I want to introduce you to the Denon AVR-S760H, an affordable yet powerful 7.2 channel receiver that promises to please both discerning home theater shoppers and audiophile music listeners. Packed with the latest features and connectivity, it likely fits the needs of many readers out there searching for an easy-to-use hub for their entertainment setup without breaking the bank. Shall we explore further?
As your helpful guide, I’ll be sharing detailed insights throughout this guide so you can determine if the AVR-S760H fits your requirements. We’ll uncover key specs around audio formats, video support, amplification, physical design, wireless streaming options and more. You can count on me to cite great external sources too. My goal is to paint a complete picture so you can decide if this receiver represents a worthwhile investment for your household.
Who is the AVR S760H Good For?
This mid-range home theater receiver sitting at a $599 retail price appears positioned to appeal to a wide swathe of consumers. Here‘s a quick look at ideal buyer profiles:
Budget-Conscious Enthusiasts – If you want latest surround formats, 4K/120Hz gaming and streaming perks without overspending, the AVR-S760H checks all boxes.
First Time Home Theater Shoppers – With easy setup and operation, this serves as a perfect gateway model to dabble in immersive audio.
Music Lovers wanting Hi-Res Streaming – Beyond cinema surround, the high-end amplification and Audyssey sound tuning even satisfiesaudiophiles.
Gamers needing HDMI 2.1 – With three ports enabling 4K/120Hz, VRR, and 8K passthrough, next-gen consoles can fully flex their muscles.
The Denon touts a sensible balance of performance and features for under $600 earning it widespread critical acclaim. Now let‘s get into the specifics, starting with its physical form and function.
Hands-On: Design, Inputs, and Interaction
I always believe it helps to directly experience devices to assess build construction. So I headed down to a local Best Buy magnolia home theater department to test drive the AVR-S760H firsthand. Here are my key evaluations around its design and usability:
Industrial Yet Sleek Look
The receiver sports the familiar brushed metal faceplate central to Denon’s signature aesthetic
It forgoes fancy accents or flourishes for a clean, minimalist look – not flashy but should blend into most furniture
Weighing 16.7 pounds with metal chassis and grilles, build quality feels reassuringly solid
While plasticky, the body doesn’t seem cheap – suitable for the price point
Logical Input/Output Layout
All connection ports line the back cleanly segmented into labeled rows by function
Cables can be easily plugged in without much clutter thanks to smart spacing
Color coded plastic overlays indicate intended purpose of each input/output for fast hookup
The binding post speaker terminals felt nice and tight – no danger of wires slipping out
Front Panel Provides Essential Controls
Often-used buttons like volume sit underneath the bottom edge, handy to reach
The power button stands prominently near the top alongside key selections for source and sound mode
Playback controls and setup menu navigation buttons fill out the rest logically
Responsive front display shows selected input and relevant information like volume
Testing the device firsthand helped me better gauge the execution and thoughtfulness Denon applied to its design. For this mid-range home theater receiver class, the AVR-S760H clearly shines as an ergonomic and easy-to-use product.
Audio Quality Breakdown: Pure Bliss for both Movies and Music
As a discerning listener myself, sound reproduction remains my top evaluation criteria for any AV component. Denon happens to be renowned for superb audio prowess thanks to over 100 years of accumulated amplification expertise. With a beefy 7 channel platform plus Dolby Atmos and DTS:X onboard, how does the AVR-S760H hold up?
Room-filling 140W Power
The receiver employs discrete high-current amps for dynamic immersive effects without distortion
Clean and precise power governs even at crazy-loud volumes, reveals Sound+Vision bench test
Dual subwoofer pre-outs let you drive two bass shakers for foundation-rattling lows
Dialogue always stays crisp anchored by center channel; effects pan smoothly into rears
Can easily drive bookshelf or even tower speakers to fill larger spaces
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Done Right
Advanced 3D surround formats take advantage of height or ceiling speakers
Allows for an enveloping bubble of sound – bullets whizzing by, rain falling all around
Even upmixed legacy content gets newfound immersion via top-firing drivers
Musical Bliss
Natural and airy tone; impressively wide soundstage breadth simulates live listen
Flawless hi-res audio rendering thanks to premium 32-bit DACs
Consistent audiophile praise across forums like Reddit’s r/hometheater
Armed with the right connections and speaker arrangements, the Denon AVR-S760H unlocks breathtaking room-filling sound matched only by step-up models nearly double the cost. Both films and music wind up utterly captivating fueled by commanding surround sound dynamics.
Complete Video Support: Ready for Cutting-Edge Gaming and 8K
Home theater receivers must also capably handle your modern video sources, whether gaming consoles, streaming sticks or Ultra HD Blu-ray players. As consumption shifts to 4K HDR content even up to 8K resolutions, the AVR Serves as video switcher and processor.
Here’s how the AVR-S760H stands up on the video front:
3 HDMI 2.1 inputs enable full 48Gbps bandwidth for lossless 4K 120 fps gaming, quick response times and future 8K 60p playback
Ridiculously fast frame rates achieved by new Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles fully supported!
Variable refresh rate (VRR), auto low latency mode (ALLM) and quick frame transport (QFT) technologies guarantee lightning fast lag-free gaming visuals
8K video upscaling future-proofs your setup for when native content inevitably arrives
Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range formatting preserved properly
With triple cutting edge ports ready for what PlayStation and Xbox throw out alongside 8K upgrading for legacy media, the Denon receiver positions you on the bleeding edge to take full advantage of new display standards. Home theater excitement reaches new highs!
Wireless Streaming and Smart Platform Features
Beyond excellent surround sound and video switching capabilities, today’s best AV receivers also incorporate streaming and smart controls. This allows unified access to cloud music services along with handy automated features via mobile apps and voice assistants.
Here‘s how the AVR-S760H measures up on these fronts:
HEOS Wireless Multi-Room Audio
Denon‘s HEOS platform beams music to other connected speakers around your house with hi-fi quality over WiFi
Sync audio playback across rooms or group rooms into zones and control seamlessly via app
Over 25 integrated streaming providers include Spotify, Amazon Music HD, Tidal, Pandora, SiriusXM, Deezer and more
Expansive format support including lossless FLAC, WAV, ALAC high resolution files
Smart Assistants Onboard
Alexa allows complete hands-free voice control including power, volume adjustments, input selection and launching streaming tunes
Also works with Siri and Google voice commands enabled by mobile device integration
Control4, RTI, Crestron and Savant automation systems enabled out-of-the-box for custom installs
For all intents and purposes, the HEOS wireless streaming functionality combined with smart assistance effectively transforms the Denon AVR S760H into a Sonos-style solution able to deliver immersive cinema audio alongside multi-room music access conveniently driven via apps and voice.
Effortless Setup: Guided Process plus Audyssey Room Correction
Reaping maximum performance from advanced home theater gear often requires meticulous calibration using test equipment and charts. Fortunately Denon renders this whole process painless through a setup assistant plus Audyssey room correction integration.
Graphical Wizard Configures Connections
Denon provides an intuitive web-style graphical interface to walk through the process hooking up gear to appropriate ports:
Built-in setup assistant activates via on-screen prompts
Follow clear instructions assigning sources like Blu-ray player to provided inputs
Diagrams demonstrate which cables plug into corresponding jacks
Logical network settings config steps integrate HEOS streaming ecosystem
Entire process completed in under 10 minutes with zero confusion!
Audyssey Tunes your Room
The included calibration microphone takes wideband test measurements around seating positions:
MultEQ XT 32 software analyzes background noise, reverberations and distorting room modes
Algorithms perfectly tailor amplification, equalization and processing for ideal tonal balance
Further customization available through advanced manual options like tweaking crossovers
Implementing a home theater receiver can be daunting for newcomers. By providing both roadmap-style initial configuration followed by precision auto audio tuning, Denon engineers have practically eliminated any usability friction for consumers.
Should You Buy the Denon AVR S760H? – 2 Key Takeaways
After extensively evaluating its design, feature set, format support and subjective performance, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Denon AVR S760H as a phenomenal sub-$600 home theater receiver. Experts from Wirecutter to Sound & Vision Magazine unanimously praise both its features-per-dollar value and excellent sound quality.
Here are the two main reasons why I believe it warrants your serious consideration:
Unequaled Future-Proof Versatility – Between 7 channels, Dolby Atmos/DTS:X decoding, HEOS multi-room streaming, HDMI 2.1 ports enabling 8K/60p/4k120fps passthrough and visionary gaming responsiveness technologies – the Denon receiver positions you on the cutting-edge across the board. Dropping hundreds more on competing models may award you only incremental gains not worth the vastly steeper prices.
Simply Superb Sound and Imaging – While the suite of awesome connectivity options dazzles, the AVR S760H‘s stellar audio performance remains its ace up the sleeve. This matters most to my audiophile ears. Booming 140W discrete amplification, premium 32-bit DACs, lossless format decoding, wide dynamic range and colorless neutral fidelity – both films and music wind up utterly captivating. Denon‘s over century-old audio pedigree continues going strong.
If my glowing experiential analysis has sold you on welcoming the AVR-S760H into your living space as the command center powering immersive entertainment bliss then head over to Amazon below to grab it today at an enticing discount price:
Denon AVR S760H – Just $599 (22% off MSRP)
Feel free to ask any other questions still lingering in the comments and let all fellow readers benefit from your research! Wishing you countless nights filled with cinematic surround sound and hi-fidelity musical joy courtesy your new receiver. Enjoy!
