AV receivers · owner-verdict comparison

Denon AVR-X3800H vs Onkyo TX-RZ50: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Denon AVR-X3800H: 80% of 98 owners recommend it, vs 61% of 103 for the Onkyo TX-RZ50.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Denon AVR-X3800H

80%of 98 owners recommend
80% recommend · 5% neutral · 15% don't
Owners praise
  • Sounds great and owners are consistently happy with it
  • Plenty of channels and preouts for a 7.1.x setup and future expansion
  • Big upgrade over older Yamaha/Onkyo receivers
Full owner report →

Onkyo TX-RZ50

61%of 103 owners recommend
61% recommend · 10% neutral · 29% don't
Owners praise
  • Built-in Dirac Live room correction is excellent
  • Big sound improvement after calibration
  • Reliable with no real issues in use
Owners complain about
  • Buggy web interface and calibration software
  • Surround channels have a bass processing bug
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Denon AVR-X3800H if
  • ✓Home theater builders running Atmos setups like 7.1.2 or 7.1.4
  • ✓Upgraders from older Yamaha or Pioneer receivers wanting room correction
  • ✓Buyers wanting preouts for future channel expansion
  • ✓Movie watchers chasing immersive surround sound
Skip it if
  • Dedicated two-channel listeners wanting the best stereo without adding an amp
  • Owners of power-hungry speakers needing more amplification
Get the Onkyo TX-RZ50 if
  • ✓Enthusiasts who want built-in Dirac Live room correction
  • ✓Owners building large Atmos setups like 7.2.4 or 5.1.4
  • ✓Tinkerers who enjoy fine-tuning their calibration
  • ✓Upgraders from older Audyssey-based receivers
Skip it if
  • Buyers with tight rack space (very tall unit)
  • Those driving many surrounds without an external amp

What Denon AVR-X3800H owners say

“I just bought a Denon X3800H AVR. The video upscaling is really great on this unit.”
— @erikdolnack2737 on YouTube
“Love my X3800H.”
— @punnyabrata on YouTube
“my Denon X3800H did. I mean hot as in relative. It's not like it burns. But it was definitely hotter than what I'd like electronics to be at.”
— IntrovertMoTown1 on Reddit

What Onkyo TX-RZ50 owners say

“1 month of ownership i can confirm this review to be spot on”
— @joescott701 on YouTube
“After dialing in my AVR (Onkyo TX-RZ50) and tweaking their placement, I was relatively blown away by how much fuller, richer, and deeper the sound was.”
— isomorphZeta on Reddit
“Not having two independent subwoofer outputs is definitely a non-small thing this unit gets wrong”
— @grantmoon624 on YouTube

Denon AVR-X3800H vs Onkyo TX-RZ50: frequently asked questions

Is the Denon AVR-X3800H or the Onkyo TX-RZ50 better?

Real owners lean toward the Denon AVR-X3800H: 80% of 98 owners recommend it, vs 61% of 103 for the Onkyo TX-RZ50.

Who should get the Denon AVR-X3800H?

Owners point the Denon AVR-X3800H at home theater builders running Atmos setups like 7.1.2 or 7.1.4, and upgraders from older Yamaha or Pioneer receivers wanting room correction.

Who should get the Onkyo TX-RZ50?

Owners point the Onkyo TX-RZ50 at enthusiasts who want built-in Dirac Live room correction, and owners building large Atmos setups like 7.2.4 or 5.1.4.