Review of Denon AVR-S750H 7.2ch 4K AV receiver with voice control

Denon is one of those names that always comes up when the subject of premium home audio equipment is raised. With a company history that stretches back to 1910, and a long list of firsts, including being Japan’s first audio electronics manufacturer and the producer of the world’s first commercial CD, that’s hardly a surprise. Denon makes everything from turntables (including the Denon DP-450USB turntable I reviewed in May) to portable Bluetooth speakers (yup, reviewed one of those in April) and amplifiers. The company also has an exceptional lineup of high-quality home theatre receivers. And I just wrapped up testing one of its latest: the Denon AVR-S750H 7.2ch 4K AV receiver with voice control.

Setting up Denon AVR-S750H

I’m going to come clean on something. When it comes to home theatre audio, I’m a soundbar guy. When we had kids, I got rid of all the extra speakers and wires and went with a soundbar (technically, a 23-driver sound projector with a subwoofer, but close enough).

I don’t have the multiple sets of speakers on hand to actually set up and test a 7.2 channel surround receiver like this one.

What I can say is that all of the inputs on the back of the Denon AVR-S750H are clearly labelled and colour-coded. Connecting everything will take some time, but it should be straightforward. The receiver comes with an Audyssey microphone and stand for calibrating perfect home theatre audio once you have everything plugged in. The system also makes use of Denon’s Setup Assistant, and this I did walk through.

You must be connected to a TV to set this receiver up, but I cheated and used a portable LCD panel. The guided setup is quite quick and intuitive, quickly getting the receiver connected to your home Wi-Fi network and designating components. 

It wasn’t quite plug-and-play, but five minutes out of the box, I was streaming internet radio and spinning records (more on that shortly).

The one slightly annoying thing about setup? Denon included a remote control, but not the AAA batteries—at least there weren’t any with my review unit.

You can use it with a turntable!

One of the cool things about the Denon AVR-S750H is that you can use it with a turntable. A lot of people are excited about listening to records these days, but they’re discovering their home theatre receiver lacks a PHONO input. Instead, they’re using the turntable’s built-in preamplifier, or connecting first to a standalone preamplifier, then plugging into an AUX input on their receiver.

This is a compromise because it’s taking that wonderful, warm, analog vinyl audio and turning it into a digital signal. Denon is big on turntables and the AVR-S750H is equipped with an analog PHONO input and a ground post. This means you can plug a turntable indirectly and play music the way it was meant to be heard.

Denon AVR-S750H has Voice control

The AVR-S750H supports voice control using the big three digital voice assistants: Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. I tried it out with Alexa, since I had an Alexa-enabled smart speaker handy. There is a little “app magic” involved in the setup. I had to download Denon’s HEOS app and set up an account, then from the Alexa app, I had to add the HEOS skill. Finally, Alexa had to discover the HEOS device (the receiver). 

Once everyone was talking, I was able to use voice commands to search for songs on streaming music services, and adjust the volume. The smart speaker “talks” to the receiver over Wi-Fi, so it is not physically connected. That means the AVR-S750H can be set up in the family room, but you can use voice commands to adjust volume from the kitchen, bedroom or wherever your smart speaker is set up.

What about home theatre performance?

Going back to not having the speakers to actually set this up to test its home theatre performance—well, I wasn’t able to test its home theatre performance.

However, the Denon AVR-S750H has every conceivable feature and technology onboard to make for an incredible experience. Six HDMI inputs, 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video support, both Dolby Vision and HDR 10 high dynamic range support, eARC and BT.2020 passthrough, 7.2 channel audio and even 3D audio capability with Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization and DTS Virtual:X.

I have never read a review of a Denon AV receiver that had anything bad to say about it and my experience with all other aspects of this receiver—including its stereo performance—were excellent. Given that all the boxes are ticked and the AVR-S750H sports the Denon logo, I am confident that anyone would be quite happy with this receiver at the heart of their home theatre system. 

Is Denon AVR-S750H your new AV receiver?

The Denon AVR-S750H 7.2ch 4K AV receiver with voice control is not an inexpensive piece of equipment, but it would be an investment. It has everything needed to be the heart of a powerful and immersive home theatre system and also has the features to power an awesome music-listening experience. That includes support for streaming music and even an analog PHONO input for a turntable. And voice control is in the mix as well, with support for all three of the big digital assistants. If you’re looking for a home theatre receiver that does it all, backed by the heritage of one of the world’s leading premium audio brands, the Denon AVR-S750H should be on your short list.

To see this model, other offerings from Denon, and home theatre receivers from all the top audio brands, be sure to explore the Home Audio & Theatre department at Best Buy.