Denon AVR-S960H vs Sony STR-AZ3000ES review

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An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Denon AVR-S960H vs Sony STR-AZ3000ES comparison definitely makes sense.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Denon AVR-S960H has 7.2 versus 9.2 for Sony STR-AZ3000ES. Regarding power, then AVR-S960H has such a W/Ohm ratio - 90/8, 125/6 when STR-AZ3000ES has a power of 120/8. The THD is 0.08% for the AVR-S960H but 0.09% for the STR-AZ3000ES. Only the STR-AZ3000ES supports Bi-amping feature. 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 AVR-S960H can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Qobuz, TuneIn Radio, and the STR-AZ3000ES 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 6/2 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. The AVR-S960H has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.

Additional features

The AVR-S960H supports 2 Multi-room zones, versus 3 for the STR-AZ3000ES. 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 STR-AZ3000ES 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.