Features
System Setup
Surround Modes
Remote Control
Input and Output Notes

Features

Overview: The Denon AVR-1506 provides 7 channels of discrete amplification to drive all the primary speakers in your 7.1 surround sound system. The receiver's onboard surround processing includes Dolby Digital EX, DTS 6.1 and Dolby Pro Logic IIx. The receiver is rated at 75 watts x 7 channels at 8 ohms for the full bandwith of 20-20,000Hz.

7-Channel Equal Power: 7-Channel Equal Power is a feature Denon uses so you can independently hook up 7 speakers to the receiver without the need for separate power amps giving you exceptional flexibility and sound.

24-Bit, 192 kHz D/A Converters: The AVR-1506 uses highly accurate Analog Devices with 24-bit, 192 kHz Digital-to-Analog converters on all 8 channels. The 192kHz sampling rate and 24-bit word length capabilities of the DACs allow you to play high-resolution recordings and hear the increased clarity, detail and dynamic range of those recordings.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP): The Denon AVR-1506 is equipped with a new high-resolution 32-bit floating DSP processor. All elements of the Surround Processor are optimized to the highest standards by the use of selected high performance and discrete components, particularly the A/D and D/A converters and the sophisticated DSP surround decoder.

Multi-Zone Capability: The AVR-1506 allows you to enjoy music in your main listening room and in a second room. Zone 2 uses the two Surround Back speaker outputs for power in the second room. When you are using this feature, the main room is configured for 5.1-channel surround (not 7.1-channel). The volume of the Zone 2 speakers is controlled with the Zone 2 volume buttons on the remote. The same source plays in both zones.

A and B Speakers: The amplifier is equipped with both A and B speakers. The A speaker section is designed for your 7.1 channel home theater system while the B speaker section is a separate stereo pair of speaker outputs that can be used to install a set of speakers elsewhere in your home.

Tone Defeat Mode: If you do not want the bass and treble to be adjusted, turn on the tone defeat button. This will also result in higher quality sound because the audio signal does not have to pass through the bass and treble adjustment circuits.

Channel Level: You can adjust the channel level of each speaker either according to the playback sources or to suit your personal taste. You can adjust the setting from -12dB to + 12dB. The default setting is 0dB.

Personal Memory Plus: The receiver has a personal memorization function that automatically memorizes the surround modes and input modes selected for the different input sources. When the input source is switched, the modes set for that source last time it was used are automatically recalled. The surround parameters, tone control settings, and playback level balance for the different output channels are memorized for each surround mode.

Back-Up Memory: The receiver is equipped with a back-up memory that provides approximately one week of memory storage when the main unit's power switch is off and the power supply cord disconnected.

Dialogue Normalization: Dialogue normalization is a basic function of Dolby Digital which automatically normalizes the dialogue level (standard level) of the signals which are recorded at different levels for different program sources such as DVD or DTV.

Night Mode: When listening at night or at lower volumes, the night mode improves your listening enjoyment at lower volume levels..

Auto Preset Memory: The receiver is equipped with a function for automatically searching for FM broadcast stations and storing them in the preset memory.

Simultaneous Recording: The signals of the source selected with "Input Selector" knob are output simultaneously to the CDR/TAPE and VCR Rec OUT terminals allowing for easy recording.

System Setup

System Setup: You can use the System Setup to customize a variety of setting to suit your listening environment. You are able use the wireless remote control or the front panel of the receiver to make adjustments in the System Setup.

• Speaker Configuration: This selection allows you to input the combination of speakers in your system and their corresponding sizes to automatically set the composition of the signals output from the speakers and the frequency response. You can select from the following settings depending on your application.
  • Front Speakers: large or small
  • Center Speaker: large, small, or no
  • Surround Speakers: large, small or no
  • Surround Back Speakers: no, one speaker or two speakers, large or small
  • Subwoofer: yes or no
• Delay Time: This parameter is for optimizing the timing with which the audio signal are produced from the speakers and subwoofer according to your listening position. You can adjust this setting from 1' to 20' for the front, center, surround, surround back speakers and subwoofer.
• Subwoofer Mode: This mode selects the subwoofer speaker for playing deep bass signals. You can choose from the following modes.
  • LFE+Main: In this mode the low frequency signal range for the "Large" speakers are sent to both the subwoofer and all the speakers set to "Large".
  • LFE: The "Large" low frequency range is only sent to the "Large" speakers while the subwoofer is only sent dedicated LFE frequencies.
• Crossover Frequency: You will set this frequency below which the bass sound of the various speakers is to be output from the subwoofer. You can choose from 60, 80, 100, 120, 135, 200, 180 and 150Hz.
• Test Tone: This feature adjusts the volume of the signals output from the speakers and subwoofer for the different channels in order to obtain optimum effects. You can adjust each speaker level from -12dB to +12dB.
  • Auto Test Tone: This mode will adjust the level while listening to the test tones produced automatically from the different speakers.
  • Manual: This mode will allow you to select the speaker from which you want to produce the test tone to adjust the level.
• Digital In Assignment: This setting assigns the digital input terminal for the different input sources. You can assign digital inputs Coaxial 1, Coaxial 2 and Optical to either CD, CDR, AUX, DVD, TV, VCR or OFF.
• Auto Surround Mode: The surround mode used last is stored in the memory and is automatically played for that signal the next time it is input. You can turn this function "On or "Off".
• Ext. In SW Level: You can set the method of playback of the analog input signal connected to the EXT. In Terminal. You can adjust the external in subwoofer level from 0, 5, 10, 15dB.
• Power Amp Assignment: Use this setting to switch the surround back channel's power amplifier for ZONE 2 use.

Surround Modes

Surround Modes: This receiver incorporates a wide variety of surround modes to bring you maximum enjoyment from your audio and video software. The surround modes include:

• Dolby Digital: full discrete, digital 5.1 channel
• Dolby Digital EX: full discrete, digital 7.1 channel
• Dolby Pro Logic II: analog 5.1 channel surround with stereo surrounds
  • Music
  • Cinema
  • Game
  • Dolby Pro Logic:
• Dolby Pro Logic IIx: allows Pro-Logic decoding up to 7.1 channel
  • Music
  • Cinema
  • Game
• DTS Digital Surround: 5.1 channel at a higher bit rate than Dolby Digital
• DTS-ES Extended Surround: improved 360? surround impression over normal DTS
  • DTS-ES Discrete 6.1
  • DTS-ES Matrix 6.1
• DTS Neo:6 Surround: achieves 6.1 channel surround from a 2-channel signal
  • Neo:6 Cinema
  • Neo:6 Music
• DTS 96/24: able to play back DVDs and CDs recorded at higher than normal bit rates
• Denon Original Surround Modes (DSP): synthetically recreated soundfields for your listening enjoyment
  • Rock Arena
  • Jazz Club
  • Mono Movie
  • Video game
  • Matrix
  • 5CH/7CH Stereo

Surround Parameters: You can adjust the parameter settings within the different soundfields to optimize your home theater experience.

• Two-channel Music Modes:
  • Direct: In this mode the audio signals bypass the tone control circuits, and are transmitted directly, resulting in great quality sound
  • Stereo: This mode allows you to adjust the tone (bass/treble) to achieve the desired sound
• Pro Logic IIx and Pro Logic II Mode:
  • Panorama Control: This mode extends the front stereo image to include the surround speakers for a "wraparound" effect with side wall imaging.
  • Dimension Control: This control gradually adjust the soundfield either towards the front or towards the rear. The control can be set in 7 steps from 0 to 6.
  • Center Width Control: This control adjusts the center image so it may be heard only from the center speaker; only from the left/right speakers as a phantom image; or from all three front speakers to varying degrees. The control can be set in 8 steps from 0 to 7.
• DTS NEO: 6 Mode:
  • Cinema: This mode is optimum for playing movies that were formatted in 2-channel to create a 6.1 channel effect.
  • Music: This mode is suited mainly for playing music. The front signals bypass the decoder and are played directly so there is no loss of sound quality while the effect of the surround signals are output from the center and surround speakers to expand the sound over your entire room.
  • Center Image: The center image parameter adjusts the expansion of the center channel from 0.0 to1.0.
• Dolby Digital and DTS Mode:
  • Cinema EQ: The Cinema equalizer function gently decreases the level of the extreme high frequencies, compensating for overly-bright sounding motion picture soundtracks. Select this function when the sound from the front speakers is to bright.
  • D.Comp: For listening late at night, or whenever the maximum sound level is lower than usual, the Dynamic Range Compression allows you to hear all of the sounds in the soundtrack but with a reduced dynamic range. You can choose from Off, Low, Mid, or High.
  • LFE: The Low Frequency Effect sets the level of the LFE sounds included in the source when playing program sources recorded in Dolby Digital or DTS. You can adjust the setting from -10dB to 0dB.
  • Tone: This function enables tone control (bass/treble). This can be set individually for the separate surround modes other than Direct mode.
  • Surround Back Channel Out: There are 7 parameter setting that can be used for the SB channel.
    • OFF: Playback is conducted without the use of the SB channels.
    • Non MTRX: The same signals as those of the surround channels are output from the surround back channels.
    • MTRX ON: In this mode the surround back channel is reproduced using digital matrix processing.
    • ES DSCRT: When a signal identifying the sources as a discrete 6.1 channel source is included in the DTS signals, the surround back signals included in the source are played.
    • PLIIx Cinema: The surround back channels are reproduced by the cinema mode in Pro Logic IIx.
    • PLIIx Music: The surround back channels are reproduced by the music mode in Pro Logic IIx.

Denon Original Surround Modes: This unit is equipped with a high performance DSP (Digital Signal Processor) which uses digital signal processing to synthetically recreate the soundfields. One of 7 preset surround modes can be selected according to the program source and the parameters can be adjusted according to the conditions in your listening room to achieve amore realistic, powerful sound.

• 5CH / 7CH Stereo: The front left channel signals are output to the surround and surround back left channels, the front right channel signals are output to the surround and surround back right channels, and the in-phase component of the left and right channels is output to the center channel to create a 5 channel or 7 channel stereo sound experience.
• Mono Movie: Select this mode when watching monaural movies for a great sense of expansion.
• Rock Arena: Use this mode to achieve the feeling of a live concert in an arena with reflected sounds coming from all directions.
• Jazz Club: This mode creates the sound field of a live house with a low ceiling and hard walls. This mode give jazz a very vivid realism.
• Video Game: Use this mode to enjoy your video game sources.
• Matrix: Select this mode to emphasize the sense of expansion for music sources recorded in stereo.
• Virtual: Use this mode to enjoy a virtual sound field, produced from the front 2-channel speakers or headphones.

Surround Parameter Adjustments for Denon's Original Surround Modes:

• Room Size: This function allows you to set the size of the sound field. There are five settings; small, medium-small, medium, medium-large and large.
• Effect Level: This function sets the strength of the surround effect. You can adjust the level in 15 steps from 1 to 15.
• Delay Time: The delay time can be set within the range of 0 to 110ms only in the matrix mode.
• Tone Control: This control can be set individually for each surround mode.

Remote Control

RC-1000 Remote Control: The AVR-1506 comes with a remote control that can operate the receiver as well as other remote control capable Denon components. In addition, the remote is pre-programmed with control signals for other brand products; including DVD players, VCRs, TVs, cable boxes, satellite receivers, CD players, CD recorders, MiniDisc players/recorders, and cassette decks. The most popular keys on the remote use GLO-KEY technology. These keys are made of florescent glow and dark material so the remote can easily be used and seen in dark rooms.

Input and Output Notes

Back Panel Inputs and Outputs:

• Assignable Digital Inputs: The AVR-1506 features one optical digital (Toslink) input and 2 coaxial digital inputs. Each input can be assigned to any of the different input sources except Tuner.
• 7.1 Multi-Channel External Input: The AVR-1506 is equipped with a 5.1-channel input to accommodate present and future multi-channel formats. These inputs are rated from 10Hz to 100kHz for high resolution audio sources such as SACD, DVD-Audio, HD-DVD, or Blu-ray.
• Analog Inputs: The amplifier has three sets of audio/video composite connections for VCR, TV/DBS, and DVD/VDP (each of these inputs also have an S-video connection as well) and three pair of stereo audio RCA connections for CD, Aux, and CDR/Tape.
• Analog Outputs: One pair of stereo audio RCA connections for CDR/Tape out and one set of audio/video composite connections for VCR out. The VCR out also contains an S-video out connection.
• Component Video Input: The receiver contains three component video inputs labeled DVD/VDP, VCR and TV/DBS.
• Monitor Out: The AVR-1506 is equipped with one component video out, one s-video out, and one composite video out used for the Monitor out to your television.
• Speaker Terminals: All of the receiver's speaker terminals are binding posts. They are not 5-way binding posts because a plastic collar prevents their use with spade lugs. The speaker terminals include Front B (L&R,+/-), Front A (L&R,+/-) Center(+/-), Surround (L&R,+/-) Surround Back/Zone2 (L&R, +/-).
• Room-to-Room Remote Jacks: The receiver has one mini-jack input for use with an optional Denon RC-616 IR re-transmitter. The adjacent room-to-room mini-jack output is for future use.
• AC Outlets: The amplifier contains two switched AC outlets to plug in two other pieces of your audio equipment into. The power to these outlets are turned "On" and "Off" in conjunction with the main power button on the receiver.
• Antenna Connections: The amplifier has a male threaded coax connector for the FM antenna and a pair of spring clip connectors for the AM antenna loop.

Front Panel Inputs and Output:

• Front Panel (V.Aux) Inputs: This unit features stereo audio and composite video inputs on the front panel for conveniently connecting a game console or camcorder.
• Headphone Jack Out: The receiver has a standard 1/4" headphone jack on the front panel for private listening. When headphones are plugged in, the receiver's speaker and preamp outputs are automatically turned off.