Better sound that brings movies, games and everyday entertainment to life.

For generations, Denon has focused on one thing: helping people feel more connected to their music, movies and games. The new Denon AVR-S980H was created with that same spirit. It’s built for listeners who want great sound in the place they spend the most time: their home. And they want it without a complicated setup, steep learning curve or a living room full of wires.

Home theater can mean a lot of things. Sometimes it’s a family movie night where the audio envelops you into the action. At other times, it’s turning up a favorite playlist while you cook dinner, or losing yourself in a game where every detail matters. As people spend more time streaming, gaming and listening at home, they’re looking for systems that can keep up without becoming overwhelming.

That’s where the AVR-S980H fits in. It’s a 7.2-channel AV receiver made for people who want to step up from a sound bar or basic sound systems but still want something approachable and easy to live with.

“Denon has always believed that when you make something better, it sounds better, and that ethos has guided every first we’ve brought to the industry,” said Lyle Smith, President of Sound United at

HARMAN. “Better sound is powerful and it brings people closer to the stories, music and moments they love. With the AVR-S980H, we’re giving families an easy way to make every day experiences feel more engaging and far more enjoyable.”

Engineered for a Bigger, More Engaging Experience

The AVR-S980H starts with strong fundamentals. Its amplifier delivers 90 watts per channel, which gives it enough muscle to handle action-packed movies, dynamic music and the growing number of high-performance speakers that people pair with AVRs. Intentionally selected new components work together to provide clearer detail and more accurate surround sound, so everyday listening feels noticeably richer.

Denon’s long history in sound engineering shows up here too. The AVR-S980H has been tuned to provide the open, spacious sound Denon fans know well. Whether you’re connecting it to your favorite wired speakers or planning to use it with Denon’s new wireless speaker models—Denon Home 200, 400, or 600—the receiver gives your system a solid foundation to grow.

Flexible Wireless Options That Fit Real-World Rooms

One of the strengths of the AVR-S980H is how naturally it fits into a home powered by HEOS, the versatile multiroom audio platform. HEOS makes it easy to enjoy music throughout the house, group rooms together, or build a flexible entertainment setup that works with your family’s routines. Whether someone is streaming playlists in the kitchen or sending TV audio to a pair of Denon Home speakers in another room, the system adapts without adding complexity.

As part of Denon’s commitment to innovation and listening to our users, the AVR-S980H will support the option to use the new Denon Home 200, 400 and 600 speakers as wireless surrounds, which can help people create a fuller home theater experience in spaces where running wires isn’t practical. Wireless surround functionality will arrive via a future firmware update and will not be available at launch, and additional details will be shared at a later date.

This upcoming capability adds convenience for households that want better immersion while keeping their living spaces clean and flexible.

Ready for Today’s Entertainment

Beyond movies, the AVR-S980H brings meaningful improvements to the way people game at home. Support for 1440p pass-through and AMD FreeSync™ helps deliver smoother visuals and more responsive gameplay, making fastmoving scenes feel cleaner and easier to follow. It gives players the sense of being more “in the middle” of the action without any added complexity.

These enhancements show that the AVR-S980H is built for far more than cinematic entertainment. It is just as comfortable for powering gaming sessions, binge-watching marathons or listening to background music throughout the day.

Designed for Real Homes and Real Users

Denon has always believed that great sound should feel natural and intuitive, and the AVR-S980H reflects that philosophy throughout its design. From the moment it comes out of the box, the receiver guides users with clear, step-by-step onscreen instructions that make setup far less intimidating, even for someone new to AVRs. After setup, users can easily tailor the AVR to their preference using the TV’s on-screen menu or enjoy seamless control via a remote app, or a web-based interface from their smartphone or PC.

It also integrates easily into everyday life, supporting Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and HEOS multiroom audio so people can listen however they’re already used to listening.

Just as importantly, the AVR-S980H is built to grow with its owner. Someone can start with a simple two speaker setup and expand over time into a full 5.1 surround sound or more immersive 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup without needing to replace the receiver at the center of it all. It is engineered to be simple to set up on day one, and remain the right choice for many years as rooms, systems and listening habits evolve.

Built for Where Home Entertainment Is Going

More people want great sound that actually fits their lifestyle. They want the power of a true AVR but without the frustration that sometimes comes with one. The AVR-S980H delivers exactly that. It respects Denon’s long legacy of audio engineering while meeting customers where they are today: multitasking households that want simplicity and great sound in the same package.

The Denon AVR-S980H will be available on April 15, 2026 at Denon.com and through authorized global Denon retailers.

Pricing:

• Denon AVR-S980H — $949 | £799 | €899