Yamaha RX-V385 vs Denon AVR-S540BT

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Along with the growing popularity of custom home theater builds, the comparison of Yamaha RX-V385 and Denon AVR-S540BT takes place. According to the results of our review, Yamaha RX-V385 received 5 points out of 10 possible, and Denon AVR-S540BT was rated 5.5 points. Both AV receivers were introduced in 2018. Based on the data on the characteristics and features of both models, we can conclude that AVR-S540BT has better performance than RX-V385.

Main advantages Yamaha RX-V385 over Denon AVR-S540BT

Main advantages Denon AVR-S540BT over Yamaha RX-V385

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 5 and 6, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Yamaha RX-V385 supports 5.1-channels sound, but Denon AVR-S540BT supports a 5.2-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-S540BT this value is 90/6 W/Ohm, and for the RX-V385 it is 70/6 W/Ohm.

Audio features

The score for audio features is 6 of 10 for both receivers.

Pure Direct mode feeds sound directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Only Yamaha RX-V385 has Pure Direct mode.

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.

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is equal and was rated 5 out of 10.

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

Wired internet connection via RJ45 allows receiver faster connection than wireless or even use NAS storages. Neither the RX-V385, nor the AVR-S540BT has the RJ45 port.

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, both receivers got 6 points on our 10-point scale.

Yamaha RX-V385 is equipped with 4/1 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Denon AVR-S540BT has 5/1 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 only on Yamaha RX-V385.

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 RX-V385 were rated 8 out of 10 against the 6 for the AVR-S540BT.

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 only with Yamaha RX-V385.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the RX-V385 got 6 points, but the AVR-S540BT has 8.

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

For the ability to create multichannel surround sound, each of the receivers received 5 points out of 10.