It makes sense comparing Onkyo TX-NR696 vs Denon AVR-X4400H because they both are able to give some premium features.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Onkyo TX-NR696 has 7.2 versus 11.2 for Denon AVR-X4400H. Regarding power, then TX-NR696 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 165/6 when AVR-X4400H has a power of 125/8, 165/6. The THD is 0.08% for the TX-NR696 but 0.05% for the AVR-X4400H.
Competitors' digital to analog converter (DAC) is identical to AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit. Both the TX-NR696 and the AVR-X4400H 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 TX-NR696 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and the AVR-X4400H 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. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Onkyo TX-NR696 has 7/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 8/3 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-X4400H. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. The HDMI eARC is available only on the AVR-X4400H. 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 TX-NR696 supports 2 Multi-room zones, versus 3 for the AVR-X4400H. The TX-NR696 supports voice control via Google Assistant, and the AVR-X4400H - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. An ECO mode is only available for the AVR-X4400H. Both TX-NR696 and AVR-X4400H 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.