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Why the Denon 13 Channel Receiver Has 15 Speaker Inputs

Many factors go into selecting the best home theater receiver — serious movie buffs can attest to this. One of the most important features cinephiles look for in an AV receiver are the number of speaker terminals. Are there enough speaker inputs to power your desired arrangement?

Denon Staff

If you're in the market for a top-of-the-line AV receiver, a 13-channel unit like the Denon Flagship AVR-X8500H is the way to go. Look a little closer, and you may notice that the AVR-X8500H has 15 speaker inputs to support 13 channels. Why the disparity? To set you up for the future of hi-res audio fidelity.

Dolby Atmos vs. Auro-3D

The home theater market is caught in the midst of an audio format arms race. New high-resolution audio formats have gone well beyond the limits of what we traditionally think of as "surround sound" to provide a home theater experience that completely immerses the viewer in a cinematic soundscape.

This is done by adding extra layers to home theater speaker setups — in particular, introducing more height and depth to the audio environment. With the right speaker arrangement, movie fans can faithfully recreate the movie theater experience in the comfort of their own home.

Of the emerging audio formats currently vying for the attention of home theater enthusiasts, Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D stand as two of the most formidable options. Both have their supporters, with no clear winner emerging just yet.

Dolby Atmos certainly has a leg up, being more widely available in the United States, but interest in Auro-3D remains high.

Prepare your home theater for any audio future

So, why 15 speaker inputs? There's no way to know for certain whether Dolby Atmos or Auro-3D will win the multi-dimensional format war — if either does at all. By including 15 speaker inputs on a 13 channel AV receiver, Denon built a device that will support whichever audio format you wish to use. If a split emerges between different media formats — disc vs. streaming, for instance — the setup offered by the Denon AVR-X8500H ensures that users can get the best sound quality.

At Denon, we design for the future, which is why our AV receivers support the most cutting-edge audio technology available. Take a look for yourself and find the right arrangement for your home theater.

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