An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V685BL vs Denon AVR-X1400H comparison definitely makes sense.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 7.2. Regarding power, then RX-V685BL has such a W/Ohm ratio - 90/8, 150/4 when AVR-X1400H has a power of 80/8, 120/6. The THD is 0.06% for the RX-V685BL but 0.08% for the AVR-X1400H.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit for RX-V685BL and 192 KHz/24-bit for the AVR-X1400H. Both the RX-V685BL and the AVR-X1400H 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 Yamaha RX-V685BL has support for AirPlay, and its competitor in our comparison - AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Only the AVR-X1400H supports Spotify. 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 RX-V685BL can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the AVR-X1400H. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Yamaha RX-V685BL has 5/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/1 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-X1400H. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. The HDMI eARC is available only on the RX-V685BL. 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. The RX-V685BL has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.
The RX-V685BL supports 2 Multi-room zones, versus 3 for the AVR-X1400H. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both RX-V685BL and AVR-X1400H 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.