Denon AVR-S960H vs Marantz SR6015 review

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The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Denon AVR-S960H vs Marantz SR6015 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-S960H has 7.2 versus 9.2 for Marantz SR6015. Regarding power, then AVR-S960H has such a W/Ohm ratio - 90/8, 125/6 when SR6015 has a power of 110/8, 150/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%. Only the SR6015 supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers 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-S960H can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Qobuz, TuneIn Radio, and the SR6015 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Napster, SoundCloud.

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

The Denon AVR-S960H has 6/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/3 HDMI connectors of the Marantz SR6015. 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.

Additional features

Each of the AV receivers from our review supports 2 Multi-room zones. 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-S960H and SR6015 can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Both devices have support for Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. The surround sound technology DTS:X is supported by devices under review.