Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Denon AVR-S960H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel (90Watt X 7) AV Receiver 2020 Model - Built for Gaming, Music Streaming, 3D Audio & Video, Alexa + HEOS, Black

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2020

Biggest negative is for the passthrough to work you have to turn the receiver on and switch to that input then turn the receiver off again. If you select the input on the remote it actually turns the receiver on so you have to turn it off again. Probably going to shorten the life span of the product constantly turning it off and on. Would be nice if touching the input while off still switched the input of the receiver while in standby.

Other than that, this receiver is absolutely amazing. This is my first Denon receiver ever. Setup is a breeze. Not only does the on-screen prompts on your TV walk you through each step but it walks you through how to connect the speakers, what to do with the wires, testing of each speaker, etc. full system calibration with an included microphone and stand customizes the system to your room and speaker setup. Setup was a breeze. Sound quality is absolutely stunning. Great power and range. Pass through capabilities for HDMI is excellent and a must have if you don't want to always have your receiver on to watch your various sources. It actually breathed life back into my old speakers, they now sound great again. Amazing the difference in quality compared to my 15 year old receiver. 8K is amazing, upscaling and all. Bluetooth connectivity to other devices is a breeze and you can control the device from your receiver remote. Connects to XM, iHeart, etc. effortlessly. This system truly has every feature I could think of that I needed and then some. Can't believe the price of this unit compared to others with less features and capabilities. Even the internal radio sounds better. Nice touch on the remote on your phone too, although that does need some work and is clumsy to use at times (easier to just grab the real remote). Well done Denon!

Small negative, remote is cheaply made with light plastic and limited features. Would have been nice to have a more higher end remote.

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ChrisWNY

Excellent sound quality, easy setup, supports latest DD and DTS formats, well-built

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2021

Verified Purchase

I pulled the trigger on the Denon AVR-S960H to replace an aging 12-yr old Harman Kardon that did well, but had no HDMI inputs or outputs, and did not support DD+/Atmos, etc., so it was time for an upgrade. After reading through dozens of 2020 7.2 Surround AVR reviews, I decided on this Denon model. It meets HDMI 2.1 specs and scores very highly in reviews for music quality.

Similar to the EZSet+ mic that came included with my 12-yr old H/K AVR, the Denon AVR-S960H included an Audyssey mic for surround sound optimization during initial setup. Simply follow the on-screen instructions and setup is quite easy. The AVR will play a number of test tones from all speaker channels and measure the distance in order to automatically set delays and adjust speaker volume from your normal seating positions in your home theater room. After that has completed, you're ready to set up the rest of your inputs and off you go.

My particular setup is a 7.3 system - 3 powered subs and 7 JBL satellite speakers. I use a mini-DSP for output to all 3 subs, so I only utilized one of the sub (LFE) outputs on the back of the AVR. As far as sound quality is concerned, the S960H is amazing. 90W per channel is more than enough for crystal-clear, powerful sound from the satellites.

As a suggestion...if you're upgrading to this AVR, ideally you want all of your HDMI sources running directly through the AVR, not to your TV and back to your AVR. Let the S960H do the sound processing. I have 9 total HDMI devices connected to the big screen in my living room, I use a 4k@60Hz HDMI switch to handle the overflow for lesser-used devices. Everything routes through the AVR then to the big screen. It was nice being able to route most of my devices through the S960H, rather than having to use multiple HDMI switches for all my devices.

*** Also important...replace your HDMI cables especially if you plan on 4K@120Hz or 8K. You'll need cables that meet HDMI 2.1 specs. If you're using old, cheap junk HDMI 2.0 (or older) cables, don't expect 4K 120Hz or 8K to function properly. The spec changed from 16Gbps bandwidth in HDMI 2.0, to 48Gbps in HDMI 2.1, which you can imagine is a substantial bandwidth difference. 4K 120Hz will push the envelope of a HDMI 2.0 16Gbps cable, and in some cases may not negotiate at the higher "ultra" speeds required for 120Hz 4K and up. Do your searching and make sure your cables meet the specs required to run at the resolution you desire. For 1080p up to 4k@60Hz, HDMI 2.0 spec'd cables are fine. I've read several negative reviews on here and if I had to guess the source of disappointment, I'd say 90-95% were experiencing problems with their cables, most likely related to cables that were subpar or under spec. HDMI 2.1 cables are becoming more affordable every week...they cost just a small % more than 2.0 cables at this point. Don't cheap out on cables. In order to meet the HDMI 2.1 spec, cables need to be sufficiently shielded and use a thicker gauge wire.

The S960H is an outstanding receiver, and it does what it's advertised to do and more. Setup is a breeze and only takes minimal time. Use quality speaker wires (14 gauge OFC copper and larger gauges are optimal, especially for longer runs) and quality shielded HDMI cables, or expect problems. Denon makes a quality product and I'm happy with the S960H. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a solid, reliable, and impressive 7.2 Surround sound home theater experience.

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Juniorverse

Love this receiver and Audyssey's results. Receiver isn't too deep and fits in most cabinets.

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2021

Verified Purchase

I needed a receiver that was not as deep as receivers like the Aventage line of Yamaha receivers. This one, clocking in just over 13" with the WiFi antennas, finally fits in my entertainment cabinet, unlike my last receiver. It is packed with the latest technologies like HDMI 2.1, and of course things like Dolby Atmos. I also selected this receiver because of its dual HDMI outputs since I have a projector and a TV I needed to connect. I do wish it had dual subwoofer outputs though.

I used the Audyssey auto-calibration mic during setup. What a difference in sound from my old receiver! It boosted the levels of my ceiling and surround speakers while I am watching TV in multi-channel stereo mode, making it so much easier to hear the TV when my ductless mini-split heater is running. I cannot express how much better the sound was after running Audyssey, for Atmos surround sound as well. I suggest you run the setup too... just cover your ears during it and don't have any pets in the room because the test tone is loud.

Switching inputs is faster than my old receiver, too. Everything else works great... perfect 4K and 1080p video and sound.

The only downside to this receiver is the heat it gives off during normal TV watching. It's HOT. Hot enough to make me nervous. If you plan on putting this thing into a closed cabinet, you better plan to have good cooling, and we're not talking simple ventilation holes in the back of the cabinet.

I will update if I ever have any issues with this receiver. In the meantime, I am enjoying it and the new sound experience I have thanks to Audyssey.

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Rock Lover 57

Has all the audio decryption you’ll need

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2021

Verified Purchase

Love the perfect sound. Not really a fan of companies having 27 sound effects though. I’ll buy a live album if I want a concert sound, just reproduce the input perfectly. The HEOS is goofy. Onkyo has this beat easily. At least they didn’t screw up the radio like Sony with only FM or a proprietary antenna connection. Could have done a removable power cord. The USB port on front is good decision. Phono input also nice. Setup is strange at times. The switch between TV and HDMI inputs always went to bluray so I changed that setting after fighting it several times. The setting to go to a different input doesn’t work, like my Onkyo, but the Sony did it correctly every time so I’m sure it’s a receiver issue not TV. Overall I’d rather have an Onkyo but they’ve quit making products recently and Marantz is overpriced.

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Mike

Excellent receiver for a bargain price, BUT buy from an authorized retailer!

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2022

Verified Purchase

Denon AVR-S960H Amazon Review:

First thing to know is that during 2020, all brand of receivers that implemented 8K/4K 120p had issues with Video Game System's 4K 120p video.

Denon made an adapter box that plugged into early receivers to correct the problem. That way, no one had to take all the wires and cables off of receiver and send it back to Denon and wait weeks for it's return. With units made after May 2021, with serial numbers above 70000, the correction was made to the receivers. That correction was to make the HDMI 8K chipset compatible with video game systems using 4K 120p.

So make sure you buy from a Denon authorized dealer so that you have a warranty and mainly to be sure you get a receiver with the new HDMI board and not old stock that still has the problem.

That said, this receiver is great and a bargain compared to the newer replacement. The new replacement AVR-S970h is $300 more and only offers 2 more HDMI inputs that are 8K compatible. While it's important to have at least 1 compatible input, its also needs to be said that even that input could be incompatible with new HDR formats that have nothing to do with 8K. So it's a gamble to pay $300 for just 2 HDMI inputs that may not work with future HDR formats. That being said, if the 8K input is 'still' compatible with future video formats, you can always use Denon's own 8K HDMI switch box. That box integrates into the receiver's input menu and control system. That way you can use the receiver's own remote and input names to use the additional HDMI inputs of the box. Or you can use an aftermarket switch box and just use that switch box's own remote.

The AVR-S960H only loses those two 8K HDMI inputs and a HD version, to the On-Screen Display on the AVR-S970H. Now that's according to Denon. The AVR-S960H hass quite the savings.

The AVR-S960H loses a few things to the AVR-X2700H but is $200 cheaper than the X2700H. The X2700H has additional features for Zone 2 and custom installation.

Those features are Zone 2 Preamp outputs, Remote IR repeater, and RS232 for control. It also has 2 additional video modes for calibration for installers, isf day and isf night.

Also it steps up the room correction feature from standard audyssey to audyssey XT. I found Audyssey XT on my other Denon Receiver makes the sound worse, not better, so Audyssey stays off on my Denon Receivers.

The other things it offers is more surround back channel reassignment for a 5.1 only system. Those additional reassignment features are for bi-amping or channel B speaker option. In a 7.1 system, these can't be used.

The X2700h receiver has a detachable power cord compared to the non-detachable cord on the S960H.

The X2700h also gets a 3 year warranty compared to the S960H 2 year warranty.

The X2700H is rated at 95 watts/ch while the S960H is rated at 90 watts/ch . However I suspect they are the same output in real world as the other rating of 125 W @ 6 Ω/ohms, 1 kHz with 0.7 % T.H.D. is the same for both the X2700H and the S960H receivers.

I tried an Onkyo TX-NR6100 but what a mistake. While it has three 8K HDMI inputs, the other three HDMI inputs are only 2.0b and not 2.1 and do not support HDR10+. The AVR-S960H has six 2.1 HDMI inputs that all support HDR10+.

The Onkyo does some stuff weird and doesn't follow standards with Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus. When listening to DD/DD+ 5.1 on a 7.1 speaker setup, the receiver flips the sound from the surround to the surround back speakers. This leaving turning off the sound to the side surround speakers and only putting sound out from the "WRONG" surround back speakers behind you. This is by design and stated in the new correctly updated manual on a special link on the Onkyo website.

Onkyo TX-NR6100 doesn't have nearly the features that the Denon AVR-S960H has. The Onkyo subwoofer output isn't as dynamic sounding and doesn't have the bass output from the subwoofer preamp output that the Denon AVR-S960H has.

The Yamaha RX-V6A doesn't offer normal 8K 60p on it's HDMI inputs, but has only 8K 30p compatibility. You have to use a compression format to get quality any higher than 8K 30p. Plus Yamaha does things different that I don't care for.

The Denon AVR-S960H just sounds better than the Onkyo TX-NR6100 and why the Onkyo TX-NR6100 was returned! The Denon AVR-S960H just sounds better, operates better, and has more compatible HDMI inputs with current formats.

Out of the Denon AVR-X2700, Onkyo TX-NR6100 and Denon AVR-S960H, the DENON AVR-S960H is the best receiver for bang for the buck.

Now if you will use those extra surround back amp reassignment features of the Denon AVR-X2700H in a 5.1 speaker setup, and it's installer customization, or want the upgraded Audyssey XT, then for the $200 more, the Denon AVR-X2700H may be better for you.

For me, I don't use Audyssey, don't use Zone 2, and don't use custom installer features in my "7.1" speaker setup, so the Denon AVR-S960H is a no-brainer for $200 less.

This is my 10th Home Theater Receiver from Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, Technics, JVC, Kenwood, and Onkyo. Denon has always had the best sound, the best features, and the most reliable. Some as JVC and Onkyo didn't live in my house very long due to poor design.

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Rick

worthless.

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2022

Verified Purchase

I have no idea where to even start in reviewing this waste of money!
The receiver looks just like every other receiver on the market. That is the only semi positive comment that I can make.
There is a "quick start" guide which tells you how to plug in your HDMI cables. For example, plug the HDMI from your Blu- Ray into the receiver where it says Blu Ray. The guide also shows you how to set up your Wi-Fi network.
The guide is worthless.
The system does use an attachable system microphone that sits on a cardboard stand to "calibrate" your speaker sounds for "Optimum" performance. If the sound that I get out of my very nice Pioneer and Kenwood is the optimal then this receiver totally falls flat on its face.
Setting up other "supposed" features such as HEOS, Amazon, Pandora, Etc. is a ridiculous process. First you need to download the HEOS app which is worthless with anything other than internet radio using Tune-In. Then you need the Denon app which does nothing other than using the buttons that are on the unit such as switching between sources. The remote does the same exact thing.
Using voice control is ok if you want to use Amazon echo devices to turn up your volume. (Which you can also just do with the remote by the way) Otherwise the voice control is worthless.
As for playing Amazon music this thing is a joke. Once you spend a great deal of time even getting Amazon music to play it plays one song and then stops. When you use "voice control to skip a song the system will not play another song it just stops at the end the current song. If you have an Amazon music account you cannot access your account through your receiver, the HEOS app, or the Denon app. Pandorea will play but many times it will get stuck on one song and play it over and over.
The owners manual is only online. You can download it but it is worthless in helping you set up the system.
One of the largest reasons that I purchased this piece of garbage was that it "claims" to be able to stream music. I "upgraded" from a very nice JVC receiver. The JVC was top of the line when I bought it 15 years ago. It still works great. But the JVC was outdated. There were no HDMI or USB inputs and no access to streaming services, etc. So I purchased the Denon. The Denon AVR-S960H is a miserable failure at streaming music. I am extremely disappointed!
In my opinion this receiver is not worth the money or time investment to get even minimal feature use.
Keep looking past this garbage pile. There must be better products out there.

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Amazon Customer

Can't go wrong with This Product !!!!

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2024

Verified Purchase

Right out of the box very simple setup , on screen help menus and tutors for complete setup. Very User Friendly, sound is OUTSTANDING. will certainly tell my neighors about this Product from Denon. love the Remote super organized and easy to use. Plenty of sound choices.....

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heather transou

Best Amp

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024

Verified Purchase

I love this Denon Receiver. Setup is easy. Sound is great. The Heos app is so user friendly. It easily links your favorite music streaming services. Connections are labeled well and easy to connect.

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