Skip to main content

Sound upgrade: Receivers from Denon and Marantz are first to offer DTS Virtual:X

Object-based surround sound — also known as 3D surround sound — is a fantastic addition to the home theater experience, allowing sound to come from above or below you, instead of just to your left or right or in front of or behind you. The problem is actually getting all of this set up, as additional speakers are required for that extra dimension. At least, that used to be the case. Now, another solution has arrived in the form of DTS Virtual:X.

DTS announced on Monday that it had partnered with Sound United, parent company of Denon and Marantz, to bring DTS Virtual:X to select receivers sold under those two brands. This technology, which we’ve already seen employed in soundbars, uses audio processing software to reproduce the sound of many speakers using only a few.

Recommended Videos

“DTS Virtual:X technology provides consumers an immersive sound experience even if they only attach stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 speakers to their A/V receivers,” Joanna Skrdlant, general manager of home audio for DTS parent company Xperi, said in a statement. “Our partnership with these legendary brands reinforces our continued commitment to deliver consumers premium sound in the comfort of their home.”

While this may seem like a feature that makes more sense in soundbars than A/V receivers — which are meant to be used with multiple speakers, after all — DTS says that its research shows otherwise. In the announcement of the new partnership, the company says that fewer than 30 percent of those who buy A/V receivers connect their height speakers, and less than 48 percent connect the surround speakers. For these customers, DTS Virtual:X offers a better experience out of the box, at least once the receiver is updated to the latest firmware.

DTS Virtual:X supports input sources from plain old stereo all the way up to 7.1.4-channel setups. Speaker layouts ranging from stereo to 5.1-channel and even 7.1-channel are supported.

For now, this upgrade is available for the AVR-S730H, AVR-S930H, AVR-X1400H, AVR-X2400H, and AVR-X3400H receivers from Denon, and the NR1608 and SR5012 receivers from Marantz. Support for more Denon DTS:X receivers is planned for January 2018, while additional Marantz DTS:X models are expected to receive support in February 2018.

In the meantime, if you’d like to get a better idea of what the multiple terms surrounding the world of surround sound mean, see our guide to different surround sound formats.

Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
An airport like you’ve never heard it before
Jordan Rakei recording the sound of an aircraft flying overhead.

Europe’s busiest airport has teamed up with a Grammy-nominated artist on a music project like no other.

Jordan Rakei was given access to all areas ... well, maybe not the runway when a plane was coming in ... at the U.K.’s Heathrow Airport to record numerous audio clips and soundscapes that he then incorporated into an ambient music track for travelers -- and anyone for that matter -- to enjoy.

Read more
One of the best TVs ever made is below $2,000, and comes with expert delivery
Panasonic Z95A

When you look through our current list of the best TVs, there are exactly two TVs that should stand out to you, even if you're a casual skimmer. The first is the Sony A95L QD-OLED, simply because it is at the top of the list. The second is the Panasonic Z95A, not because it's the runner-up (which it is) but because it's... Panasonic. It's just not a brand we see making winning TVs, but wow, what a winner the Z95A is. We immediately called it one of the best TVs ever made, something that will be apparent to your eyes if you get it. Now, what's exciting about this TV right now is that it has a low price. You can get the 65-inch version of the TV for $1,998 right now, a savings of over $1,200 off its usual $3,200 price point. You can even get a deluxe delivery and unpack for free if you select the right option on the sales page (accessible by tapping the button below). But, this deal has been around for some time now, since around the start of summer. With Prime Day here and ending soon, it's very likely the time for this deal to end as well. If you want one of the best TVs ever for under $2,000, be sure to tap the button below now.

$1,998 at Amazon

Read more
An amazing TV under $1,000 has a sub $500 Prime Day price (and it’s ending soon)
TCL QM6K

We're now in the final moments of Amazon's summer Prime Day 2025 event, and finding critical last-minute deals. Here's one that almost fundamentally changes how you'll likely think about a product. See, we have a whole list of the best TVs under $1,000, a price point that a ton of people that love TVs just don't feel comfortable crossing. Then, we have a separate list for budget TVs, the best TVs under $500. Even though prices (which move up and down!) are quantitative data points, the differences between a sub $1,000 and a sub $500 TV feel almost categorical in nature, like the difference between water and steam. This deal take the $600 55-inch TCL QM6K (one of the TVs in our 'under $1,000' list) and pushes its price down by $152. This puts it at a price of $448, which is an all time low for it on Amazon, transforms it into an 'under $500' TV. Tap the button below to get the transformative deal while Prime Day is still here or continue reading to see why we liked it so much even when it was over $500.

$448 at Amazon

Read more