An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Marantz AV8805 vs Denon AVR-S740H comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Marantz AV8805 has 13.2 versus 7.2 for Denon AVR-S740H. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, AK4490 384 KHz/32-bit for AV8805 and 192 KHz/32-bit for the AVR-S740H. Only the AV8805 supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
Both models have the ability to connect to the Internet via WI-FI. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Apple Music service is implemented on considered devices: AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The AV8805 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, and the AVR-S740H can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, Sound Cloud.
These units support HDR technology. Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/60Hz signal when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector. HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. The AV8805 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the AVR-S740H. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Marantz AV8805 has 8/3 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/1 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-S740H. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. The HDMI eARC is available only on the AV8805. The Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature is present in most modern AV receivers and the models in our comparison are no exception. Both models support the standard HDCP 2.2. These compared receivers have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.
The AV8805 supports 3 Multi-room zones, versus 2 for the AVR-S740H. Supported voice control technologies are identical - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both AV8805 and AVR-S740H can be configured using the Setup assistant.
Both devices have support for Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. The surround sound technology DTS:X is supported by devices under review.