Lo Bueno: The incredible Denon sound, built in WiFi and ethernet networking, HD Radio built-in, generous HDMI 1.3a ports

Lo Malo: Chintzy input and outputs for a receiver at this price level.

Resumen: When I bought my first Denon 10 years ago I thought it would last 20 years or more, and it would have but technology aged it with the advent of digital audio and 7.1 surround sound. So I upgraded to a Denon 4802. I was positive it would be the last A/V receiver I'd ever need as it boasted the lasted Dolby digital 7.1 and a slew of input and output jacks, including optical and coax digital audio for most of them. I was happy and then HD and Blu-Ray came along with the need for 1080p processing and HDMI. Technology is certainly a sweet and sour candy. Now I write this today that I'm certain the 4308CI will be the last A/V receiver I'll ever need for at least the next 5 years. The 4308CI has remarkable crisp sound. That is a given for a high end Denon model, and really the main reason one buys such an expensive unit. It also has the latest Dolby TrueHD audio which is part of the Blu-Ray spec and needed to truely get the most out of watching a Blu-Ray movie. Remember audio is half the experience. Of course the video is equally important which is why there are also 4 assignable HDMI 1.3a ports along with an HDMI out port for a 2nd zone. (Note: you cannot use the back speakers of your main room if zone 2 is on). I'm a child of the 80s and with that I still have old school equipment that I rarely use, but still like to have connected to my system. One "problem" with the 4308CI is that it is an true '00s product with little recollection of the past. As such the number of out ports, needed to record from, say TV to a VCR or DVD-R is limited. There are only two components, a VCR, and a DVR, that have analog out ports. There is nothing available for a DVD-R or a tape deck. Of course you can connect these components to the VCR or DVR jacks, but only two at a time. This was a huge disappointment and inconvenience for me.Overall, the 4308CI is rock solid sweet A/V unit. There are many other units of the 4308CI's caliber on the market, many less expensive and with more features. However, none have that fantastic Denon sound or build quality (still made in Japan!) I love. So I will live with its shortcomings. But if you are in the market for a high end receiver for your home theater just know the 4308CI is no bargain. It's just a high quality well built songstress with the latest technology any A/Vphile should be thrilled to have. That is all you are buying. If you are looking for "value", even in the $2000-2500 range, look elsewhere.

Lo Bueno: Great quality sound, excellent build quality, nice display, GUI interface, easy to assign/rename imputs, HD radio, 4 HDMI, 140 Watt multizone output.

Lo Malo: Complicated user manual, Useless remote

Resumen: After considerable research I just purchased the Denon 4308CI to upgrade a prexisting Sony STRDA555ES receiver. My main desire in upgrading was to obtain HDMI connection capability and take advantage updated sound processing and 1080P upscaling. My final choice was between the Denon and the Sony STRDA 5300ES Reciever. I ruled out various other comparable recievers for a variety of reasons, including heat generation as my components are enclosed in a audio rack partially recessed into a closed media room. As a longtime Sony fan and owner of three ES AV recievers, it came down to a choice between the STRDA 5300ES and the Denon 4308CI. I opted for the Denon over the Sony for a few reasons. The display on the Denon is much larger. It might sound silly but I like to see the information displayed on the receiver from where I'm listing to music. The Sony display was rather small. I also liked the fact that the Denon has internet streaming capability and HD Radio reception. The Sony has more HDMI hookups and a longer warranty (5 years vs. 2 for the Denon) but the Denon has increased power handling and full 1080P upscaling. Pricewise the Denon was a few hundred dollars more then the Sony but I felt that it had a more "modern" feature set. So far I have been very pleased with the Denon. Sound is fantastic and the GUI was intuitive. I disagree with some of the other reviews that I have read regarding the ease of setup. It took a little longer then I anticipated to set up but as I previously noted the GUI was fairly intuitive. I really like the fact that you can rename the inputs so when you select them from the function selection dial it will display whatever name you decide on. I prefer optical connections so I had to reassign some of the optical connections. Rear connections seem pretty sturdy. The unit gets warm but not hot after a few hours of use. Still havent taken advantage of the 1080P upscaling as of yet. HD radio signal reception is pretty strong and so far no interference despite living in a New York City Apartment building. Harmony 880 Universal Remote works better then supplied remotes. (I havent tried the Zone 2 remote as of yet) The above review is based on audio features so I will update once I have explored additional video features. Review system: (used in review) Panasonic TH-50PZ750U 1080P (limited Ed) Artcoustic DF-65's Artcoustic DF-Multi (center) Sony ES 5 Disc Changer CD Player Sony SACD player Monster HPS7000 Signature Series Monster AVS2000 Signature series Polk XM Radio Tuner

Lo Bueno: Excellent sound quality, very versatile unit, looks great, very powerful

Lo Malo: Owners manual

Resumen: The owners manual is very frustrating to use. This receiver has ALOT of features and different settings; but the manual doesn't describe them very well. The setup became an exercise in trial error. Now that it's all set up, however, it's the best sounding unit I've ever heard.