Denon AVR-X1600H Reviews – Great AV Receiver

With the launch of Dolby Vision and HDR10+, we've seen a few high-end receivers that include these features. The Denon AVRSX1600H is one such receiver that offers up plenty of power and features for the discerning home theater enthusiast.

This receiver comes with 7 channels and enough power to fill a large room comfortably, while also offering up multiple HDMI inputs and outputs so you can easily hook up all your components. If you want to add additional speakers in different rooms of the house, there's room for that too! This receiver is a real powerhouse and won't disappoint.

This receiver comes with most of the features you would expect in an HD home theater setup: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D compatibility, 4K/60p pass-through, HDR10+, Alexa voice control compatibility (with additional equipment), and Apple Airplay.

If you're looking for a high-end receiver that can support both new and legacy components, then the AVR-X1600H should definitely be on your shortlist.

Design

When it comes to A/V receivers the devil is truly in the details. We've all seen Denon AVR-X1600H with great specs, but in terms of design and build quality Denon's latest flagship receiver really shines. The body itself features a brushed aluminum front panel that feels sturdy and has a premium look and feel.

Also unlike other companies that go 'all black' on their lower-end models, this one features a black brushed aluminum faceplate with silver sides which gives it a very unique look among its peers. Volume knobs are made from solid metal and the input selector buttons have a premium clicky tactile feel when pressed.

Some may prefer knobs for volume though as they provide better feedback about how loud you're pushing your speakers thus protecting your hearing and the speakers. There are only 4 buttons on the entire face of the receiver (power, volume up/down, input) which is nice if you plan to use it in a more permanent location with 'permanent' labeling or an overlaying decal that shows what input you're using.

Connectivity

The connectivity options on this Denon AVR-X1600H are frankly mind-blowing for its price point. For video there are 6 HDMI 2.0a inputs, one output zone, and support for HDCP 2.2 copy protection standard so you can connect all your latest gear including game consoles, UltraHD Blu-ray players, etc...

If you have devices that don't support HDCP 2.2 then you'll need to upgrade your HDMI cables to ones that do. There are also 4K 60Hz pass-through ports, 3D pass-through ports, and a full HDCP 1.4 port as well as a legacy composite video input.

You can use this receiver not only as a preamp but also for analog audio sources by using the included iPod/iPhone direct digital connection which bypasses your device's built-in DACs thus improving sonics quality.

Control Options

In terms of remote controls, there are two main options you have to control this beast one being Denon's dedicated remote OR if you have an iPhone or iPad with the latest iPod touch OS you can download their free "AVR Remote" app from the App Store to control the receiver with just your device.

The downside when using this app is that you can only adjust 'dumb' devices like Blu-ray players, not network-attached storage or other computer-based sources, but it does control all inputs on the receiver including video ones if you have a compatible display.

This way you don't have to scramble around looking for the remote every time you change input sources. On top of that if you get an AppleTV or AirPort Express then through some easy setup steps you can also use Siri commands to interact with the AVR over WiFi without having to use any extra hardware.

Media Options

When it comes to streaming music there are tons of options thanks to Denon's "HEOS" music interface. The AVR-X1600H is a "HEOS enabled" device meaning that in addition to Bluetooth and WiFi it has an Ethernet jack so you can connect to your home network and stream directly from popular sources like Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn radio, etc... all without having to worry about running speaker wires around your rooms or house.

Also streaming over AirPlay (from iTunes or other software on OS X or Windows) allows for increased resolution compared to Bluetooth or WiFi which is handy if you're using the receiver solely as a preamp with no listening involved.

Sound

We come down to what really matters most to audiophiles and that's the sound quality of this unit. It features a powerful 7 channel amplifier which is rated at 125 watts per channel into 8 Ohms and dynamically allocated mode where it can provide up to 165 watts per channel into 8 ohms.

Also included are Audyssey's MultEQ XT32 equalization system with their "Sub EQ HT" extension giving you total bass control for the 10-inch front-firing subwoofer as well as 16 other bands of room equalization allowing you to totally flatten out any frequency response anomalies in your listening area from the inside before pushing anything through the receivers DSP.

This Denon AVR-X1600H AV receiver also features a MacMURDO Class A/B amp design which uses a clever layout that allows heat-producing devices like transformers and power transistors to be actively cooled by running fast-moving air over them causing a constant flow of fresh air through the chassis so you get clearer lows and better dynamic range with no chance of overheating.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• This receiver is one of the most versatile units on the market with tons of ways to play music wirelessly or wired whether you have Bluetooth, AirPlay, or WiFi.
• It's got a 4K 60Hz video pass through so your TV can be upgraded anytime without needing new hardware. Plus it has multi-stream audio format support for up to 32 components in your home theater system at once that is fully compatible with the latest standards like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (with firmware update).
• The "AVR Remote" app makes switching inputs easy when using this receiver as a preamp by not having to rummage around looking for the remote every time you change sources. On top of that if you get an AppleTV or Airport Express then through some easy setup steps you can also use Siri commands to interact with the AVR over WiFi without having to use any extra hardware.
• It's got Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room equalization. This system has 16 bands of correction that not only flattens out your frequency response but also compensates for your speaker placement and the acoustics of your listening area before pushing it through the receiver's DSP allowing for better dynamics and lower distortion at every volume level without needing adjustable speaker levels.
• With 125 watts per channel available on 7 channels this is one of the most powerful units on the market right now which means you'll never run out of headroom as you turn it up louder.
• The HDMI ports can be configured in a number of different ways including "Video+Audio" which will present the video and audio to your TV on both the input and output allowing you to make any changes you want. This means if your TV is compatible with 4K 60Hz pass-through this receiver has got you covered without having to purchase an external switcher. Also, it does 3D and HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision) passthrough which allows for more connectivity options when using this receiver as a preamp or listening off another source like your Gaming PC or AppleTV/AirPlay speakers.
• It supports Siri over AirPlay allowing you to control it fully from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without having to purchase an extra remote controller.
• This receiver has an energy-saving standby mode which can be set to turn off after 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 hours of inactivity. It will also automatically go into this mode if no signals are present like when you get up and walk away from it or your family forgets to switch it off before they leave the house for work every morning. Also if you're out on vacation and forget to turn it off then this receiver won't keep wasting energy while you're gone (a nice plus that many other receivers lack).

Cons:

• No multichannel analog input support so if you want to use this with legacy media preamps like your vintage Quadraflex CRT TV then you'll need to use the optical digital input.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUKBv8r9tJs

1. Does the AVR-X1600H have the ability to control other devices?

Yes, it has a full-featured IR remote that can learn and store commands from other remotes or devices. It also works with Denon's HEOS multi-room wireless speaker products.

2. Can I use an app on my smartphone/tablet as a remote?

Yes, you can search for "Denon Remote" in the app store of your choice (Apple, Google Play), download the proper app for your phone/tablet model, and operate the Denon AVR-X1600H right from your phone or tablet. There are several apps available - one is called Heos by Denon (free) that will give you access to all of Denon's Heos enabled multi-room wireless speakers as well as the AVR-X1600H.

3. Does it support AirPlay?

Yes, you can use your iPhone or iPad to play music and video from iTunes and other streaming services/apps on the AVR-X1600H by using Airplay via Apple TV. You can also stream audio from your phone or tablet to a HEOS speaker connected to the Denon AVR-X1600H by using Bluetooth (must be 4.1).

4. Any other cool features?

The front panel has a USB port that lets you connect a thumb drive loaded with WAV, MP3, or FLAC files and play them through any of the Denon AVR-X1600H's 5.1 or 7.1 channel speakers via the front panel USB input or one of the zones, just like playing a CD.

If you don't mind shelling out around $600 then this Denon AVR-X1600H is a great piece of kit for your home theater even if you don't plan on using some or all of the features like network streaming. It's also got enough juice to power most speakers out there so whichever A/V receiver you choose this one will likely be powerful enough to drive them properly.