Just in time for Christmas and all of those traditional holiday films you might want to watch with the family this year. Die Hard, Blazing Saddles, and A Christmas Story are very popular in our home during Chanukah and there’s nothing better than some latkes, chocolate dreidels, and Dolby Atmos as the snow begins to fall. The Denon AVR-X1700H 8K AV Receiver has been officially announced and it will be available for purchase close to Black Friday.
The AVR-X1700H arrives at the bottom of the X Series line-up, making it the most affordable at $699. It appears to replace the AVR-X1600H, which didn’t support 8K, as well as make us wonder how it compares to Denon’s own entry level S Series, AVR-S960H that already supported 8K.
We recently broke down some of the issues in regard to 8K and how it all works (or doesn’t work so well at this point), and it’s important to note that Denon’s next-generation receivers support 8K which will prove to be important in the years to come as more consumers adopt 8K HDTVs in their home theaters and living rooms.
Hopefully, Denon has that 8K issue figured out at this point after some nagging issues with previous receivers, which we noted in our review of the AVR-X3700H that now been fixed.
One item that stood out for me is the inclusion of a new MM phono stage with the X-Series AVRs. Finally.
The new X-Series 7.2 channel Denon AVR-X1700H offers the latest immersive 3D surround formats, an advanced 4K and 8K video section and built-in HEOS® multi-room music streaming technology. The AVR-X1700H delivers seven channels of amplification at 80W per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, THD: 0.08%, 2ch driven).
Immersive Audio
The Denon AVR-X1700H enables an immersive 3D audio experience with support for the latest surround sound formats, including Dolby Atmos®, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology, DTS:X® and DTS Virtual:X™.
Users can either design a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround system by installing height or in-ceiling speakers, use Dolby Atmos elevation speakers atop existing loudspeakers, or take advantage of DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization technologies.
Both Dolby and DTS technologies add virtualized height and surround sound effects to recreate immersive audio in 7.1, 5.1 or 2.1 speaker arrangements.
This allows fewer loudspeakers to create the sensation of a sound field that extends above and beyond the listener, and is ideal for systems without discrete height or surround speakers in the room.
But what about 8K and how will it work with this new generation of AV receivers?
8K with eARC
To ensure the best picture quality possible, the AVR-X1700H features an advanced HDMI section. The six input/one output HDMI board includes three 8K inputs supporting 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video pass-through up to 40Gbps.
All HDMI inputs boast 4:4:4 Pure Color sub sampling, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dynamic HDR and BT.2020 pass-through support for exceptional clarity.
There is 8K upscaling on all inputs and HDCP 2.3, the latest copy protection standard for playback. The AVR-X1700H is easily connected via eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) to deliver uncompressed and object-based audio from the TV to the receiver via a single HDMI cable.
Gamers also have a host of technologies available for a smoother and quicker gaming experience, including: 4K/120Hz pass-through, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).
Streaming & Multi-Room Support
The Denon AVR-X1700H is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 for iPhone users while the front-panel USB port offers convenient audio playback of other high-resolution audio formats (WAV, FLAC, ALAC and DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz files) from a variety of players.
Wireless connectivity to popular streaming music services like Spotify, Pandora, Tidal and more are also easily accessed via Bluetooth or HEOS built-in technology.
With HEOS Built-in, the AVR-X1700H can stream music wirelessly across compatible HEOS built-in products like Denon Home 150/250/350 wireless speakers from anywhere in the home. Listeners can play the same song in every room or select a different song for each connected room from the HEOS app.
Audiophile Heritage
The Denon AVR-X1700H puts sound quality first, with support for high-resolution audio streaming across a variety of formats, including: FLAC, ALAC and WAV files as well as DSD 2.8/5.6MHz.
The latest AVR includes a phono input for vinyl enthusiasts to enjoy their collection with exceptional clarity and detail. With dual subwoofer outputs, listeners can easily add multiple subs to achieve optimized low frequency dispersion for movies or music listening.
Room Correction
The AVR-X1700H uses Audyssey MultEQ XT for simple, accurate speaker setup and acoustic calibration of the system so home theater enthusiasts can refine their systems for an optimized listening experience. The technology detects the size, type and configuration of the speakers used and measures their response in the room for optimal performance. It works from a simple 2.1-channel setup to a 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos/DTS:X setup. Listeners can further customize settings to their liking via the advanced Audyssey MultEQ Editor app, available for purchase in iOS and Android stores.
Additional Features
The latest 8K AVR hosts a variety of other benefits, including a “Dual Speaker Presets” feature, enabling users to store and switch instantly between two different speaker configurations and Audyssey settings.
A “Dialog Enhancer” lets users to adjust the dialog level on the fly, while a newly added HDMI signal information feature allows users to confirm if 8K or 4K/120 signals or other HDR formats are passing through the AVR.
For optimum accessibility, the AVR-X1700H has a Bluetooth Audio Transmitter, which gives listeners the opportunity to enjoy their favorite content via Bluetooth headphones and can be used either as Bluetooth-only playback, or simultaneous playback with connected speakers.
The new AVR also works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri and Josh.ai for voice control of AVR functions.
It also supports major third-party command protocols like Control 4 SDDP (Simple Device Discovery Protocol). HDMI diagnostics mode and a smart remote management via Domotz or OvrC are also supported.
The AVR-X1700H is $699 and will be available starting November 2021 at authorized Denon retailers.
For more information on the latest additions to the Denon X-Series receivers, please visit usa.denon.com/us.
