DENON AVR-X3700H AV RECEIVER PREVIEW

With ample power, 4K/8K video, connectivity galore, home integration, and Dolby Atmos, this may be the mid-range AVR to beat.

Denon’s X-series AV Receivers offer a lot of bang for the buck at nearly every level, whether you want 5- 7- 9- or 11-channel home theater sound and processing, Denon has you covered. The Denon AVR-X3700H AV Receiver sits at what might be the sweet spot in the lineup: not too pricey, but fully featured for most mid-range home theater implementations. With 9 channels to configure, the Denon AVR-X3700H can drive a full 5.4.2 or 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos or DTS-X surround sound speaker system. The fact that it also comes with Denon’s HEOS streaming system, Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction, and support for 4K HDR and future 8K video (with an available free adapter), means there’s just not much else to desire here, unless you need more zones, or need to drive more, or bigger, or less efficient speakers.

I recently purchased a factory refurbished Denon AVR-X3700H as an interim centerpiece for my newly finished media room. I thought I’d eventually want something more, but wasn’t ready for a huge investment just yet, and my previous receiver lacked HDR, Dolby Atmos, and DTS-X capability which I desperately wanted to start using in the new media room. Initial setup was a breeze, and we were up and running with streaming music, HDR 4K movies, and smart integration in no time.

With recent SECRETS reviews of the AVR-X3700H’s higher-end big brother Denon AVR-X4700H and cousin Marantz SR6015 by Chris Eberle and Jim Milton, respectively; I thought our readers might appreciate some comparative perspective on what the step-down Denon AVR-X3700H gets you, and what compromises one makes at this level. Spoiler alert: I may not need to upgrade after all…

Stay tuned for a full review coming soon.