Denon AVR-X540BT vs Denon AVR-S940H review

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Denon AVR-X540BT vs Denon AVR-S940H comparison definitely makes sense.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Denon AVR-X540BT has 5.2 versus 7.2 for Denon AVR-S940H. Regarding power, then AVR-X540BT has such a W/Ohm ratio - 70/8, 90/6 when AVR-S940H has a power of 90/8, 125/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for AVR-X540BT and 192 KHz/32-bit for the AVR-S940H. None of the models support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.

Connectivity

Only the Denon AVR-S940H can connect to the Internet via WI-FI. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The AVR-X540BT can work with the audio stream from TIDAL, Pandora, and the AVR-S940H 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. The AVR-S940H can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the AVR-X540BT. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

The Denon AVR-X540BT has 5/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 8/2 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-S940H. 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. The AVR-S940H has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both AVR-X540BT and AVR-S940H can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Only the AVR-S940H has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the AVR-S940H.