Add to this the mind-boggling flexibility, full Audyssey RoomEQ with auto-setup, great remote controls, simple plug-and- play networking and future-proof architecture - and you have an absolute 'must-have' winner of a product.

An intimidating asking price

So here's the beef; a five-figure price ticket sadly puts this combo out of reach for all but the most well-heeled of home cinema enthusiasts.

But, looking at it another way, there aren't too many multichannel processor and amplifier packages at the Denon's ÂŁ10k asking price, and those that are (Krell, Lexicon etc) are way, way behind the A1HD combo in features, facilities and technology.

The only real mainstream competition is Yamaha's fabulous DSP-Z11 and the Denon shows that the door in sheer power and grunt alone. Of course, if your budget stretches to five grand then the Yammy AVR simply cannot be touched.

But if you have twice the cash to splash, and the room to fit it, then Denon's state-of-the-art AVP-A1HD & POA-A1HDA1HD pairing is the simply the best AV solution in the world