Denon AVR-X7200WA Review

This is our Denon AVR-X7200WA Review.

If you’re passionate about your sound and vision, then the Denon AVR-X7200WA AV receiver is a luxurious creation with just about everything you could hope for.

Denon calls its flagship creation an integrated network AV receiver, and appropriately so. The rich feature set and extensive connection options that the company has packed into this lavishly expensive block of fun provide not only power and performance, but an adequate amount of future proofing, too.

Product highlights

The top of the line, Denon AVR-X7200WA offers excellent sound capabilities right off the bat, with its support for not just Dolby Atmos and DTS:X but also Auro-3D.

This amazon performance extends to the video side of things too, and even the build is a stylish mix of old and new.

Here are the key specifications of the Denon AVR-X7200WA:

• 9-channel amplifier
• 150 watts per channel into 8 ohms
• Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D surround sound decoding
• Analog to HDMI video conversion
• 1080p and 4K support
• 4K/60p and 3D video passthrough
• Video upconversion for standard definition signals to HD and Ultra HD
• 8 HDMI in, 3 out, 3 component inputs in, 2 out, 5 composite inputs in, 2 out
• 2 optical digital audio inputs, 2 coaxial
• 7 analog stereo audio inputs, including phono
• WiFi for listening from PCs, internet radio and music services
• Bluetooth for wireless audio streaming
• Support for Spotify Connect, SiriusXM and vTuner
• Apple AirPlay and DLNA certified
• Front panel USB port for connecting media players and memory devices
• AM/FM and HD radio tuner
• Denon Remote app on iOS, Android and Kindle devices
• Full color onscreen guide
• Remote control
• 7 lbs. weight
• 3 years warranty

Build

Up front, the faceplate of the X7200WA has the same minimalist look as the last few generations of premium Denon receivers — and that is a good thing.

You’ll just find a power and standby button, and source selector knob on the left, the display and the dropdown door in the middle, and the master volume knob on the right.

The dropdown door hides all the additional controls, keeping things nice and simple on the outside.

Overall, this ensures a stylish look for this premium AV receiver, which is important because the feature set of this device reads like an encyclopedia. You are not overwhelmed with options up front, with all the action taking place at the back.

Features

On the video side of things, Denon claims that the X7200WA supports a maximum image processing of Ultra HD 4K at 60p, with 4:4:4 and 24-bit video. In other words, incredibly, and about as good as it gets for video like this. Most AV receivers cap out at 10-bit video support, but this bit-depth scaling may come in use in the future.

The HDMI inputs on this beast of a receiver support HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2, which are essential for next generation content. Excitingly, you also get HDR and BT2020 color support. And the latter is something that only a few AV receivers can boast.

On the audio front, again, Denon have stacked up the goodness. The 9-channel amplification rated at 150 watts per channel is top tier stuff, and about as beefy as you can get without resorting to external amplification. If you want that, then the X7200WA is at ease with this, too, thanks to its 13 pre-out channels. You can even use it as a pure preamp if you want.

Audio technology treats include full support for all three latest immersive surround sound formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D, with the latter being a separate upgrade purchase.

Performance

To call this receiver a top of the line creation with all available goodies would be stating the obvious. But how does it all come together? You likely will not be considering the Denon AVR-X7200WA unless you are mating it with some high performance immersive audio setup.

Do that, and you can look forward to experiencing something that is scary good — no matter what source we threw at it, the receiver was able to extract the audible cues to near perfection. Occasionally the upmixer showed a tendency to be a little too aggressive, but it delivered excellent results with both TV and movie sources.

Audiophile level music did not fare as well, and you probably will want to turn off the ambient processing for the best results. To its credit, the Denon handled everything with finesse and ease, even at extremely high levels. Only at the highest audible levels did a little distortion crept it. Awesome!

Verdict

If you are in the market for the Denon AVR-X7200WA, then you will find that you also have the option of other, less expensive 9.2-channel receivers because this receiver is expensive at $2999. But none of them offer the same level of power, with a feature set as extensive.

This powerhouse delivers the performance to satisfy even the most discerning AV enthusiast, and it does so while looking good.