Home > Consumer Reviews > Denon ASD-11R iPod Dock for Use with Compatible Denon Receivers

Compatiblity:

With Denon receivers - I suspect that all of the later model Denon receivers are compatible with all of the Denon iPod docks. If you're in doubt, contact Denon directly (there's nothing on their website) or check the back of your Denon receiver. If it has an input receptical labeled "Dock Control", you're good to go. Also, your Denon receiver's owner's manual should contain installation/set-up instructions for the iPod dock.

non-Denon receivers - You'll need to contact Denon directly about whether your non-Denon receiver is compatible and, if so, the installation/set-up instructions.

iPods - The Denon website has a chart of compatible iPods which really only lists the newest from Apple. We have 4 iPods in our house...three 2d gen Nano's (which were introduced in Sep06) and a new 120GB classic...and all worked well with the ASD-11R.

Installation:

I have a Denon AVR-888 receiver and using the receiver's owner's manual, installation of the dock took about 5 minutes. All this amounts to is plugging a cable into the back of the dock and receiver. Everything is well-marked and color-coded.

Dock Set-up:

After the dock was installed, I plugged one of our iPods into it and using the our universal remote, turned on our AV system including the tv. Our remote has an ipod menu listed on the remote's main menu screen. I went to that menu, then to "VCR1" (the Denon dock/receiver is apparently pre-programmed for the VCR1 output) and immediately the iPod's screen lit up and the display on the receiver and the tv told me that everything was "loading". Within a couple of seconds, all the lists on the iPod (playlists, artists, videos, etc.) were displayed the tv and the receiver's display. By operating the right-left, up-down, and enter functions on the remote's "wheel", I could do everything with the remote that I could do with the iPod's controls.

Use:

The dock is a sheer joy to use. It is simple, smooth, and does everything it's advertised to do. In addition, it charges the iPod and when you turn off your tv/system, it re-sets the iPod back to the iPod's menu page. I spent alot of $ on my AV system but this dock adds a feature and funtionality that goes well beyond it's $99 price. I consider it a must-have.

I have a Denon 4308 that is attached to this dock. After reading other people's lackluster reviews on the Denon's ipod docks, I didn't know if it would be worth getting. I'm glad that I did. I don't know if it is just that Denon got it right with the docks or the receivers, but it works great.

I love being able to to use the integrated menus on the TV to control the ipod. Other reviews for previous models talked about how slow it worked, but it works fast and great on this set up. The other reviewer has a different model and it works for him to, so I could only assume that Denon has the kinks worked out.

Another word of caution is to check the compatibility chart to make sure you can use this how you want to use this dock with your ipod (and how you want to use it) http://www.usa.denon.com/Denon_Docks_iPod_Compatibility.pdf

Very easy setup. Almost plug and play! Fast menus on your TV work great!

After talking with a Denon sales rep, I was assured that this device would work with my Iphone (new 3gs) Although it does play, every time the phone is plugged in it says "this device is not compatible with iphone, so you want airplane mode...etc. You need to acknowledge the error every time before music starts playing. I don't want to neuter my phone when I listen to music, nor do I think that I should for the price. I was also disappointed that the AVR-487 (marked as compatible on their site) could not even advance tracks. I was aware that there is no video playback, but come on is this the best that Denon can do? I've used Denon for 20 years and am very disappointed with a supposedly 'integrated' product. $75 for the same thing a $5 cable from radio shack can do (better!) hmm, I guess I'll try an airport.

I really wanted to get an Apple TV to manage my iTunes music and integrate with my home theater, but I balked at the price after considering the actual value the device brings. Since I had just purchased a Denon 1909 receiver, I decided to give the Denon iPod Dock a try. It was a third the price of the Apple TV and although it doesn't allow video streaming or HD playback, I have my Blu-ray player for that.

There are lots of iPod accessories out there. Some of them are built around the iPod technology and some are built around the way people actually use the iPod. Unfortunately, the Denon dock falls into the former category. It will give you an onscreen display of your music files and yes, it will also playback video. However if you've ever seen what a Youtube video optimized for the iPod looks like on a 100" screen, well, let's just say you won't want to watch much video from this device. The audio quality seems pretty good. I'm not sure if it is a true line-out, but the audio seems crisp and undistorted. Higher bit rate files sound better, of course. The dock also works as a charger.

There are a few limitations to the dock, as I knew there would be, but the most glaring is that it does not scroll. You have to click through each song, each artist and each album one at a time. If you hold the button down it doesn't go any faster and after about 20 seconds it gets bogged down and just stops. Once the iPod is placed in the dock you can't control it with the iPod itself. You're stuck using the Denon or your universal remote. Can you imagine what it would be like if your iPod didn't scroll? I have 6800 songs on my iPod. To get from Across the Universe to You Can't Always Get What You Want would take hours. Of course I have playlists, but I don't have everything in a playlist. The problem with the Denon dock is that it forces me to manage my music around the limitations of their device instead of them building their product around the way in which I want to use my iPod.

If you only have a few hundred songs and most of them are put into small playlists, the Denon dock might work out okay as a poor man's Apple TV. If you're a power user, you should look elsewhere. I'm not too bummed about buying this for less than a hundred bucks, but if I had it to do over I'd probably pass.

I bought this product with the belief that I could control it from my Denon 3808CI Receiver. I connected it up and tried it out but Video did not play, and the menu options would not work properly. In the package (not on the outside) I then found that due to various updates of Apple's Software that Videos no longer played.

I wag the finger of shame Denon!!!! Put the important information on the OUTSIDE of the box.

Took it back, got a full refund. So, before you buy, check out Denon's Website - the information on this product is just plain wrong.