Yamaha RX-V479BL vs Denon AVR-S950H review

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It makes sense comparing Yamaha RX-V479BL vs Denon AVR-S950H because they both are able to give some premium features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V479BL has 5.1 versus 7.2 for Denon AVR-S950H. Regarding power, then RX-V479BL has such a W/Ohm ratio - 80/8 when AVR-S950H has a power of 90/8, 125/6. The THD is 0.09% for the RX-V479BL but 0.08% for the AVR-S950H.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for RX-V479BL and AKM 192 KHz/32-bit for the AVR-S950H. 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

Both models have the ability to connect to the Internet via WI-FI. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Yamaha RX-V479BL has support for AirPlay, and its competitor in our comparison - AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Only the AVR-S950H 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. The AVR-S950H can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the RX-V479BL. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the AVR-S950H.

Extensive connections

The Yamaha RX-V479BL has 6/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 8/2 HDMI connectors of the Denon AVR-S950H. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. The HDMI eARC is available only on the AVR-S950H. The Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature is present in most modern AV receivers and the models in our comparison are no exception. The RX-V479BL supports the protection of digital content of the standard HDCP 2.2, versus HDCP 2.3 in the AVR-S950H. The AVR-S950H 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 RX-V479BL and AVR-S950H can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Only the AVR-S950H has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the AVR-S950H.