

Apple's dockable iPods (including the Nano and the fifth-generation video -enabled model) via the specially designed front-panel

connector and the supplied plug-and-play Connect iPod cable. But rather than just acting as an amplifier for playing back your iPod

over its speakers, the S-301 mimics the player's menu and interface on your TV, letting you navigate your songs, playlists, and

photos from the comfort of your sofa with the Denon remote. Don't have an iPod? A front-panel USB connection lets you connect

to and browse the contents of virtually any other portable digital music player.

On the video side, the Denon S-301 features an HDMI digital-video output that can upconvert DVD video to 480p, 720p, and 1080i

resolutions, which are more amenable to high-definition displays. Other rear-panel connectivity choices include the usual set of

composite, S-Video, and component outputs; two A/V inputs with S-Video; one audio-only analog stereo input; three digital-audio

inputs (two coaxial, one optical); and one optical digital output. An RS-232 port and a 12-volt trigger are present for specialized

home installations.

Just about the only areas where the Denon S-301 disappointed us were its lack of HDMI inputs and its inability to convert from

analog video sources. That means you can't route any high-def video source, such as an HD cable or satellite box, through the

system. Also, the S-301's HDMI output can't display any analog video source, such as a standard-def set-top box, a video game

console, or a VCR, that uses one of the two A/V inputs. You'll need to toggle over to the composite, S-Video, or component

connection instead. It's too bad-- the inclusion of those features would have elevated the S-301 from merely excellent to

spectacular.

Denon also offers a step-down model, the similarly styled S-101 ($999). But the savings will cost you: the speakers and sub are

smaller, and the S-101 lacks the S-301's HDMI output and USB connection. It also won't work with DVD-Audio or SACD discs.

Performance

The ultimate compliment we can pay any HTIB is that it doesn't sound like one. The Denon S-301 is in that rarified group, so we

weren't afraid to tackle The Ring Two DVD. The film is loaded with sudden dynamic effects that made us jump out of our seats, but

the scene where Naomi Watts and her little boy are threatened by a rampaging herd of deer was especially scary. The synergy

between the satellites and the subwoofer was superb, dialogue sounded beautifully balanced, and the score's deep bass rumbles

added a visceral quality to the film's ominous atmosphere.

The Denon S-301's virtual surround sound can be awfully convincing as long as you sit centered between the left and right

speakers. We sat eight feet away. The surround effects were fully palpable at that distance, but they disappeared when we

scooted over to the left or right side of our couch. In other words, the surround can be enjoyed by only one-- or possibly two-- very

close friends huddled together on the center of the couch.

Music rarely satisfies over HTIBs, but the Denon S-301 was just as impressive with CDs as it was with DVDs. Lucinda Williams

sounds like she's been listening to a lot of Rolling Stones CDs of late, especially on her raunchy Live @ the Fillmore CD. The girl

rocked and rolled with true abandon. The gutsy S-301 can fill even fairly large rooms with full-bodied sound.

We saved the most challenging test of the Denon S

301's musicality for last: classical music. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's

new Telarc SACD of Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 was stunning. The orchestra's strings and woodwinds sounded remarkably natural,

and the stereo soundstage was big enough to fool some of our friends into thinking they were listening in multichannel surround.

Fact is, a first-rate A/V receiver and a bona fide 5.1-speaker system would sound even better, but that would be more expensive

and grab a lot more floor space than the S-301. It's the best-sounding virtual-surround HTIB we've heard to date.

The Denon S-301's iPod and MP3-player compatibility worked like a charm. The menu on our TV screen instantly mimicked that of

any connected iPod, and we were able to browse our digital music library with ease using the Denon's comfortable remote. With

non-iPod devices, the interface was far less elegant-- think Windows file tree-- but navigation in and out of folders was

straightforward enough. The S-301 had no trouble playing back songs from a Samsung YP-U1 and a Sony PSP. In fact, the S-301

played MP3s without a hitch off both a standard Lexar USB thumb drive and a Memory Stick connected via a USB flash-memory

reader.

User comments

Ratings from 2 users

An absolutely amazing HTIB system!

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Denon S-301 User Manual Page 2

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