Denon AVR-S540BT Review and Specs
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Denon AVR-S540BT (USA version)

SCORE:
68

Highlights

  • 5.2 channels
  • 70 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
  • HDR10, Dolby Vision, 4K Passthrough
  • Bluetooth
  • USB input

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Denon AVR-S540BT Overview

Denon AVR-S540BT was introduced in 2018. It is equipped with 5 channel amplifier and is capable of 5.1 maximum channel processing.

We evaluated the Receiver and gave 68 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.

AMPLIFIER
70
VIDEO FEATURES
90
AUDIO FEATURES
61
CONNECTIVITY
64
MULTIZONE
55
MISCELLANEOUS
45
RADIO
61
OVERALL
68

Amplifier score is based on power ratings, minimum impedance load, power supply, transformer type, total harmonic distortion, damping factor, signal to noise ratio and other small details. Audio score depends on the number of channels, front wide channel support, maximum channel processing, support of audio formats, DAC specifications, room calibration algorithm... Video score is based on HDR, Dolby Vision and video signal passthrough and upscaling, analog to HDMI upconversion. Connectivity score is defined from all wired and wireless inputs and outputs, internet and bluetooth connections, HEOS, SONOS and others. Multizone score depends on the number of zones with their outputs. Radio score is evaluated form digital radio support and analog tuner with its frequency range, signal to noise ratio, harmonic distortion...

Pros and Cons

In this section we present pros and cons of Denon AVR-S540BT.

PROS
Dolby TrueHD πŸ‘
Dolby Digital Plus πŸ‘
Dolby Pro Logic πŸ‘
DTS Neo πŸ‘
DTS-HD Master Audio πŸ‘
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio πŸ‘
DTS 96/24 πŸ‘
DTS Express πŸ‘
High Resolution Music Playback via USB and/or Network πŸ‘
Dialog Normalization πŸ‘
Compressed Music Enhancer πŸ‘
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic. πŸ‘
HDR10 πŸ‘
BT.2020 color space πŸ‘
Dolby Vision πŸ‘
HLG πŸ‘
3-D Ready πŸ‘
4K or 8K Video Passthrough πŸ‘
Bluetooth πŸ‘
New HDCP Version πŸ‘
USB Input πŸ‘
Composite Video Inputs πŸ‘
Composite Video Outputs πŸ‘
Zones πŸ‘
Analog Tuner πŸ‘
CONS
Not Certified 4 Ω Performance πŸ‘Ž
No Bi-amp Capability πŸ‘Ž
Few Channel Processing πŸ‘Ž
No Dolby Atmos πŸ‘Ž
No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization πŸ‘Ž
No Dolby Surround Upmixer πŸ‘Ž
No DTS:X πŸ‘Ž
No DTS Neural:X πŸ‘Ž
No DTS Virtual:X πŸ‘Ž
No IMAX Enhanced πŸ‘Ž
No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer πŸ‘Ž
No Gapless Playback πŸ‘Ž
No DSD via HDMI πŸ‘Ž
No DSD via USB πŸ‘Ž
No DTS Dialog Control πŸ‘Ž
No High-resolution Music Enhancer πŸ‘Ž
No Audyssey App Support πŸ‘Ž
No HDR10+ πŸ‘Ž
No 4K or 8K Video Upscaling πŸ‘Ž
No HEOS πŸ‘Ž
No Chromecast Built-In πŸ‘Ž
Does not Work with Amazon Alexa πŸ‘Ž
Does Not Work with SONOS πŸ‘Ž
No Ethernet πŸ‘Ž
No Wi-Fi πŸ‘Ž
No eARC πŸ‘Ž
Few HDMI Outputs πŸ‘Ž
Few Analog Audio Line Inputs πŸ‘Ž
No Phono Input πŸ‘Ž
No Component Video Inputs πŸ‘Ž
No Multi-Channel Input πŸ‘Ž
No Analog Pre-Outs πŸ‘Ž
No Pandora πŸ‘Ž
No Spotify πŸ‘Ž
No Tidal πŸ‘Ž
No Deezer πŸ‘Ž
No Napster πŸ‘Ž
No SiriusXM Internet Radio πŸ‘Ž
Old Bluetooth Version πŸ‘Ž

Major Changes from its predecessor

Here we are comparing Denon AVR-S540BT to its predecessor AVR-S530BT and displaying the major changes.

UPGRADES Denon AVR-S540BT Denon AVR-S530BT
Dolby Vision βœ” βœ”
HLG βœ” βœ”
Newer Bluetooth Version 3.0 + EDR 2.1 + EDR

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Denon AVR-S540BT vs Denon AVR-S530BT.

Selected Features

Amplifier

Denon AVR-S540BT has 5 channel amplifier and delivers 70 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven).


Video Features

The Receiver has 4K passthrough up to 60p. It can bypass HDR10, Dolby Vision.


HDR10

High-dynamic-range (HDR) video has greater dynamic range than standard-dynamic-range (SDR) video with brigter whites and deeper blacks. HDR10 was announced on August 27, 2015, by the Consumer Technology Association and uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports up to 1000 nits of brightness and 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors.


Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision is an update to HDR10 by adding dynamic metadata that can be used to more accurately adjust brightness levels up to 10,000 nits maximum brightness on a scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame basis and supports up to 12-bit color depth (4096 shades of RGB) and 8K resolution.


Room Correction

Denon AVR-S540BT comes with[y] room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.


Connectivity

Denon AVR-S540BT can also connect to bluetooth devices via built-in bluetooth adapter. It has 5 HDMI inputs and HDCP 2.2 copy protection.

Front panel has USB input.

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Detailed Specifications

Here we list all the available features and specifications of Denon AVR-S540BT.

BASICS
BrandDenon
ModelAVR-S540BT
TypeA/V Receiver
CountryUSA
Release Year2018
AMPLIFIER
Channels5.2
Discrete Amplificationβœ”
THXβ„’ Certificationβœ–
Continuous 6 Ω Ratedβœ”
Certified 4 Ω Performanceβœ–
Mono Block Power Amplifier Constructionβœ–
Bi-amp Capabilityβœ–
AUDIO
Maximum Channel Processing5.1
D.D.S.C. HD Digitalβœ–
Alpha Processingβœ–
Air Studios Monitor Certificationβœ–
Dolby Atmosβœ–
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizationβœ–
Dolby TrueHDβœ”
Dolby Digital Plusβœ”
Dolby Surround Upmixerβœ–
Dolby Pro Logicβœ” PLII
Dolby Digital EXβœ–
Surround EXβœ–
DTS:Xβœ–
DTS Neural:Xβœ–
DTS Virtual:Xβœ–
DTS Neoβœ” Neo:6
DTS-HD Master Audioβœ”
DTS-HD High Resolution Audioβœ”
DTS 96/24βœ”
DTS Expressβœ”
DTS-ESβœ–
IMAX Enhancedβœ–
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixerβœ–
PCMβœ” 2-ch/Multi-ch Input
Music Playback via USBMP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC
High Resolution Music Playback via USB and/or Networkβœ” up to 96 kHz
High Resolution Audio Formats via USBFLAC
Multi-Channel Music File Playback via USBβœ–
Gapless Playbackβœ–
DSD via HDMIβœ–
DSD via USBβœ–
DSD to PCM Converterβœ–
USB DACβœ–
Jitter Reductionβœ–
DTS Dialog Controlβœ–
Dialog Enhancementβœ–
Dialog Level Adjustmentβœ–
Dialog Normalizationβœ”
Dialogue Liftβœ–
Compressed Music Enhancerβœ”
High-resolution Music Enhancerβœ–
Audyssey Dynamic EQβœ–
Audyssey Dynamic Volumeβœ–
Audyssey LFCβœ–
Audyssey Sub EQ HTβœ–
Audyssey DSXβœ–
Direct Modeβœ”
Pure Direct Modeβœ–
Independent Dual Subwoofer Outputβœ–
CALIBRATION
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.βœ”
Audyssey App Supportβœ–
Optimized Bass Redirectionβœ–
Bass Syncβœ–
VIDEO
HDR10βœ”
HDR10+βœ–
BT.2020 color spaceβœ”
Dolby Visionβœ”
Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG)βœ”
Quick Media Switching (QMS)βœ–
Auto Low Latency Mode Pass-throughβœ–
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)βœ–
Quick Frame Transport (QFT)βœ–
3-D Readyβœ”
Video Signal Passthroughup to 4K 50/60Hz 4:4:4
Video Signal Upscalingβœ–
Analog To HDMI Upconversionβœ–
Component Video Upscalingβœ–
Analog to Analog Video conversionβœ–
isf Certified Calibration Controlβœ–
CONNECTIVITY
MHL Inputβœ–
FireConnectβœ–
FlareConnectβœ–
HEOSβœ–
Chromecast Built-Inβœ–
DTS Play-Fiβœ–
Works with Amazon Alexaβœ–
Works with SONOSβœ–
AirPlayβœ–
Apple Product Connectionβœ” iPod, iPhone and iPad
Remote Appβœ” Denon 500 Series Bluetooth Remote App for iOS and Android devices and Amazon Kindle
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevueβœ–
Ethernetβœ–
Ethernet Switchβœ–
Wi-Fiβœ–
Bluetoothβœ” SBC, AAC
Bluetooth Headphone Transmissionβœ–
HDBaseT Compatibleβœ–
Enhanced ARCβœ–
HDCP Version2.2
HDMI Input5
HDMI Output1
USB Input1 (Front) for USB memory
USB DC Out Portβœ–
Analog Audio Line Input2
Analog Audio Line Outputβœ–
Phono Inputβœ–
Optical In2
Optical Outβœ–
Coaxial In/Out1 / βœ–
Composite Video Input2
Composite Video Output1
S-Video Inputβœ–
S-Video Outputβœ–
Component Video Inputβœ–
Component Video Outputβœ–
PC Inβœ–
Multi-Channel Inputβœ–
Analog Pre-Outs0.2
XLR Inputsβœ–
XLR Pre-outsβœ–
Front A/V InputsUSB
Speaker A/Bβœ–
Headphone Outβœ” 6.3 mm
ZONES
Zones1
RS-232βœ–
+12V Trigger Outputβœ–
Remote (IR) Input/Output0 / 0
MISC
On-Screen Displayβœ”
GUI Languages3
Control4 SDDPβœ–
FL Displayβœ” 1 line
Remote ControllerRC-1216
Pre-programmed / Learnable / LCD Displayβœ– / βœ– / βœ–
Detachable Power Cordβœ–
Denon Link HDβœ–
Setup Assistantβœ”
Quick Select plus / Quick Selectβœ– / βœ”
RADIO
Analog Tunerβœ” FM/AM
Digital Radioβœ–
Internet Radioβœ–
Pandoraβœ–
Spotifyβœ–
Tidalβœ–
Deezerβœ–
Napsterβœ–
SiriusXM Internet Radioβœ–
CONSTRUCTION
Front Panelnot Metal
Speaker Terminals5
Large Speaker Terminalsβœ–
Color-Coded Speaker Terminalsβœ”
Transparent High-Grade Speaker Terminalsβœ–
High Grade Audio Componentsβœ–
Gold plated RCA terminalsβœ–
POWER
Power SupplyAC 120 V, 60 Hz
Power Consumption310 W
No Sound PowerECO On/Off: 26 W/35 W
Standby Power0.1 W
GENERAL
ECO Mode / Hybrid Standby Functionβœ”
Auto Power offβœ”
Dimensions (W x H x D)434 mm x 151 mm x 319mm
17 1/8" x 6" x 12 5/8"
Weight7.6 kg (16 lbs 12 oz)
Warranty3 Years
SPECS
Power Output (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 270 W (0.08% THD)
Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 290 W (0.7% THD)
Maximum Effective Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, JEITA)140 W (10% THD)
Rated Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, IEC)130 W (1% THD)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line)200 mV/47 kΩ
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)98 dB
Frequency Response (Analog In)+1/-3 dB (10 Hz to 100 kHz, Direct mode)
Bluetooth Version3.0 + EDR
Bluetooth Frequency2.4 GHz
USB TerminalUSB2.0 5V, 1 A
FM Frequency87.5 MHz - 107.9 MHz
FM 50 dB Quiet Sensitivity (IHF, 1 kHz, 100% MOD.)Mono: 2.8 Β΅V (20.2 dBf)
FM Effective Sensitivity1.2 Β΅V (12.8 dBf)
FM S/N RatioMono/Stereo: 70 dB/67 dB
FM Harmonic Distortion (IHF, 1 kHz)Mono/Stereo: 0.7%/1.0%
AM Frequency520 kHz - 1710 kHz
AM Effective Sensitivity18 Β΅V

* - 480i/576i and 480p/576p only
** - 480i/576i only
*** - no 1080p/24 upconversion
**** - 1080p signal is not converted

Successor

In 2018 Denon AVR-S540BT was replaced by AVR-X550BT. Let us now have a look at some important changes that the successor brought.


UPGRADES Denon AVR-X550BT Denon AVR-S540BT
Analog Tuner βœ” FM/AM with RDS βœ” FM/AM

DOWNGRADES Denon AVR-X550BT Denon AVR-S540BT
Less Coaxial Inputs/Outputs βœ– / βœ– 1 / βœ–

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Denon AVR-X550BT vs Denon AVR-S540BT.

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