Denon AVR-X8500H AVR Review

[Anterantz]

thank you amir for your time and dedication, I am a happy user with your 8500h! It has given the highest sinad to date but only 2db below the 3600h which costs 4 times less and I wonder what you gain by spending 3k ... more channels and more amplification? I expected better results in the dac test

 

[beefkabob]

I also like the relaxing panther laying down.
It reminds me laying down listening to LPs in the 60s.

I was not yet born. I still listened to LPs in the 80s. I especially liked rocking out to the Chipmunks album.

But I digress. This is an impressive if expensive piece of equipment, at least compared to the competition. It deserves recognition. Of course it doesn't have a 120db SINAD, but it does have quality that exceeds CD quality, and that's damn good.

 

[Krobar]

Good to see a decent result; alsmot scary how much better than the Marantz sister product the 8500H does.

 

[bobbooo]

From the schematics of my old AVR4308CI I can see that Denon inserted two 220-Ohm resistors in series for the headphone jack.

Yeah I've been told the output impedance on the headphone out of my Denon is around 500 ohms, but it would be good to get confirmation with actual measurements.

 

[Capoeira]

From the schematics of my old AVR4308CI I can see that Denon inserted two 220-Ohm resistors in series for the headphone jack.

What do you mean by that?? The Denon 8500 carries the same ??

where can you find a schematic of the 8500 ??

I use my Denon 8500 with Professional Focal Clear and I'm really happy with the sound that the Denon AVR produces.

Too bad, this AVR deserved the measurement on the headphone output, and compare with other denon avr, just to be sure.

Thank you very much Amirm for the review of this Avr

 

[Count De Money]

Anyone can send a bryston sp3 Amirs way LOL

 

[Webninja]

Finally an AVRi can save up and look forward to. I’ve bought the last three AVRs from accessories4less, refurbished, so I’ll hope that I can pick this one up $2400-ish when the 2021s come out.

 

[Capoeira]

Yeah I've been told the output impedance on the headphone out of my Denon is around 500 ohms, but it would be good to get confirmation with actual measurements.

and what w gives at 500 ohms, and at 32 ohms?

It's always said that the AVR's headphone output is pretty poor. Is it the same in all AVRs, for example, in all denons, or does the 8500 transformer also influence something?

thanks for accepting a newbie around here, and using a Spanish translator, hahaha.

Regards

 

[beefkabob]

Anyone can send a bryston sp3 Amirs way LOL

Don't be saucy with me, Bearnaise. You know those are too expensive.

 

[polmuaddib]

Denon 8500 beats AV Pre Pros in measurements, but I wonder if in real world use, PrePros with XLR preouts have some advantage, even with lower sinad. Mainly to avoid gorund loops, which can easily sneak in a system as soon as you have more connections. And AV products are full of connections...

 

[q3cpma]

"Good for ($4000) AVR". Heh.

 

[audioBliss]

I wonder how the JBL will do compare to this..

 

[Grandzoltar]

Its good to see the x8500 with the slightly better dac chip pull through. It remind me of an Andrew Jones quote you had said in one of your reviews "when other companies use 50 cent parts I spend a dollar" I think the dark horse of this race is going to be the Nad 778

 

[Binap]

It says it has 13 amplifiers, but there are 15 speaker terminal pairs.

?

Hi, I am an owner of the AVC-X8500H coming from Germany.

I have installed an Auro-3D configuration with a 7.1.6 loudspeaker Setup, using Front Heights and Rear Heights on 30° elevation angle, Voice of God (Top surround) and Center Height for the upper level.

For Dolby Atmos a different 7.1.6 setup could be used, also with Front Heights and Rear Heights, which is fully compatible to Auro-3D. But instead of Center Height and Voice of God, which are not known by Dolby Atmos, I’m using Top Middles to have also six loudspeakers in the upper level.

And exactly for this One-for-all setup I have the 15 speaker terminals of the X8500H:

7.1.6 Auro 3D -optimized setup with Front Heights and Rear Heights at 30 degrees elevation,
additional 2 x Top Middle for Dolby Atmos
additional Top Surround (Voice of God) for Auro-3D
additional Center Height für Auro-3D

The Denon AVC-X8500H is using now all available 15 terminals with loudspeakers , and changing the signal output automatically to the right setup, Auro-3D-Layout or Dolby Atmos-Layout. Der Denon switches automatically.
The Denon is not using respectively the pair of the other layout. One pair is not used for each layout, 13 channels are playing all the time.

Auro 3D (extended Auro 3D version of X8500H)
7.1.6 with Front Heights, Rear Heights, Top Surround (VoG) and Center Height

Dolby Atmos:
7.1.6 with Front Heights, Rear Heights and Top Middles

This is possible with the One-for-all-Setup which I described in detail in my Guide (Iink below). So I can use all 15 speakers to cover all Atmos, Auro-3D and DTS:X signals.

One audio 3D Speaker setup for all: A solution for Auro-3D, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
http://www.hifi-forum.de/index.php?action=browseT&back=1&sort=lpost&forum_id=36&thread=17329

 

[MZKM]

Since it‘s 2yr old, and is better than the X3500H in terms of 5W amp SINAD, I wonder how much better a future model will be.

I wonder how ths X6700H would perform with the capacitor fix.

 

[ChristianDK]

Hello all.

First of all, thanks Amir for your dedication and insight, its been informative to have been lurking here, until registering today to post this. I have been following the Denon threads for a while, especially since buying a X6700H. I'm in Europe, so it's a AVC-model, not AVR. I have not unpacked it yet, since reading the depressing results for this model. I would very much appreciate some input on what to decide going forward.

1. Are all models (AVR and AVC-X6700H) considered to possibly containing the subpar caps, or is this not known?
2. Should I await the results for the new 6700 to be revealed, before considering to return it (still got about 3 weeks to decide)?
3. My currently most likely decision, is to return it, and await the upgraded X8500H, and keep using the AVR-A100 currently installed.

I use my system about 50/50 when it comes to stereo and multichannel. The Denon is and will be connected via preout to a NAD M22 to drive front L/R, and music comes from a Bluesound playing lots of Tidal MQA content, and from my own 24bit collection. All speakers are from B&W, all front speakers (incl. 2 subs) are from the CM S2-series, fronts being CM10-S2. All cables are from AudioQuest.

Thanks in advance.

Christian.

 

[Dimifoot]

I would like to see SINAD measurements in more than 2 channels.. These devices are meant to be used for movies+multichannel music, not as 2 channel DACs.

 

[Count De Money]

I’m pretty sure I recollect on the JBL synthesis thread at Avs that many users weren’t happy with it. After all it shares its DNA with the modern Arcam

you just have to read the arcam threads at Avs. prone to breaking down, bugs and glitches too.

as shit as the modern day denons and marantz’s are SOUND wise compared to the Krell s1200 , denon avp-a1hdci, Classe ssp-800 and Bryston sp3 , at least they are less likely to break down compared to Arcam

will we see a Lyngdorf mp60 measured here one day ? Even if it had a sinad of 130 and hand delivered by Pamela Anderson when one looks at the cost internal components , and reflects on the purchase price, it’s hard not to think Peter Lyngdorf isn’t taking the piss with this exorbitantly priced processor

 

[HTNut1975]

The results from this test are remarkable, considering just how much stuff they put in that box. I fully expected it to under-perform its cheaper counterparts because of that. Wow.

 

[peng]

This is my X8500 and happy to see how it measured. Thanks to @amirm for his time and work on reviews like this. Congratulations to Denon for topping the chart with theIr flagship AVR. I have really enjoyed using it it our theater.
I now have the distinction of sending in the highest and lowest measuring AVR on the SINAD chart.

I might have told you (or someone else) the X8500H was probably the best prepro currently made by D+M, that was quite a while ago, shortly after the AV8805 and the AVR-X3600H (iirc) were tested. I always thought so because it has the identical signal path to the AV8805, except it does not have the balanced circuitry and the HDAM (the one that Amir called "distortion factory" (or something like that, it made me laugh uncontrollably..)

So I guess if Marantz's would make their next flagship prepro the option to bypass the HDAMs via the best available switch or relays, it could potentially dethrone the Denon and go all the way to the left of the SINAD chart. Just kidding, not based on cct analysis or any facts!

Now all you need is a 3 channel power amp that have SINAD>105 dB for the LCR. Congrats for landing the best D+M prepro for under $3K (if I remember right), and many thanks for sending it in.