Comparison Onkyo TX-NR5100 vs Denon AVR-X1700H DAB

A digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) is an indispensable element of any system designed to reproduce digital sound. The DAC is an electronic module that translates sound information into pulses that are sent to the speakers. The technical features of such a conversion are such that the higher the sampling frequency, the better the signal at the output of the DAC, the less it is distorted during conversion. The most popular option in receivers today is 192 kHz — it corresponds to a very high sound quality (DVD-Audio) and at the same time avoids unnecessary increase in the cost of devices.

Another indicator that determines the overall quality of the digital-to-analogue audio converter. For details on the converter, see "Audio DAC Sampling Rate"; here we note that the bit depth is standardly expressed in bits, and the higher it is, the more accurately the signal at the output of the DAC corresponds to the original signal and the less distortion is introduced into it. Today, it is believed that a 16-bit indicator provides quite acceptable signal quality, and 24-bit DACs are suitable even for premium-level equipment.

Possibility to simulate multi-channel (for example, 5.1) sound in traditional two-channel headphones. For this, a Dolby Headphone decoder is usually used, which processes the sound in such a way that the sound heard in the headphones is perceived as multi-channel — in particular, the intended position of its sources can be determined much more accurately. And considering that modern Hi-Fi class headphones are not inferior in sound quality to acoustics (and are significantly cheaper), this feature may well come in handy even for demanding audiophiles.

The ability to increase the resolution of the video signal processed by the receiver - if the original video resolution is lower. Depending on the capabilities of the receiver, in particular its HDMI ports, upscaling to Ultra HD 4K and upscaling to Ultra HD 8K may occur.

The principle of upscaling is that a relatively low-resolution video is supplemented with the required number of pixels using special algorithms. Due to this, when playing such a video, the quality of the “picture” is noticeably higher than without upscaling (although somewhat lower than that of content originally recorded in UltraHD). It makes sense to specifically look for a receiver with this function if you plan to use it with a 4K or 8K screen.

The ability of the receiver to output a video signal in 3D format — that is, a "volumetric" image that has three full dimensions (including depth). Since 3D uses the division of the “picture” of the image into two parts (for the left and right eyes), the format of such a signal differs from the usual two-dimensional one, and not every model is able to work with it. Also keep in mind that viewing 3D content requires not only a receiver, but also a TV (or other playback device) with the appropriate screen capabilities.

the maximum sound power that can be delivered by the power amplifier (if the receiver has one, see "Type") per speaker channel. It is worth noting here that in this case it is customary to indicate the so-called RMS (Rated Maximum Sinusoidal), or rated power. Rated is considered the highest power that the amplifier is guaranteed to be able to produce without interruption for an hour without any failures or breakdowns. Short-term jumps in the signal level can significantly exceed this value, but the main indicator is still the rated power.

The power of the amplifier largely determines the sound volume of the speaker system connected to the device. In fact, the loudness also depends on the characteristics of the speakers — sensitivity, impedance, etc.; however, other things being equal, the same acoustics on a more powerful amplifier will sound louder. In addition, this parameter also affects the compatibility of the speakers and the amplifier — it is believed that the difference in the nominal powers of these components should not exceed 10-15% (and ideally, the powers should generally match). And since different rooms require speakers of different power, this also affects the choice of amplifier for a particular environment; specific recommendations on the ratio of room characteristics and acoustic power can be found in special sources.

Also note that if the amplifier can operate with a load of different resistance (...see "Permissible acoustic impedance"), then for different options the power per channel will be different — the lower the resistance, the higher the power. In the characteristics, in this case, the maximum value of this parameter is usually indicated — that is, the power at the minimum allowable resistance.

This indicator determines the amount of extraneous noise that accompanies the sound output by the receiver's amplifier. It is convenient because it takes into account almost all possible significant noise — both created by the device itself and due to external causes. The higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the lower the noise volume compared to the main signal, the cleaner the amplifier will sound. A reading of 70-80 dB is considered normal for most consumer electronics, but in AV receivers, which are usually premium devices, this can only be called satisfactory. In the most advanced models, this figure can significantly exceed 100 dB.

The range of sound frequencies that the receiver is capable of outputting (this parameter can also be specified for models without their own amplifier, see “Number of channels” for more details). The completeness of the transmitted sound depends on this parameter; of course, the sound quality in general is highly dependent on a number of other factors (for example, frequency response), but the wider the frequency range, the less risk that the amplifier will completely “cut off” some part of the sound. On the other hand, it should be taken into account here that the normal hearing range of the human ear is approximately 16 – 20,000 Hz, and deviations from these limits are rather small. And although many modern receivers provide a much wider frequency range, however, this is more of a marketing ploy than a really significant indicator (or some kind of "side defect" in the design of a high-quality amplifier).

It is also worth considering that in order to reproduce the full frequency of the amplifier, you will need speakers with the appropriate characteristics.

The ability of the receiver to work in Bi-amping and/or Tri-amping mode.

The basic principle of both of these modes is that the audio signal is divided into several frequency bands (LF and HF for Bi-amping, in the case of Tri-amping, mid frequencies are separated separately), and each band is processed by its own amplifier and output to its own specialized set of speakers. . In this way, a noticeable improvement in sound quality can be achieved. However, note that the specific implementation of this function in AV receivers may be different. The simplest option involves two or three built-in power amplifiers, each of which outputs the entire audio range to its own set of connectors. To such a device, you need to connect an external crossover (frequency filter) or speakers with built-in filters for each frequency band. More advanced receivers may have their own built-in crossovers, in which case only part of the frequency range is output to each amplifier with a set of connectors; this eliminates the need for external frequency filters. However, anyway, to use Bi/Tri-amping, you will need speakers that support this connection format.