Why an AVR changes everything

A sound bar is a smart first setup, but it’s one component doing the work of many. An AV receiver changes the equation entirely, powering individual speakers that fill the room with expansive, directional sound. There’s a moment when sound stops coming from a box and starts surrounding you in the room—and once you hear it, there’s no going back. It’s how your entertainment was designed to be heard.

From simple setup to stunning sound

Most home entertainment setups involve a tangled web of devices, cables, and remotes. The AVR-S980H brings all your sources—your TV, game console, streaming box, even your turntable—together in one hub so you can move between them effortlessly without swapping cables or hunting for the right inputs.

Setting up an AV receiver for the first time can feel daunting, but the AVR-S980H walks you through everything. A guided Setup Assistant and on-screen menus take you through the process step by step, and the Denon AVR Remote app puts full control in your pocket from day one.

Once your speakers are set up, Audyssey MultEQ room correction addresses something most people don’t realize matters: the room itself. Walls create reflections, soft furnishings absorb certain frequencies, and speaker placement is usually dictated by your furniture layout rather than acoustics—all of these things conspire against balanced sound. Audyssey measures your unique space and adjusts your system automatically, so what you hear is accurate, clear, and optimized for where you actually sit—not where an acoustic engineer wishes you did.

Sound that pulls you in

The AVR-S980H delivers 7.2 channels of amplification with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X—immersive formats that put you inside the action rather than in front of it. Think of a helicopter sweeping overhead in an action sequence—with Dolby Atmos, you don’t just hear it move across the screen, you feel it pass above you and behind you. Dialogue stays clear and distinct even when the action gets loud, effects feel lifelike, and music takes on a depth and openness that a sound bar simply can’t replicate.

For gamers, the difference is just as tangible. Thanks to Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode, and AMD FreeSync™, every frame stays smooth, every reaction feels instant, and play never gets ahead of the audio, so you’re always in the moment, not catching up to it.

Picture, perfected

The benefits don’t stop at audio. The AVR-S980H supports 4K and 8K pass-through with Dolby Vision for enhanced color, contrast, and detail. For older HD sources, built-in upscaling improves clarity on today’s higher-resolution TVs. Every source, every format, your picture stays as sharp as your sound.

Built to grow with you

An AV receiver isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a foundation. Begin with two bookshelf speakers today. Add a subwoofer and center channel when you’re ready. Add surround speakers and build a full immersive audio setup with height modules, all with the same receiver. As your ambitions grow, your AVR keeps up.

Bring your home to life with sound

Great sound shouldn’t stop at your living room. Powered by HEOS™, the AVR-S980H becomes the starting point of a whole-home connected audio system. Stream your favorite services, podcasts, internet radio, and personal music collections, room by room, or as a seamless soundtrack throughout your home. Control it all from the palm of your hand with the HEOS® app. 

Your home theater journey starts here

Home theater can feel like a big leap. The AVR-S980H is designed to make it feel like a natural next step—easy to set up, simple to expand, and backed by 115 years of Denon engineering and sound expertise. Whether you’re starting with a simple stereo setup or building toward a full immersive system, the AVR-S980H is ready to grow with you. It’s precision-tuned to deliver sound that brings every movie, game, and playlist to life exactly as it was meant to be heard. This is what we mean when we say This Is Sound Made Better.