Denon AVR-S660H vs Marantz CINEMA 70s review

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The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Denon AVR-S660H vs Marantz CINEMA 70s that are meant to satisfy the needs of cinema and music lovers.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Denon AVR-S660H has 5.2 versus 7.2 for Marantz CINEMA 70s. Regarding power, then AVR-S660H has such a W/Ohm ratio - 75/8, 100/6 when CINEMA 70s has a power of 50/8, 70/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.

Audio features

Competitors' digital to analog converter (DAC) is identical to 192 KHz/32-bit. Only the CINEMA 70s supports Bi-amping feature. The Marantz CINEMA 70s can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.

Connectivity

WI-FI modules have the same characteristics: 2.4/5GHz. 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 AVR-S660H can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Napster, SoundCloud, and the CINEMA 70s can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Napster, SoundCloud, Amazon Music, Amazon Music HD, MOOD:Mix.

Video features

Both AV receivers support HDR10+ technology (High dynamic range). Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/120Hz signal when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector. HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

Each receiver has 6/1 HDMI inputs/outputs. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. HDMI eARC is available in each model. 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 2.3. These compared receivers have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. 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 AVR-S660H and CINEMA 70s can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Only the CINEMA 70s has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the CINEMA 70s.