An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Onkyo TX-SR494 vs Denon AVR-X1400H comparison definitely makes sense.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 7.2. Regarding power, then TX-SR494 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 135/6 when AVR-X1400H has a power of 80/8, 120/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, AKM 384 KHz/32-bit for TX-SR494 and 192 KHz/24-bit for the AVR-X1400H. Both the TX-SR494 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.
Only the Denon AVR-X1400H can connect to the Internet via WI-FI. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. 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. Both competitors are not able to scale the HDMI signal. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the AVR-X1400H.
The Onkyo TX-SR494 has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/1 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-X1400H. 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. Receivers do not have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.
The TX-SR494 supports 2 Multi-room zones, versus 3 for the AVR-X1400H. An ECO mode is only available for the AVR-X1400H. Both TX-SR494 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.