Denon AVC-X4700H AV Receiver Silver

The Denon AVC-X4700H is the mid-range model in Denon’s 2020 AV amplifier lineup, sitting above the AVC-X3700H and below the eleven-channel AVC-X6700H. It offers nine channels of discrete amplification with processing for up to 11.2 channels, full support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D and IMAX Enhanced, and an HDMI section that includes 8K/60 Hz and 4K/120 Hz passthrough. Denon’s AVC designation denotes the European and UK variant; it is functionally identical to the North American AVR-X4700H but carries a different model number and a 230 V power supply. It was succeeded by the AVC-X4800H in 2022.

Amplification & Signal Processing

The AVC-X4700H uses nine identical discrete high-current amplifier channels, each rated at 125 watts into 8 Ω (20 Hz – 20 kHz, 0.05% THD, two channels driven). At 6 Ω the front channels reach 165 watts (1 kHz, 0.7% THD). Dynamic power output is 130 watts per channel into 8 Ω and 190 watts into 4 Ω, both measured with two channels driven. The discrete topology means each channel has its own dedicated output stage rather than sharing a monolithic amplifier IC — an approach that improves channel separation and allows each amplifier to deliver current independently. Speaker impedances from 4 to 16 Ω are supported.

Digital signal processing is handled by two dual-core Griffin Lite SHARC DSPs, delivering combined processing power of 10.8 billion floating-point operations per second. This underpins all decoding, bass management, room correction, and upmixing functions. Digital-to-analogue conversion uses an AKM AK4458VN DAC capable of 384 kHz / 32-bit resolution. Denon’s proprietary D.D.S.C. HD Digital (32-bit) processing and AL32 Multichannel Alpha Processing handle signal upsampling and interpolation, while a dedicated clock jitter reducer minimises timing errors in the digital path.

Surround Sound Formats

The AVC-X4700H decodes all current immersive audio formats. Dolby Atmos is supported up to 7.1.4 with external amplification (5.1.4 or 7.1.2 using the internal nine channels alone), alongside Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and the Dolby Surround upmixer for legacy content. Dolby Atmos Height Virtualisation is included for systems without physical height speakers — it uses psychoacoustic processing to simulate overhead effects from ear-level drivers, though physical ceiling or up-firing speakers will always produce a more convincing result.

DTS:X is supported up to 7.1.4, with DTS Neural:X upmixing, DTS Virtual:X for virtualised height and surround effects, and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. Auro-3D support — a distinguishing feature over the less expensive AVC-X3700H, which lacks it — adds a further immersive format with the Auro-Matic upmixer for non-native content. IMAX Enhanced certification rounds out the format support, enabling automatic detection and optimised playback of IMAX Enhanced content.

HDMI & Video

The HDMI section comprises eight inputs and three outputs. One input and two main-zone outputs are HDMI 2.1, supporting 8K/60 Hz and 4K/120 Hz passthrough with 4:4:4 colour subsampling. The remaining seven inputs are HDMI 2.0b. Early production units were affected by a bug in the HDMI 2.1 chipset; units manufactured from May 2021 onward use a corrected chipset, and Denon offered a free hardware remediation for earlier units. All ports support HDCP 2.3.

HDR format support is comprehensive: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dynamic HDR, and Hybrid Log-Gamma are all passed through. The 8K-capable input also supports gaming features including Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Quick Frame Transport (QFT). Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) on the main HDMI output allows the television to send lossless Dolby Atmos and DTS:X bitstreams back to the receiver. A front-panel HDMI input sits behind a drop-down flap — a convenience feature absent from the AVC-X3700H below. An 8K upscaler processes lower-resolution HDMI and analogue video sources up to 8K resolution.

Room Correction & Control

Room correction uses Audyssey MultEQ XT32, the top tier of Audyssey’s consumer technology. It measures the room’s acoustic response at up to eight microphone positions and applies correction filters across the full frequency range with high resolution — 512 filter taps in the bass region, where room modes cause the most significant problems. Dynamic EQ adjusts the frequency response at lower listening volumes to compensate for the ear’s reduced sensitivity to bass and treble, while Dynamic Volume manages sudden level jumps between programme material and advertisements. Low Frequency Containment (LFC) reduces bass energy that might otherwise transmit through walls. The optional Audyssey MultEQ Editor app provides more granular control over target curves and individual filter adjustment.

Control options include the HEOS app for iOS and Android, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri via AirPlay 2, IP control, RS-232, and the included RC-1240 remote control. Two 12-volt trigger outputs and IR in/out connections support custom installation scenarios.

Connectivity & Streaming

Audio inputs include six analogue stereo RCA line-level connections, a grounded MM phono input for turntables, two optical TOSLINK, and two coaxial digital inputs. The phono stage saves the cost and shelf space of a separate phono preamplifier for casual vinyl listening. A 6.3 mm headphone output is provided on the front panel. Full 11.2-channel pre-outs allow connection of external power amplification — necessary to reach the maximum 7.2.4 Atmos configuration since only nine amplifier channels are built in.

Network connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.2, and 100BASE-TX Ethernet. Streaming services accessible through HEOS include Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music HD, and TuneIn Internet Radio, alongside local network playback of FLAC, WAV, ALAC, and DSD files up to 5.6 MHz via USB or 2.8 MHz via HDMI. AirPlay 2 provides native Apple device streaming with multi-room capability.

Multi-Zone Operation

Three zones are supported. Zone 2 offers HDMI video output, component and composite video outputs, powered speaker terminals or pre-outs, and can receive audio from HDMI, digital, analogue, and network sources. Zone 3 provides pre-outs for an external amplifier. Using Zone 2 or Zone 3 with powered speaker outputs reduces the main zone to seven channels, since two amplifier channels are reassigned.

Construction

The chassis features a solid aluminium front panel with a brushed metal matte finish, a double-layered base, and stabilised high-density feet to reduce microphonic vibration. The front panel is clean, with only a power button visible; setup buttons, the front HDMI input, USB port, headphone jack, and Audyssey microphone connector are behind the drop-down flap. A two-line display sits between the large input selector and volume dials. The rear panel accommodates eleven pairs of colour-coded speaker binding posts.

What the Press Says

• "The first AV amplifier to support 8K and 4K/120fps isn’t just playing games. Powerful and entertaining, it’s nothing less than the future of home cinema." — Home Cinema Choice ★★★★★
• Highly Recommended — AVForums