Denon AVR-X3600H 9.2 Channel AV Receiver Review & Comments

The SR6013 is not comparable to the AVRX4500. The SR7013 would be the comparable Marantz model to the X4500 and the new Marantz SR6014 is the model most comparable to the X3600.

The power ratings of the SR6-14 and the SR6013 that preceeded it are comparable to those of the DEnon AVRX3600 and not comparable to the power you'd get via the X4500. The difference in wattage is quite large and not just a few watts as you've suggested. It is this additional power that you are paying forif wanting the X4500.

Power Output (8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2ch Drive)
AVRX4500 125 watts
AVRX3600 105 watts
SR7013 125 watts
SR6013 110 watts
SR6014 110 watts


The SR6014 is effectively the same AV receiver as the X3600 apart from the inclusion of HDAM circuitry and analogue multichannel inputs on the Marantz model and only its porthole display as opposed to the fulled sized display on the Denon.

I agree SR7013 is more comparable, but please read again what i wrote. On paper the difference is 15w in 2ch 8ohm which is not really meaningfull, but in real world test there was no difference! Only look at the 8ohm measurements as the 4ohm measurements have been done with the impedance switch on 4ohm which drops power output big time. I can only assume they are afraid to run test with the switch in 8ohm position as they get these from dealer.


Marantz declared an output power of SR6013 at 185 W, as did Denon for a 6-ohm load. We conducted measurements for 8 and 4 Ω (setting the impedance selector in the appropriate mode). For 8 ohms, SR6013 power is 151 W in one channel.

2 x 147 W in two, with connecting the next one decreases, but 5 x 100 W and 9 x 50 W are still good results - identical to Denon's. And like the AVR-X4500H, power at 4 Ω is "artificially" limited significantly below the potential of the terminals themselves, especially in the output measurement of a single channel; then it is only 60 W, in stereo there is 2 x 59 W, then 5 x 52 W and 9 x 41 W. Then (in large-channel operation and at 4 Ω) SR6013 and heats up so much.

The noise separation is 82 dB, which is slightly better than the Denon AVR-X4500H. The sensitivity is only slightly lower than the standard, it is 0.29 V.

The frequency characteristics (Fig. 1) are again very similar to those of Denon - the drop at 10 Hz is negligible, and at 100 kHz it does not exceed -1.5 dB for 8 Ω and -2 for 4 Ω. The SR6013, like the AVR-X4500H, can be praised for a clean spectrum in Fig. 2, the strongest harmonic is the second one, but its level is low -91 dB, the third one is still a few dB lower.
 
Last edited:
I'd suggest you'll get quite a noticable improvement in the headroom associated with the X4500 over the less powerful X3600.
 
Pricespy mentioned:

On last year's Black Friday, the price of Denon AVR-X4500H dropped by 12%.

Fingers crossed and guys no rushed decisions yet! Few days to go.. :laugh:
 
You have to take into consideration that there's no replacement planned for the X4500 until next year so there's no real incentive for the retailers to try get rid of existing stocks in order to make way for a replacement.

Denon/Marantz have not replaced any of their models above the X3500 or the SR6013 and will not be doing so until next year.
 
If the X4500 comes down to £900 or less I will be on it rather than £799 for the X3600 but if no further reduction on the X4500 I think the X3600 at £799 with a free echo dot 3 from Richers is proving a big temptation.:D
 
You have to take into consideration that there's no replacement planned for the X4500 until next year so there's no real incentive for the retailers to try get rid of existing stocks in order to make way for a replacement.

Denon/Marantz have not replaced any of their models above the X3500 or the SR6013 and will not be doing so until next year.

True but the X3600 has only been out a few months and is current model and that has had 2 reductions in the last 2 weeks totalling 20% so why not something off the X4500 which has been as low as £949 last Jan.
 
Can anyone please suggest a suitable 2-channel amplifier to complement either the 3600 or 4500, given the performance/price relationship? Would like to run 7.2.4 with the external amp powering the L/R channels. Thanks in advance.
 
The 4500 has AL32 processing on board unlike the 3600. This could make a difference. I have AL32 on my DCD 2500 SACD player and I'm seriously impressed with the detail, depth and clarity that it can get out of both redbook and SACD discs. Certainly it puts all my other SACD players in the shade when it comes to audio quality. How this will transfer to stereo on the 4500 is somewhat harder to judge but it has to be better than the 3600 that does not have this ability.

I do have AL24 on my Denon X6200 but yet that receiver is very disappointing with stereo music, so much so that I use a stereo amp with HT by-pass linked into the system for a far superior stereo music performance. At least with both 4500 and 3600 you do have the option to add a stereo amp into the system via the pre-outs if you are serious about music.
Thanks for the info. I am currently using my [very old but still impresssive] Onkyo SR876 with my 2 channel ki Sig Marantz amp and it sounds good. I may be better off buying the cheaper x3600 and continue using the marantz pre-outs.
 
Thanks for the info. I am currently using my [very old but still impresssive] Onkyo SR876 with my 2 channel ki Sig Marantz amp and it sounds good. I may be better off buying the cheaper x3600 and continue using the marantz pre-outs.
The KI range are reknown Marantz amps and I would take one over the stereo abilities of the Denon any day. You're obviously use to using the receiver and the Marantz in conjunction and the same would apply to using the Denon alongside it.
 
Well its BF and no one seems to be offering any better prices than £999 for X4500 and £799 for £X3600 so I ordered a 4500 which should be here in a few days. I managed to get a further discount which got me closer to my hoped for £900ish price on the X4500 so I am not complaining. Lets just hope the price for the X4500 does not substantially drop over the next few weeks though as I will feel a twit at jumping now :D.
 
Well its BF and no one seems to be offering any better prices than £999 for X4500 and £799 for £X3600 so I ordered a 4500 which should be here in a few days. I managed to get a further discount which got me closer to my hoped for £900ish price on the X4500 so I am not complaining. Lets just hope the price for the X4500 does not substantially drop over the next few weeks though as I will feel a twit at jumping now :D.
Good choice, trust me you will enjoy the avr! ;)
 
buy 4500 from Peter Tyson
if they drop the price they will refund you
I think 4500 is better than 3600

More head room will not always mean better in term of quality sound. I know some one here will jump in and disagree with me.
Not many people here will listen at the high volume.

I used to have Pass Aleph 3, then I upgraded to Pass Aleph5. It has double power and XLR connection. However, all the magic of Aleph 3 was gone.
It is very hard to explain why??!?! Only Nelson Pass can help

On BF event , it seems to be difficult to audition. The RS store is very busy. The staff seem to be not happy to demo 3600 vs 4500. I strongly believe that even though you spend an hour to demo including: switching on/off, unplug, connecting speakers. . . your brain will find it hard to tell the difference at the normal listening level.

For the lesson to be learnt about Pass Aleph3, I decide to go for 3600. However, RS run out of stock. They suggested I order and pay , then it is delivered on Tue or Wed
 
In the end for the extra £140 I paid for the 4500 over the £3600 I felt I was getting better value:

The 4500 has the higher power (albeit not a lot more) better power supply, better construction (all metal case) Auro 3D, AL32 processing,2 line display, bass sync, ability to upmix non atmos tracks in both Dolby & DTS, nicer looking.

It doesn't have Bluetooth Headphone, Dolby Height Virtualization which would have been nice but can do without.
 
You won't regret spending extra
So you got it for 940£?
 
Yes.:)
 
Where did you get it for that price? I've been swithering between the 3600 and 4500 for a week and was just about to pull trigger on 3600 at £800. But if the 4500 is £940...... 🤔🙄😁
 
Where did you get it for that price? I've been swithering between the 3600 and 4500 for a week and was just about to pull trigger on 3600 at £800. But if the 4500 is £940...... 🤔🙄😁
I'd also like to know where it is £940!!

PT has open box X4500H (Silver) for 950£ with 3year warranty if intrested! Blemish free!
 
PT has open box X4500H (Silver) for 950£ with 3year warranty if intrested! Blemish free!

Thanks. I ordered one today from for £940. (Not sure on the etiquette of saying who)

Basically I called local Denon dealer to me. And asked politely if they would do that price. I didn't bother pushing for a better price (I was a euro govt bond trader in a previous life and remember my boss' Moto "don't be a prick for a tick"). I'm very happy with that price and it's a bricks and mortar shop that I've bought tons of stuff from. And they've always been great to deal with. Saying that I usually buy stuff for my business so he didn't have my personal info on their system. So it wasn't a loyal customer special or anything like that.
 
Just set up my x3600h from Richer Sounds (pretty good bargain £799 with the free Alex Dot and they briefly offered the 6 year warranty free instead of 10% extra on Black Friday).

This replaced my trusty x2300w.

Duly setup using Audyssey (7.1 for now, banned from having the height by the wife due to young family) and it sounds immense - much more expansive and crisper sounding.

One fairly annoying thing I've noticed, that wasn't present with the previous amp, is when using Dolby Surround to upmix stereo (from mostly UK Freeview). The centre dialogue can be heard coming from the sides (and to a lesser extent the rears) and it is quite offputting, a bit hissy and warbling at times - Changing to DTS:Neural X alleviates this with centre dialogue restricted to the centre speaker while still giving an upmixed surround sound. Of course properly mixed DD/DTS right from the bog standard 5.1 to Atmos and HD all sound terrific with proper placement of sounds.

I do like the overall surround experience created from stereo sources by Dolby Surround so is there anything I should be doing to make this work a bit better?

Posting here as I didn't see an x3600h owners thread yet.
 
Great deal glad you are finding it a good upgrade.:)
 
when using Dolby Surround to upmix stereo (from mostly UK Freeview). The centre dialogue can be heard coming from the sides (and to a lesser extent the rears) and it is quite offputting
Check that Dolby Surround Centre Spread is switched off. You might need to be listing to a low quality stereo source such as Spotify for the menu option to appear (at least on my Marantz anyway)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Check that Dolby Surround Centre Spread is switched off. You might need to be listing to a low quality stereo source such as Spotify for the menu option to appear (at least on my Marantz anyway)

I don't think this years model has the centre spread, also I'm sure I have Dynamic EQ off which can cause this voice "echo" (as someone mentioned on AVSforum - I'll have another tinker when I get in from work).
 
I have a dilema. I was able to snag a X3600H online for $870 shipped. I received the package yesterday. They shipped a X4500H instead. Do I keep the X4500H (2018 model) or have them send me what I ordered (X3600H 2019 model)?
 
Keep the 4500 it is a better avr unless you need Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization or bluetooth headphone.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom