An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha CX-A5200 vs Denon AVR-S740H comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha CX-A5200 has 11.2 versus 7.2 for Denon AVR-S740H. The THD is 0.06% for the CX-A5200 but 0.08% for the AVR-S740H.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, ESS SABRE PRO (ES9026) 384 KHz/32-bit for CX-A5200 and 192 KHz/32-bit for the AVR-S740H. None of the models support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. 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 CX-A5200 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, Qobuz, and the AVR-S740H can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, Sound Cloud. 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 CX-A5200 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the AVR-S740H. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Yamaha CX-A5200 has 7/3 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/1 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-S740H. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. Unfortunately, HDMI eARC is not available on monitored devices. 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 CX-A5200 supports 3 Multi-room zones, versus 2 for the AVR-S740H. The CX-A5200 supports voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and the AVR-S740H - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both CX-A5200 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.