What is better - Marantz NR1200 vs Denon DRA-800H?
AV receivers under review have the same number of channels. In terms of power, there are differences, the NR1200 has such a ratio W/Ohm - 75/8, 100/6, while the DRA-800H has a power of 100/8, 120/6. A common feature for devices is the same total harmonic distortion - 0.08%.
The manufacturer installed different DACs, the NR1200 received the model 192 KHz/32-bit, but the DRA-800H is equipped with 192 KHz/24-bit. None of the compared opponents supports Bi-amping. Both Marantz NR1200 and Denon DRA-800H can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. None of the AV receivers have an auto speaker calibration support. Each of the receivers has a Bluetooth connector. Both devices can work with such Apple Music services: AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Access to the Spotify service is on each of the competitors. The number of available streaming services varies for receivers, the Marantz NR1200 works with Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, but the Denon DRA-800H works with Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, Sound Cloud.
The HDR10 function is present in each of the rivals. The quality of 4K/60Hz signal remains unchanged when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector via HDMI for both receivers. Signaling over HDMI in standby mode can provide the NR1200 and the DRA-800H. None of the devices can increase the resolution of the incoming video signal. Operation with the Dolby Vision is only possible with the DRA-800H.
The number of HDMI inputs/outputs is the same - 5/1. HDMI Audio Return Channel is implemented in both devices. HDMI eARC is not supported by the NR1200 and the DRA-800H. When comparing receivers, it becomes clear that each of the rivals can work with HDMI CEC. NR1200 and DRA-800H support the standard HDCP 2.3. Like most receivers, our models have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. Voice control is performed using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI in both models. There is an ECO mode in either AV receiver. The Marantz NR1200 and the Denon DRA-800H can be properly configured using the setup assistant.
Generally no support for a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. A DTS:X surround technology is not supported by devices from our comparison.