An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Denon AVR-S540BT vs Onkyo TX-NR555 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Denon AVR-S540BT has 5.2 versus 7.2 for Onkyo TX-NR555. Regarding power, then AVR-S540BT has such a W/Ohm ratio - 70/8, 90/6 when TX-NR555 has a power of 130/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/32-bit for AVR-S540BT and Hi-Grade 384 KHz/32-bit for the TX-NR555. Only the TX-NR555 supports Bi-amping feature. The Onkyo TX-NR555 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The AVR-S540BT can work with the audio stream from TIDAL, Pandora, and the TX-NR555 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora.
These units support HDR technology. 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 competitors are not able to scale the HDMI signal. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the AVR-S540BT.
The Denon AVR-S540BT has 5/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 6/1 HDMI connectors of the Onkyo TX-NR555. 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 TX-NR555 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. A voice control is not available. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. The setup assistant will help you configure Denon AVR-S540BT.
Only the TX-NR555 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the TX-NR555.