Twin Debut: Denon Unveils Budget-Friendly AVR-S660H and AVR-S760H AV Receivers

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(October 21, 2021) Fresh on the heels of revealing its AVR-X1700H, which strikes an ideal balance of price for performance, Denon is opening the HDMI 2.1 floodgates and ushering 8K compatibility to incredibly low price points. The all-new S-Series 5.2 channel AVR-S660H ($449) and 7.2 channel S760H ($549) are future-friendly models that budget-minded enthusiasts can use to anchor a home theater system or gaming rig.

Both models claim 75 watts per channel of output (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 2 ch driven), with the S660H delivering five channels of amplification and the S760H boosting that number to seven. While the S660H can drive a multi-channel experience by decoding legacy codecs such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, the S760H adds two height channels for playback of Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and those codecs' immersive upmixing technologies.

To ensure future video compatibility, the S660H and S760H carry three HDMI 2.1 inputs supporting 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video pass-through up to 40Gbps, along with eARC and a host of technologies available for next-gen gaming. Those technologies include Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). In addition, all HDMI inputs (6 in/1 out) boast 4:4:4 Pure Color sub sampling, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dynamic HDR, and BT.2020 pass-through support for exceptional clarity. Owners can also enjoy 8K upscaling on all inputs along with coverage of HDCP 2.3, the latest copy protection standard for effortless playback.

Streaming-wise, both receivers support Apple AirPlay 2 for iPhone users, while a front-panel USB port offers playback of other high-resolution audio formats (WAV, FLAC, ALAC and DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz files) from a variety of players. Wireless connectivity to popular streaming music services like Spotify, Pandora, TIDAL are also easily accessed via Bluetooth or HEOS built-in technology. With HEOS Built-in, the receivers can stream music wirelessly across compatible HEOS built-in products for multi-room and whole-home audio.

Sound quality is boosted using a limited version of Audyssey's room correction technology called MultEQ. This guides speaker setup and acoustic calibration of a system by detecting the size, type, and configuration of a speaker arrangement and measuring their in-room response from up to six listening positions. Owners of the S760H can further customize settings to their liking via the advanced Audyssey MultEQ Editor app, available for purchase in iOS and Android stores.

With a suite of new updates, both AVRs offer a variety of other benefits. “Dialog Enhancer” lets owners adjust the dialog levels on the fly, and a newly added HDMI signal information feature allows users to confirm if 8K or 4K/120 signals or other HDR formats are passing through the AVR. Additionally, the S760H offers “Dual Speaker Presets,” which allows users to store and instantly switch between two different speaker configurations and Audyssey settings. The new S-Series AVRs also work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri for voice control of AVR functions.

The AVR-S660H and AVR-S760H are available for purchase now. For more information, visit denon.com.
 
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