Denon AVR-S750H Home Cinema Amplifier Test

Denon AVR-S750H Home Cinema Amplifier Test

The Denon brand is already familiar to us, we have tested Denon amplifiers before. The AVR-S750H is a 7.2-channel, 4k Ultra HD AV receiver home theatre amplifier with 165 watts of power per channel. As a result, we can expect a balanced, identical quality on all 7 channels.

Let’s take a closer look!

The chunky black box has a large display and handy source buttons. The user interface is not very decorative, the appearance of the amplifier seems a bit outdated compared to its competitors (e.g. Sony). It has 6 x 4 K / HDR compatible HDMI inputs (1 on the front panel), 1 output and Ethernet, USB, Bluetooth, Wifi connections. There are 3 digital inputs-2 optical and 2 coaxial devices. The Audyssey Room Correction software and its measuring microphone provide necessary measuring and calibration of all speakers. It is also able to play vinyl records on the Phono input.

The speaker connections are colour coded. It is also capable of 24-bit / 192 kHz and DSD playback, and supports the latest video formats. The Exclusive Denon Setup Assistant helps with setup, and can also be controlled with a Smart TV remote control via the Smart TV HDMI CEC function. With built-in HEOS technology, you can stream music from anywhere and sound the same in every room.

Excellent 3D sound

Great 3D sound is guaranteed by Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, Dolby Atmos Virtualization, and DTS Virtual: X. The Denon amplifier is also capable of 4K Ultra HD resolution and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) for perfect 3D sound quality.

The device has almost everything it needs to….

Unfortunately, the AVR-S750H does not have Google Chromecast support, unlike some of its rivals. (example: Sony) This is a disadvantage for Android users. Spotify Premium users can stream their favourite music thanks to Denon Spotify Connect, as well as Apple Music and Air Play 2. You can also control the volume, on and off, source selector and volume control from your Android and iOS smartphone. It is also compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri voice assistants.

We tested the amplifier

The 10.5 kg Denon amplifier was tested in a room of approximately 25 square meters. The acoustics still need to be improved in the room by placing some diffuser panels. We started testing the device with a Blu-Ray quality action movie DVD. The sounds of Alita, Battle Angel, sounded crisp, balanced, and the 3D effect was amazing. We heard the deeper ranges a little “smeared” sometimes.

After this, we screened the 2018 thriller Equalizer 2 starring Denzel Washington. Denon and its associated KRK Rokit speakers worked well together. We were happy with the high and mid ranges, the dialogues were understandable, clear, but again, we noticed some noises in the bass sounds during sound effects. The 3D sound, on the other hand, was really fantastic, the sounds completely surrounded us and nicely filled the space.

The legendary band, U2’s concert film Experience-Live from Berlin followed. The amp rendered with true realism the concert feeling. It felt like we were right in the middle of the crowd in front of the stage in Berlin. We could identify the sound of the instruments one by one, but at higher volumes, the clarity of the basses left something to be desired, and moreover the deep frequency ranges seemed dull from time to time.

The phono input also allows you to fly back to the times of vinyl records, and we took advantage of our time to spare with the vinyl album of Boney M Oceans of Fantasy. The turntable provided us with a retro sense of life, and the amplifier did the job amplifying the clear and beautiful sound; although the lower frequency ranges were unfortunately not perfect.

Conclusion

There are several benefits to the Denon AVR-S750H amplifier, one of which is the affordable price. Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Denon’s own HEOS feature, and Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant voice control apps are clearly in favour of the amplifier. The design was not of my liking so much. It seems rather boring and outdated compared to similar devices from competitors. Its predecessor performed slightly better in terms of sound, but having issues with the basses mostly. The lack of a Chromecast should also be mentioned as a negative. We recommend it mostly for medium-sized rooms. Don’t forget about acoustic treatment. Choosing the right speakers also matters a lot in terms of sound. We recommend the Denon AVR-S750 H amplifier, although if you want a more powerful booming percussion, choose another brand in this price range.

G.H.