Looking past the high-profile choices that sit at the top of the A/V receiver category, there are a growing amount of value-minded solutions that offer users tons of performance for a minimal investment.
The latest of these value-minded receivers to hit the market comes from the popular A/V manufacturer Denon. Replacing its AVR-S710W and AVR-S910W A/V receivers, the company has announced its new AVR-S720W and AVR-S920W A/V receivers that offer the latest market technologies at affordable price points.
Denon says the $479 AVR-S720W is a 7.2-channel receiver that is compatible with Ultra HD 4K, as well as 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, 60Hz video, and HDCP 2.2 via its inclusion of HDMI 2.0a.
The AVR-S720W also includes Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, Denon’s HEOS IP Control link for compatibility with the company’s wireless whole-house audio line of products, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X (via firmware update) object-based surround sound.
Dual antennas help ensure robust signal transmission and reception via either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. For incredible fidelity, high-resolution audio formats and playback are supported. Getting music to the unit involves streaming your favorite audio tracks wirelessly by using the Denon 2016 AVR Remote app, which is available on iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire smart devices.
The $579 7.2-channel AVR-S920W offers the same features as the AVR-S720W but it adds slightly more power 185 watts of maximum power output per channel versus 165 watts of maximum power output per channel. Other differentiating features include eight total HDMI 2.0a inputs (the AVR-S720W has six), dual HDMI outputs, and advanced 4K upscaling.
Robert Archer is an audio enthusiast who has written about consumer electronics for various publications within Massachusetts before joining the staff of CE Pro in 2000. Bob is THX Level I certified, and he’s also taken classes from the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) and Home Acoustics Alliance (HAA). In addition, he’s studied guitar and music theory at Sarrin Music Studios in Wakefield, Mass.
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