Denon AVR-X4700H vs Marantz SR6015

Denon AVR-X4700H

The Denon AVR-X4700H is a powerful amplifier capable of delivering immersive surround sound. With advanced video processing, 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz pass-through, and IMAX Enhanced, DTS Virtual:X, and Dolby Atmos support, this receiver offers the ultimate in-home theater experience.

It's also 8K ready, so you can enjoy the latest in cinematic technology when it becomes available. Plus, the next-gen gaming mode ensures a smooth, lag-free gaming experience with spectacular imaging and reduced lag and frame tearing.

Denon AVR-X4700H has dynamic HDR and HDR10 which provide clarity, contrast, and color for a rich viewing experience. The 9.2 channel receiver delivers immersive surround sound from any HD or Ultra HD TV without the delay of Quick Media Switching which is even faster than before because of 8 HDMI inputs with HDCP 2.3 processing and 3 output lines.

Enjoy your favorite music wirelessly through Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, or Bluetooth on Denon Home series wireless speakers throughout your home with HEOS multi-room wireless without the extension kits that other companies require you to purchase separately.

• Pros: Excellent audio decoding/processing capability many advanced features like AL24 processing engine, 4K video upscaling, etc.
• Cons: It doesn't come with many interesting features, don't forget to buy a separate HDCP2.2 compliant HDMI cable if you want to play 4K BluRay discs and use HD television at the same time!

Marantz SR6015

The Marantz SR6015 is the pinnacle of all things audio. It has performance, power, and connectivity to suit your needs 100%. Enjoy 8K quality video from 8K source devices with support for the most advanced object-based audio formats.

Whether you're listening at home or watching an action-packed IMAX film, this powerful amp will deliver sound that will make you feel like you are there.

The Marantz SR6015 AV receiver is the flagship model in the current RPM Series. Elegantly styled with a brushed aluminum front panel, this 9.2 channel offers unparalleled audio quality and connectivity options including enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) HDMI support, with an included TV remote to provide playback control of popular music programs from TV apps.

An upgraded DAC circuitry powers downstream digital amplifiers for even better sonic accuracy, with protections against overloads or short circuits with auto-shutdown capability for added security.

• Pros: HDCP 2.2 compatibility which is used on the latest Ultra High Definition televisions and Blu-ray disc players for preventing or at least significantly reducing signal piracy by adding an extra layer of hard-to-decipher code that prevents copying content either from a disc directly to a computer/mobile device or even from the display screen by just standing next to it.
• Cons: Doesn't support high-resolution audio file formats such as DSD512/24bit or PCM32bit/192kHz, don't forget to buy an HDCP2.2 compliant HDMI cable if you want to play 4K BluRay discs and watch HD television at the same time!

Design

Denon is known for its compact receivers, so the AVR-X4700H is expected to be small. It measures 16.1 x 12.2 x 6.6 inches (WxDxH). Regarding power output, it is advertised as a 7 channel receiver with 125w per channel @ 8 ohms and double that amount of power when running in two-channel mode. The Marantz SR6015 also has a compact size, measuring 15.4 x 12.2 x 4.8 inches (WxDxH), and it is advertised as a 9 channel receiver with 150w per channel @ 8 ohms.

AV Inputs

Denon has a total of 9 HDMI inputs and 1 output. Besides just the basic data transmission, the receiver also offers 3D video pass-through, ARC (Audio Return Channel) support, and HDCP 2.2 for the highest resolutions such as 4K/60p. It is possible to stream content from YouTube™, Pandora®, Apple AirPlay®, Internet Radio, and Spotify Connect™ with ease.

Six rear-panel inputs are available for use as well as one front input if needed; this means Denon contains fewer analog connections than Marantz which only offers 7 and no digital ports at all. What is more, Denon provides an RS232 connection that can be used for custom home theater integration applications.

The Marantz SR6015 only has 7 HDMI inputs with 1 output (for daisy-chaining or connecting to another receiver). It also contains an RS232 connection but it is located on the back panel which means that this control port is not easily accessible if you need to use it often. Besides video transmission, Marantz offers an audio return channel (ARC) for processing data in the same cable and HDCP2.2 for the highest resolutions such as 4K/60p.

Additionally, there are two dedicated analog inputs at the front panel along with the basic stereo line-in ports that are becoming less important these days but still use occasionally. Another analog input can be found on the rear panel, but just like Denon, Marantz provides one less analog input than HDMI ports.

Sound Quality

Denon has been known for its solid sound quality for years now and the AVR-X4700H is no exception as it delivers a very precise and detailed stereo performance. In fact, this receiver makes use of Audyssey's latest technologies such as MultEQ XT32 and Sub EQ HT to fine-tune its performance in multi-sub setups and to enable powerful bass without distortion even at high listening levels. Meanwhile, Marantz uses Audyssey MultEQ XT32 technology as well but the company adds DTS:X support which is limited to certain channels due to phase issues that might arise from time to time when setting up surround sound and speaker configurations.

Both the AVRX-4700H and SR6015 are capable of delivering immersive surround sound with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, or Auro3D format for height effects. The Denon model is compatible with 7.2 channel configurations while the Marantz is limited to 5.2 channels due to its extra bass management features that adjust low frequency sounds directly in each channel vs a separate subwoofer system.

Lastly, both receivers also have built-in amplifiers that can deliver up to 110w per channel at 8 ohms & 220w per channel at 4 ohms simultaneously when using an external amp for main speakers but not when playing through its high-quality internal amps which only power 2 channel stereo sound.

Audio

The AVR-X4700H comes with the latest generation 32 bits AKM AK4490EQ DAC that supports all types of HiRes Audio formats like DSD256/11.2 MHz and PCM up to 24 bit/192 kHz as well as some interesting features such as AL24 Processing Engine and Dolby Volume.

It is important to note that this receiver supports 7.2 channels and the latest HDMI 2.0a standard, so it is compatible with all types of high dynamic range video formats such as HDR10 and Dolby Vision, which isn't the case with the Marantz SR6015 which only supports up to 4K/60 Hz 4:4:4 8-bit video signal and does not support HDCP 2.2

When it comes to connectivity, there's no significant difference between them: you'll get a total of 9 HDMI inputs (6 on the back panel and 3 via an included adapter) and 1 output; multiple network connections (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth), dual-zone function, a phono input, a direct USB port and 3 sets of composite video inputs.

Features

As we mentioned earlier, the AVR-X4700H comes with many features in order to improve sound quality in a variety of ways. The Denon is equipped with a Wide Range Amplifier Technology which makes it possible for the receiver to deliver power from 20 Hz all the way up to 50 kHz, thus offering full support for high-resolution audio files such as DSD512/24bit and PCM32bit/192kHz. In addition, there's also an Ultra High-Resolution mode that uses a 4x sampling rate conversion technique that delivers super clear sound.

Another interesting feature that comes built into this unit is called the AL24 Processing engine which has been designed to deliver an enhanced audio resolution rate of 24 bits by removing the limitations found in the digital-to-analog conversion process. Aside from these features, we can also mention some basic sound controls such as Bass and Treble adjustments, DSP mode selection for different types of music (Standard/Vocal), adjustable loudness, and dialogue level control.

As for the Marantz SR6015, it doesn't come with many impressive features apart from support for HDCP2.2 video processing feature that is used on 4K BluRay players in order to prevent or at least decrease signal piracy. Having said that, it comes with a nice set of basic sound controls like Loudness Control, Phase Matching Bass, and a Mono Movie mode.

Connectivity

Both of these receivers come with plenty of connection options.

For example, the AVR-X4700H has a total of 9 HDMI inputs and 1 output (all on the rear panel), and 3 composite inputs and 2 outputs for legacy sources. It also comes equipped with 4K/60 Hz upscaling, which means that it can increase lower-resolution signals to match its native 4K resolution. Finally, there's also a USB port for direct connection to MHL compatible devices as well as an Ethernet port if you want your receiver to be linked via network cable to your home network.

The Marantz SR6015, on the other hand, doesn't support 4Kor HDR pass through but it will upscale any standard video signal up to 4K resolution. In terms of connectivity, the SR6015 comes with 9 analog inputs (including 1 phono input) and can support 3 zones simultaneously: main room and 2 additional rooms. The Marantz also has a Bluetooth connection for wireless playback from compatible devices and a USB port.

The Denon AVR-X4700H is a great receiver with many features, but the fact that it offers fewer analog connections than HDMI ports vs Marantz's extra line-level inputs means that there are more options available when adding up to 7 channels of audio by using its digital ports. It has lower power consumption which could be better if rated at 2 ohms instead of 4 ohms because these days many people don't use main speakers that can handle this much power. The receiver also supports only two subwoofers in auto-setup which might not meet everyone's needs, so it is advisable to set up the low-frequency effects manually when you have multiple subs in your surround sound system.

On the other hand, Marantz SR6015 is a solid receiver as well and it provides extra bass management options for owners who want to add more speakers without sacrificing sound quality. Since this model also has an HDMI input at the front panel and two analog inputs on the rear panel, there are several options available when connecting external devices such as games consoles or media streamers even if they don't use digital connections, so overall users might find the SR6015 easier to set up than Denon's AVR-X4700H which lacks these features because of its multi-functional control port that can be used with other home theater equipment.

The choice ultimately comes down to your requirements and what you plan connect to your receiver because both models deliver the same excellent sound quality and support for all modern Dolby and DTS formats. Some people might find Denon's limited number of analog ports restrictive, while others might prefer Marantz' flexible setup options at the expense of extra connections that can be used to improve sound quality with external amps instead of sending low frequencies directly to each speaker which is considered as a standard method these days.