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Ken Micallef reports from Japan: Showcased at a recent press event in Kawasaki, Japan, Denon officially debuted two new X-Series AV receivers. As the company put it, these units are built “for listeners who demand more from their home theater, more power, more precision, and more control.” And thus, meet the next generation of Denon’s X-Series AVRs: namely, the AVR-X2900H ($1,349) and AVR-X3900H ($1,849). This X-Series pair follows the recent launch of the Denon S-Series AVR-S980H 7.2 receiver ($949; 7.2 channels, 90W per channel).

Both of the X-Series AV receivers arrive with updated internal components and 32-bit multichannel DAC architecture, promising, quote, “improved imaging, clearer high frequency detail, and more confident low frequency energy across every channel.” Each X-Series receiver was developed and tuned at Denon’s Shirakawa Audio Works and guided by individual Denon Sound Masters, who also led in-Japan product demos in both Shirakawa and Kawasaki.

The AVR-X2900H (shown above), which is the entry point of the new X-Series, is said to deliver 95 watts per channel across seven channels. It supports immersive surround formats, advanced HDMI features, and modern gaming standards. Dirac Live Room Correction pairs with Audyssey for acoustic optimization, while HEOS multiroom audio connects everything throughout the house — except for (maybe) the toaster.

Next up, the AVR-X3900H (shown below) includes nine channels of amplification, 11.4 channels of processing, 105 watts per channel, four independent subwoofer outputs, and expanded configuration options for home theater devotees. Dirac Live Bass Control and Active Room Treatment (ART) are available as optional upgrades, with Audyssey room correction included as standard.

Shared across both X-Series models, IP-based Web UI setup, advanced HDMI diagnostics, and expanded control interfaces make system configuration and ongoing optimization less problematic, delivering, as Denon states “the stability and performance expected in today’s premium home entertainment environments.”

On day two of the Kawasaki listening sessions, the AVR-X2900H and AVR-X3900H performed with the Denon AVR-X2800H 7.2 receiver, driving an imposing Bowers & Wilkins system: pairs of 801 D4 and 800 D3 floorstanding loudspeakers, 805 D3 stand-mounts, an HTM81 D4 center channel, and a pair of DB1D subwoofers — all of it wired with AudioQuest cabling.

Denon Sound Engineers Taichi Kamikawa and Kazuma Watanabe handled the musical choices, playing soundtrack excerpts that included Dolby Atmos selections from Hans Zimmer’s 2022 Dune: Part One (Mondo) and “Inception,” from Zimmer & Friends’ Diamond in the Desert (Sony Classical) — not to mention Led Zeppelin’s thunderous “Whole Lotta Love,” originally from October 1969’s most excellent Led Zeppelin II (Atlantic). On that last track, the B&W subs practically brought the forever powerful Led Zep drummer John Bonham to life.

For more about Denon, go here.
To find an authorized Denon retailer, go here.

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Author bio: Former musician, former artist, and former legal wastrel Ken Micallef has written numerous hi-fi equipment reviews for Stereophile and Analog Planet, and his byline has also appeared within Mojo, Electronic Musician, and The Grammys. You can also find him at YouTube (Ken Micallef Jazz Vinyl Audiophile).

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Want more Denon? We’ve got you covered! For Ken Micallef’s review of Denon’s DP-3000NE turntable, go here on our sister site Analog Planet, which posted on September 2, 2025.

To learn more about the trend of semi-automatic turntables with Bluetooth capabilities continues in full force, read Julie Mullins’ report on the Denon DP-500BT turntable, which posted here on our sister site Analog Planet on March 31, 2026.