Denon AVR-3313+DBT3313UD Review 2/4

be routed via the tatest incarnation of DenonLink HD. Using the supptied phono-to-phonocabte, digitat audio is sent from disc to thedecoding processors in the AVR near jitter-free,promising even better sound than thatachievable over HDMI. Surprisingty, Denon LinkHD is not backwards-compatibte with any ofthe previous generations of Denon Link whichused CAT5 cabte. Atthough the new versionpromised to engage automatica[ly when thecabte is connected, thus negating the deep-menu shenanigans of previous tinks, that justdidn't happen - as you wi[[ read tater.

Supporting 3D Btu-ray, DVD, CD, SACDand DVD-A discs, the DBT-33]3UD oozes styteand a no-compromise buitd. From the solidfascia and uttra-steek SVH toading mechanismto the chunky gotd-ptated connectors onthe rear, it is a class act. There are two HDMIoutputs; one tabetted 'audio', the other as'video'. Both terminals output simuttaneousty,but Pure Direct mode sptits the sound andvision over the two.

Connected to your network, the DBT-33l3UD offers direct access to Netftix andYouTube, and its DLNA function can streammusic fites up to FLAC atlg2kHz/24-bit.

ConnectionsThe AVR-3313 has a more traditionat arrayof connections, atbeit not the terminaI excessof some of Denon's previous f,l,0O0 AVRs.Most interesting are the three HDMI outputs,including one for Zone 2, atthough onty two ofthese can be driven simultaneously. The newDenon Link HD socket takes top-tine bi[ingatong with four opticaI inputs. On the obvioustymissing list are any digitat opticat outputsor muttichanneI analogue inputs. Giventhe matching BD transport's eschewing ofanatogue outputs that woutd seem okay, butcoutd be timiting in the future if some othermuttichannel format emerges that the AVRcan't hand[e. Stitt, the architecture is futlyfirmware upgradeabte over its Ethernetconnection and there are plenty of toys to be

PRODUCT: Seven-channeI AV receiver anduniversal disc transport

POSITION: The DBT-3313UD is Denon's cunentftagship deck; the AVR-33'l3 is onty out-musctedby the AVR-4520

PEERS: Marantz UD7007/SR7007; OppoBDPJ05EU; 0nkyo TX-NR818; PioneerSC-1X56

going atong with. These inc[ude 4K scating,shoutd you be weatthy enough to own a 4Kdisplay of some sort (and don't trust its own4K chippery...) three-zone output, a whoppingctaimed 165W-per-channeI output (to sevenchannels) and a new GUI with wizard-stytesetup assistant. lt's futty networked, of course,DLNA-certified and continues to offer Airptayaudio streaming for Appte fans. And it now hasSpotify, too, just to annoy Onkyo.

Both units come with Denon's latest remotecontrot, which has gone a tittte retro and

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AvR 3313

Ge new AVR-3313 hides additional USBand HDMI inputs behind a pull-down flap

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