It makes sense comparing Denon AVR-X8500HSP vs Yamaha RX-A8A because they both are able to give some premium features.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Denon AVR-X8500HSP has 13.2 versus 11.2 for Yamaha RX-A8A. Regarding power, then AVR-X8500HSP has such a W/Ohm ratio - 150/8, 190/6 when RX-A8A has a power of 150/8. The THD is 0.05% for the AVR-X8500HSP but 0.06% for the RX-A8A.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, AK4490 384 KHz/32-bit for AVR-X8500HSP and 384 KHz/32-bit for the RX-A8A. Both the AVR-X8500HSP and the RX-A8A support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
WI-FI modules have the same characteristics: 2.4/5GHz. 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-X8500HSP can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, Sound Cloud, and the RX-A8A can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Napster, SoundCloud. 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 Denon AVR-X8500HSP has 8/3 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/3 HDMI connectors of the Yamaha RX-A8A. 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. The AVR-X8500HSP supports the protection of digital content of the standard HDCP 2.2, versus HDCP 2.3 in the RX-A8A. These compared receivers have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.
Each of the AV receivers from our review supports 3 Multi-room zones. 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-X8500HSP and RX-A8A 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.