The Article
DRA-800H Network Receiver From Denon
19th June 2019
The DRA-800H network receiver includes a FM/DAB+ radio, a phono input, digital inputs including HDMI and more
According to the company, the DRA-800H includes, “…custom resistors and audiophile grade capacitors…” while the, “…newly designed power-amplifier section features a Left/Right symmetrical design and Denon custom capacitors. With an Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) winding power transformer…the DRA-800H delivers 100W.”
You’ll find a 32bit AKM AK4458 supporting ALAC, FLAC and WAV at up to 24bit/196kHz and 2.8/5.6-MHz DSD files. You can also plug in USB sticks into the front port. The network receiver also supports other file types like MP3 and WMA.
It also includes five HDMI inputs and one output, which support 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub sampling, High Dynamic Range (HDR10), Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), 3D and BT.2020 pass-through support. HDCP 2.3 processing is available on all HDMI ports, enabling users to enjoy copy-protected content. An HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) port is included.
HEOS enables wireless multi-room music streaming across compatible HEOS components from a variety of free and premium streaming services, including Spotify Premium and free, Deezer, Amazon Music, TuneIn Internet Radio, Sound Cloud and Tidal.
The DRA-800H works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri. Listeners can use Amazon Alexa for a variety of commands, including switching inputs for different media players, while the Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri can be used to adjust the volume, skip to the next track, and more.
The DRA-800H will be available in July in a black or silver finish at £599.
For more information on the new stereo network receiver, please visit www.denon.co.uk.
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Hello Paul, great reviews and thanks for your great work¬° I just bought a pair of Borea BR08 and i still not receive it, but for Covid conditions i can not go to the city (Chile) and test the sound with differente amplifiers. I saw your review about Audiolab 6000 and i am very interested in this one and the Audiolab 6000P. But in the case they dont arrive here the owner of the store where i bought the borea the Musical Fidelity MS2 (it is the cheapest that he has) and a Streamer from Electrocompanient Sena S1. Other option is a Marantz PM6006, thos Denon DRA 800 or an Atoll IN50 with other streamer….What would you do?? In terms of sound , it is for a 25m2 living room, family, not too loud, clasical, jazz and blues specially. Thanks Paul¬°¬°¬°
The 6000A would be my choice with a separate streamer attached to that. Failing that, the MS2i would be a good choice.
Hi Paul,
I have a Klipsch R28f and Onkyo RZ810 system.
I now want a 2 channel system and need to either replace the speakers or the AVR. Was thinking of using.the Denon DRA 800 with the R28F’s. I want a proper 2 channel system and I stream from Tidal. What’s your thoughts?
Hi Donovan – what’s your budget please?
Hello Paul,
Great review, just need some advice , I have settled on the Denon DRA 800 for a stereo system ,however I need an opinion on speakers. My short list is Wharfdale Evo 4.4 ,linton heritage and Focal Aria 906. I listen to mostly acoustic folk ,jazz . Which of these speakers will match the amp and my music tastes.
Kind regards
Of the three? Probably the Lintons. Saying that I must add this piece wasn’t a review, it was only a news piece and all of these speakers are, to my mind, too good for the Denon. They’ll work fine and you’ll get a great noise but the speakers will only fly with a better quality source and amp. If funds are tight right now and you want to move with this set up, it might be something to bear in mind for the future in upgrade terms.
I’m hunting for a two channel stereo receiver with HDMI inputs. The Denon you present here caught my eye because of it’s two channel HDMI capability but honestly, what I REALLY want is a higher end stereo sound. I’m an opera/classical music audiophile and I bought the two channel Arcam SR-250 almost six years ago because it was supposed to have great audio. It had such terrible audio that I pulled out my vintage Pioneer SX-1050 from the closet where it has been stored for the last 30 years or so and I cabled all my video sources to it via RCA composite cables so I could get better audio. I did! Much much better! The Arcam continued to perform video switching duties but it is “dead” now and I don’t want to repair it. I really want a high end stereo receiver with HDMI inputs. I don’t care about HEOS because I have Roon and Qobuz via my Oppo UDO-205. Do you know any stereo receiver with HDMI inputs that would better suit my needs?
Incidentally, my speakers are floor standing Spendor FL-6. I might want to upgrade them too. I’d love to afford Harbeth 40.2 anniversary. I wish I could afford them! They are said to resemble the QUAD ESL~63s, which are my living room speakers and I love them.
Hi Janet – do you want an actual receiver, one to hook up to a TV, for example, or a 2-channel system for purely listening pleasure?
I want to use it for my TV system. I have five video sources РDISH SAT DVR, OPPO UDP-205, ROKU streamer, vintage Pioneer Elite Laser Disc Player, Panasonic VHS player. Ideally, my unit would have five HDMI inputs and two component inputs for the two vintage video sources. Presently I’m using two little gadgets that convert the component signal to HDMI and I’d rather do away with that conversion.
Since I wrote the above it’s been suggested I look for a surround sound processor instead of an AVR. An SSP would be the equivalent of an audio preamplifier.
Hi Janet – ok let me say before I begin that if sound quality is your highest priority and you care deeply about your classical and opera then you won’t beat a dedicated 2-channel hifi system – with no HDMIs or any of that guff.
An AV system will always be a compromise because your doing 57 things at once. It’s a home entertainment system. It ain’t a dedicated sound system.
As I’m coming to you from a sound perspective I’m going to ignore your tech wishlist and I will mentioned Onkyo. There’s a host of quality AV brands on the market and plenty of bells, whistles and flashing lights in the offing but Onkyo has always featured a very nice amplifier module. Something you don’t see. They’ve always taken care when looking at their amplification. In this case, that’s the core of your sound right there.
To repeat though, if it was me. If sound was my thing then I’d have a workmanlike (workpersonlike?) AV system and I’d pump funds into a serious 2 channel stereo system.
I bought a Denon DRA-800H receiver in 2023. I have connected a JVC QL direct drive turntable to the phono input. The turntable is quite old but in very good condition. My problem is I do not get enough trebles when I play a vinyl record. Does my setup need a pre amp?
Hi – from memory, that machine doesn’t include a built-in phono amplifier. Can you confirm? In which case you will need to buy an external phono amp. Connect the turntable to the phono amp and the phono amp to the Denon.