Denon AVR-X8500HA vs Sony STR-AZ3000ES

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To get informed with the specs of the receivers, we suggest you read the Denon AVR-X8500HA and Sony STR-AZ3000ES review. According to the results of our review, Denon AVR-X8500HA received 9.8 points out of 10 possible, and Sony STR-AZ3000ES was rated 8.5 points. The release date of AVR-X8500HA is 2021, and STR-AZ3000ES is 2023. This review shows us that the AVR-X8500HA is a better choice as a home AV receiver than the STR-AZ3000ES.

Main advantages Denon AVR-X8500HA over Sony STR-AZ3000ES

Main advantages Sony STR-AZ3000ES over Denon AVR-X8500HA

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 10 and 8, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Denon AVR-X8500HA supports 13.2-channels sound, but Sony STR-AZ3000ES supports a 9.2-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-X8500HA this value is 150/8 W/Ohm, and for the STR-AZ3000ES it is 120/8 W/Ohm.

Audio features

After reviewing the audio features of each model, we can rate the AVR-X8500HA 10 out of 10, and the STR-AZ3000ES - 8.

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. Denon AVR-X8500HA 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-X8500HA scored 10, and Sony STR-AZ3000ES scored 8 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 Sony STR-AZ3000ES.

MHL combines the functionality of the HDMI and MicroUSB interfaces and lets you connect any mobile devices to a receiver. The STR-AZ3000ES has MHL support for streaming content from external devices.

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-X8500HA got 10 points, but Sony STR-AZ3000ES received 8 points.

Denon AVR-X8500HA is equipped with 8/3 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Sony STR-AZ3000ES has 6/2 HDMI inputs and outputs.

Connecting a vinyl player or phonograph is possible using a Phono input which is represented by mini-jack or RCA connectors. Only the AVR-X8500HA 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 rivals in our comparison were rated 9 out of 10.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, both receivers received a score of 10 out of 10.

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-X8500HA got 10 points for the multichannel surround sound and Sony STR-AZ3000ES got 8.

Auro 3D gives a bit more versatility than Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and provides a hemispherical sound and enables a receiver to produce 3D sound stages. Only the Denon AVR-X8500HA has Auro-3D on its feature list.

Rivals in this competition licensed by IMAX.