HT Review: Denon AVR-2307CI Receiver

August 27, 2007

I am a sucker when it comes to brand loyalty. I bought another Sony television, another Tivo DVR and another Denon receiver. Unlike the other two, which offered significant upgrades, I bought the new receiver for one essential reason — HDMI inputs.

HDMI, like DVI, is a way to send video signals from your source to your display completely digitally (aka it makes things prettier). Unlike my AVR-3300, the 2307CI offers the ability to send in two HDMI signals and switch them out with one cable to the television. If I want to take advantage of my beautiful new television, this was a (home theater) necessity. In addition to the HDMI, it also accepts three component inputs and seven RCA or S-Video inputs.*

In the past, for every type of input you had to have the same type of cable going out to your TV. THe 2307CI will upconvert all of your other audio and video signals to HDMI. This means that no matter how many cables are going in, only one comes out. Brilliant.

The receiver also supports 7 independent channels at 100 watts a piece, a plethora of digial audio standards (e.g. Dolby Digital), a super easy setup with included microphone, XM and iPod integration and multiroom capabilities. There are fancier receivers, but this one does everything I need. My biggest complaint is the lack of a third HDMI port. Eventually I'll be adding a PS3 or XBox 360 and I'll be short one HDMI port. Since adding a third HDMI port would cost an extra $800, I think I'll pass.

The 2307CI is being replaced with the 2308CI, which offers similar functionality but includes Faroudja scaling (this is good).

Learn more from Denon
Buy it from Onecall (love these guys)

* Take note that the 2307CI can pass 1080p signals via HDMI. They downplay it in the official description to try and upsell you.

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