Denon’s AVR-X1700H – 3 HDMI 2.1 Inputs but Still No Upgraded Room Correction
Some companies release new products to huge fanfare, with flashy marketing campaigns and the like. But, not Denon! Denon silently dropped the AVR-S760W receiver exclusively to Costco, and added the AVR-X1700H to their website with nary a word. Maybe this is an example of under promising and over delivering? Or maybe Denon wants to stay under the radar after the trouncing they took with HDMI 2.1 bug. Either way, Denon has continued the trend of having three working HDMI 2.1 inputs. They’ve also added Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction, but not Audyssey MultEQ XT32. So, let’s take a closer look at the Denon AVR-X1700H.
Denon AVR-X1700H – Under The Hood
- 7.2 channel, 80w (2 channel driven)
- Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS Virtual:X
- 8K UDH, HDCP 2.3, HDR10+, HDR, Dolby Vision, 4k/120 & VRR, eARC
- 6 HDMI inputs / 1 HDMI 2.1 output
- 3 dedicated HDMI 2.1 inputs with 8k up scaling on all inputs
- Phono input (moving magnet)
- Bluetooth, WiFi, and AirPlay 2 compatible
- HEOS multiroom audio built in
- Multi-room capable, assignable and via pre-out
- Support for most voice assistants (Google, Alexa, and Siri)
- Support for Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, and more via HEOS
- Audessy MultEQ XT with Dynamic Volume and EQ
The back of the Denon AVR-X1700H is nicely laid out 
Additional HDMI 2.1 ports are a welcome addition
Who Is the Denon AVR-X1700H Aimed At?
- Those who want, or need to upgrade to HDMI 2.1 functionality. This includes, VRR, ALLM, and 4K/120Hz support. This would namely be next-gen console (Xbox Series X/S and PS5 owners) or PC gamers with the latest hardware.
- Entry level HT enthusiasts who want basic support for 7.2 or 5.2.2 surround sound (no expandability past this).
- Support for multi-room audio.
- Music enthusiasts who want very good support for most streaming services (via the HEOS app and built in features) and digital formats via USB.
- Users that want upgraded room correction, but don’t need or want dual sub optimization and the best tier of Audyssey
Who Should Pass on the Denon AVR-X1700H?
- Enthusiasts who want to expand past 7.2 or 5.2.4.
- Those who have demanding speakers that need a ton of power or want to add external amplification. The x1700 only has preouts for multi-room audio.
- Users who want the top tier of Audessy and multi sub optimization. Personally, I would still point you to Rob H’s “12 Step Guide to Setting Up Dual Subwoofers”.
Our Take
The Denon AVR-X1700H isn’t breaking any new ground, which is probably why Denon isn’t yelling from the rooftops about it. It does add three HDMI 2.1 inputs which is great. But real enthusiasts will want the ability to run the latest room correction AND a full suite of speakers. The Denon AVR-X1700H is solidly aimed at the entry level enthusiasts who wants marginally more power than the Denon AVR-S760W offers, but wants upgraded HDMI ports. It doesn’t have every feature that we expect the more expensive receivers offer, but some may not need or want them.
This second release does signal that Denon is slowly rolling out new receivers. Right now, it’s a guessing game if Denon will follow up with any additional receivers – maybe an X3800H is on the horizon? So far, all we are seeing is slight refreshing of their lines to move away from the external HDMI switch and offering three HDMI 2.1 ports onboard, which is a huge improvement.
The Denon AVR-X1700H is still currently “coming soon”, but is priced at $699 USD when it is released. You can pre-order online now.
