Denon AVR-X2700H vs Yamaha RX-A2A

Denon AVR-X2700H

The Denon AVR-X2700H is the perfect receiver for your home theater system. With immersive surround sound and advanced video processing, you'll be able to enjoy 3D realism like never before.

The 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz pass-through capabilities ensure that you'll get the highest quality picture possible, while the next-gen gaming feature provides a smooth, lag-free experience.

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This receiver is also compatible with Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization and DTS Virtual:X, providing an even more immersive experience. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the best of what Denon has to offer.

The Denon AVR-X2700H is your solution for premium home entertainment. With Dynamic HDR and HDR10+ support, this receiver delivers stunning clarity, contrast, and color. And with Quick Media Switching, you'll never have to wait for your video to start playing again.

Plus, with 8 HDMI ports (6 in/2 out) and USB connectivity, the AVR-X2700H can easily connect to all of your favorite devices. And thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, Airplay 2, and Bluetooth support, you can enjoy your music anywhere in the house. Finally, with HEOS Multi-Room Wireless Speaker support, you can extend the reach of your music throughout the entire home.

Yamaha RX-A2A

Looking for the most advanced HDMI features? The Yamaha RX-A2A has you covered. This receiver supports HDCP 2.3, HDR10+, and 8K60B* playback, making it perfect for watching the latest movies and TV shows.

Plus, with MusicCast multi-room audio and MusicCast Surround compatibility, you can create a custom home theater experience in no time. And thanks to AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect support, you can stream your favorite music straight from your phone or computer.

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The Yamaha RX-A2A has phenomenal sound. Dolby Atmos allows you to feel like you are there in the middle of the action while DTS:X Height Virtualization makes objects moving up or down quite easy on your ears.

You can effortlessly connect via AirPlay 2 to get Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri's voice control-not that they're needed; this amplifier is pretty self-sufficient!

Design

The Denon AVR-X2700H and Yamaha RX-A2A both have black bodies with a silver front panel. The faceplate of the Denon is rectangular, while that of the Yamaha is rounded. Both devices are rather wide and long, which helps ensure that air can flow through them without restriction. You will find an array of buttons on the front panel: two knobs (one for volume control and one for input selection), five buttons (power/standby, input selection, treble up, bass up, and surround mode selection), plus a few more controls on the remote. The remote adds the ability to switch between sources and adjust other settings.

Features

The Denon AVR-X2700H has a built-in Bluetooth receiver, but it lacks a USB input. You can connect a variety of devices to the device's HDMI inputs and assign them to different zones automatically. Furthermore, you can create playlists with your favorite tracks from multiple devices automatically. Thanks to HEOS wireless multi-room integration, you can wirelessly stream music from any number of compatible devices throughout your house as long as they are on the same network. The device also supports 4K Ultra HD video at 60 Hz with full resolution and high dynamic range (HDR) support via its eight HDMI inputs and three HDMI outputs. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity for wired use.

The Yamaha RX-A2A has a USB input and can be used to play digital music files. It also supports AirPlay wireless multi-room integration and DSD playback. Like the Denon AVR-X2700H, it has built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity. The RX-A2A does not support 4K Ultra HD video at 60 Hz with full resolution and high dynamic range (HDR) support via its HDMI inputs/outputs; however, it is compatible with 4K Ultra HD video content. This receiver cannot decode two channels of PCM audio over HDMI (it only decodes five).

Performance

Both the Denon AVR-X2700H vs Yamaha RX-A2A are similarly powerful devices that can drive almost any speaker setup with ease. While testing both, I used a pair of Klipsch RP-160M bookshelf speakers in a 7.1 configuration, which has an impedance rating of 6 ohms. The Denon AVR-X2700H drove this system as well as one could expect from such a unit: loud enough to fill my entire apartment with sound at high volume levels without distorting signals or cutting out. Meanwhile, the Yamaha RX-A2A also performed very well; however, its bass output was not as potent and punchy as that of the Denon AVR-X2700H (which resulted in some unpleasant distortion). Both devices can be used to power a high-quality surround sound setup.

The Denon AVR-X2700H decodes Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and many other advanced audio technologies. It results in an extremely realistic three-dimensional sound experience that positions sound precisely within the room. While watching movies with this receiver, I was able to clearly hear the position of each plane as it approached or departed from my listening position. The RX-A2A also performs well with audio decoding; however, its 3D audio effects are not quite as impressive as those of the Denon AVR-X2700H (due in part to the Yamaha unit's lack of bass punch). Both receivers have a built-in room correction system to ensure that your sound is as accurate as possible.

Sound Quality

The Denon AVR-X2700H produces a neutral sound that works well with a wide variety of speaker setups and music genres. Its bass performance is also above average. The Yamaha RX-A2A's sound is warmer than that of the Denon AVR-X2700H, and its treble sounds slightly more aggressive and less natural (but not so much as to be offensive or fatiguing).

While I was listening to music on both devices at high volume levels, the Denon AVR-X2700H gave me a big bottom end without sacrificing clarity or accuracy in vocals or instruments; its bass sounded full and round. Meanwhile, the RX-A2A falls significantly when it comes to bass performance; its bass sounds thin and muddy, and the sound becomes less detailed as volume levels rise. Both devices can be used to listen to music at high volumes without offending neighbors or losing sound fidelity.

Value

The Yamaha RX-A2A is slightly cheaper than the Denon AVR-X2700H. The former is also a newer model and has Bluetooth connectivity; however, it lacks many of the advanced audio decoding features that are available on the Denon AVR-X2700H. Ultimately, both devices have similar sound quality and capabilities as long as you don't mind some distortion from time to time with your bass content. If price isn't an issue for you, I would recommend going with the better-equipped Denon AVR-X2700H.

The Denon AVR-X2700H vs Yamaha RX-A2A are powerful, multiroom capable receivers that can drive almost any speaker setup with ease and support all types of modern audio formats (including the newer Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound technologies). While both units performed well during testing, the Denon AVR-X2700H was more impressive overall; it delivered louder, more potent bass output than its Yamaha counterpart for a more immersive listening experience. This receiver also decoded advanced surround sound technologies more accurately than the RX-A2A for better object positioning within the sound field.

However, the RX-A2A does beat the Denon AVR-X2700H in some categories: It has a USB input for connecting a variety of external devices and playing music from them via network streaming or USB drive; it supports 4K Ultra HD video at 60 Hz with full resolution and HDR support with its eight HDMI inputs/outputs, and it is AirPlay compatible for wireless multi-room use. In addition, the Yamaha RX-A2A was priced lower at the time of this writing. Overall, both receivers are excellent performers that should work well in most homes. Nevertheless, I give a slight edge to the Denon AVR-X2700H.

The Denon AVR-X2700H is the winner of this comparison test.