Denon AVR-X540BT vs Marantz CINEMA 70s

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Let's make the Denon AVR-X540BT versus Marantz CINEMA 70s comparison. According to the results of our review, Denon AVR-X540BT received 5.3 points out of 10 possible, and Marantz CINEMA 70s was rated 8 points. The release date of AVR-X540BT is 2018, and CINEMA 70s is 2022. After comparison, it will become clear that among these two devices, the CINEMA 70s is more suitable for the role of the heart of home theater system.

Main advantages Denon AVR-X540BT over Marantz CINEMA 70s

Main advantages Marantz CINEMA 70s over Denon AVR-X540BT

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the models have rated 6 points out of 10.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Denon AVR-X540BT supports 5.2-channels sound, but Marantz CINEMA 70s supports a 7.2-channels configuration.

RMS stands for the actual power of the receiver. The higher this value, the louder the sound can be produced. The differences between the models in terms of RMS power are significant - for the AVR-X540BT this value is 70/8 W/Ohm, and for the CINEMA 70s it is 50/8 W/Ohm.

Audio features

After reviewing the audio features of each model, we can rate the AVR-X540BT 6 out of 10, and the CINEMA 70s - 7.

Bi-amping is the amplification of one speaker with two amplifiers. This amplification method has a positive effect on sound quality. Bi-amping is possible on the CINEMA 70s.

Most receivers now come with a microphone included. It is with the help of this microphone that the auto-calibration system functions, which adjusts the sound of the receiver to the room.

Speaker A/B switching allows you to change between the main and sub speaker set. Marantz CINEMA 70s can work with the main and additional set of speakers - and switch between them.

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Denon AVR-X540BT scored 6, and Marantz CINEMA 70s scored 9 out of 10.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for the receiver's control or even music broadcasting.

DLNA is the perfect way to use your local cloud storage to stream movies and music directly to a TV. You can use the DLNA protocol only with Marantz CINEMA 70s.

Streaming services

Now music streaming services are gaining more and more popularity. They allow users to listen to millions of songs by subscription.

Extensive connections

The presence of many connectors makes the receiver more versatile. But there are also narrowly targeted models, the number of connectors which are limited to a certain area of use. And when choosing their own receiver, users need to consider exactly your goals for using the receiver. For extensive connection, Denon AVR-X540BT got 6 points, but Marantz CINEMA 70s received 7 points.

Denon AVR-X540BT is equipped with 5/1 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Marantz CINEMA 70s has 6/1 HDMI inputs and outputs.

HDMI eARC is the next step in the development of audio return channel technology, which works in conjunction with HDMI 2.1. Using eARC provides the highest sound quality for home audio systems. HDMI eARC is available on Marantz CINEMA 70s.

The HDCP encryption protocol is now mandatory for most media devices. This security technology encrypts digital signals from one product to another. HDCP content-encryption protocol is present on Denon AVR-X540BT in the HDCP 2.2 version, and Marantz CINEMA 70s has the HDCP 2.3 version.

Connecting a vinyl player or phonograph is possible using a Phono input which is represented by mini-jack or RCA connectors. Only the CINEMA 70s has a Phono interface.

Video features

The AV receiver is the heart of the home theater. And in this case, support for all current video formats ensures the best user experience, so it is very important to consider this when choosing a device. Video features of the AVR-X540BT were rated 6 out of 10 against the 8 for the CINEMA 70s.

With the 4K pass-through feature, the AV receiver sends "native" 4K signals to a 4K TV from a video source without any processing. The AVR-X540BT works with the 4K/60Hz video, and the CINEMA 70s has the 4K/120Hz.

The AV receiver passes "native" 8K signals from a video source to 8K TV without any encoding, with the 8k pass-through features. The 8K path-through is available on Marantz CINEMA 70s.

Most of the AV receivers have a video scaling function, it is the process of reformatting the video signal to a higher resolution without losing the quality of the image. Upscaling the video signal resolution is possible with Marantz CINEMA 70s.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the AVR-X540BT got 8 points, but the CINEMA 70s has 10.

Voice control allows you to control the basic functions of the receiver through a smartphone, smart speaker or using the microphone that comes with the kit. The CINEMA 70s can be controlled by voice via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI.

Multi-room

As the center of a home media system, each multichannel receiver has an additional set of terminals for connecting the second set of speakers to create additional audio space in Zone 2 or even Zone 3 where audio can have the separate source.

Multichannel surround

Denon AVR-X540BT got 5 points for the multichannel surround sound and Marantz CINEMA 70s got 8.

Dolby Atmos' particularity is that this is the object-oriented sound format, that is, each audio signal object is independently sounded and connected to its spatial position. Marantz CINEMA 70s can create 3D sound due to the Dolby Atmos support.

DTS:X is an algorithm used by the processor to create sound scenes, where sounds connected directly to objects rather than channels, and to determine the optimum sound output distribution in space. Surround sound with DTS:X is available on the CINEMA 70s.