Home > Consumer Reviews > Denon AVR-2808CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver

I have 3 Denon (including two of these) and a Harmon Kardon receiver as well as past experience with Onkyo systems. All are nice units, but I've become a true Denon fan with the advent of the AVR-2807 and AVR-2808 receivers. These are so very configurable and powerful, look fantastic (clean with great onscreen information & settings), crystal clear sound and more "real" features you need than most of the other players out there. Truly a work of art and the center of my dedicated home theater room & system! Take these units very seriously - they are simply incredible.

The 2808ci was not very user friendly to set up and is limited to 2 HDMI connections. However it is a solid receiver producing great sound output and video upconversion. i would highly recommend any Denon receiver. If it is within one's budget i would recommend you get the 3808ci for the extra HDMI connection, network capabilties and new menu GUI.

I purchased this receiver to replace an older AVR without the advanced connectivity and processing this unit features.
This a very full featured receiver. I selected it over a few competitors (Yamaha, Onkyo) in part based on the strength of its video processing which i have never found uselful on an AVR before. With this unit I can detect subtle improvements on analog video upconversion, less on non-HD digital (such as DVD).
The audio performance of this unit is also a step up from my old one, the EQ program works well. I am using a 5.1 setup and hope to use the extra channels for another zone or two of audio.
Set up of this unit is easier after learning to navigate the menus; there are a lot of customizable functions which is great but the learning curve is steeper than most AV products.
The remote is better than most but again a bit cumbersome to set up. The second zone remote is a nice bonus.
I could use one more HDMI input and an RDS display for analog FM radio, otherwise this does it all. Current pricing is excellent; the 09 model is hundreds more and does not offer many upgrades other than extra HDMI inputs.

Great receiver and I am happy with the product. I looked at other brands but when it came to delivering sound Denon is by far the best. I may be biased because I have had a Denon in the past but from what I hear from my other friends with their receivers (Onkyo, Yamaha, and Sony) they have had alot of electrical problems. One minor grip is the manual and setup with Denon. It isnt too user friendly and did take some time but it is well worth it once everything is setup the receiver is great for your home theatre needs.

Well, just bought this receiver last week and hooked it up a few days ago. I am running it with a pair of Definitive Tech BP7006's in front with a Def Tech 2002 center and a pair of Speakercraft AIM 8's in my ceiling for the rear channels...also using a Def Tech Supercube 2 in this system. The sound is great...clean sound and a lot of "punch" while watching movies...especially action movies. I bought this receiver based on reputation of Denon and recommendations from three different salespeople. I didn't want to spend a lot on a new receiver as I have a Harman Kardon AVR 245 that I also own from two years ago in perfect shape. I just thought with all the new technology, the Harman didn't have the latest stuff built into it. The 2809 is also a great receiver and I believe the only difference between it and the 2808 are the two additional HDMI inputs on the rear. Although the list price on the 2809 is about $1,150, it was also on sale that day for $999. However, I had a chance to buy the last 2808 in stock new in the box for $599...I don't need more than two HDMI's at this point and if I do, I can always use the HDMI additional inputs on the Sony XBR and run an optical audio input into the receiver....so for the price, the 2808 can't be beat. Although a lot of people compare Denon directly to Yamaha, I would have to say a close second for me would have been one of the newer offerings from Onkyo as they have some real nice features too.