Buy the Onkyo TX-RZ50 if room correction matters most — Dirac Live is the standout feature. Buy the Denon AVR-X3800H if bass management matters most: four independent sub pre-outs vs two.
As tracked by Home Theater Builder: the Denon AVR-X3800H tracks at $1,399; the Onkyo TX-RZ50 at $1,400.How we verify this data →
Both are nine-channel receivers with eleven stated processing channels — the serious mid-range. The Onkyo brings Dirac Live; the Denon brings four sub outs and XT32.
Shaded rows differ · green dot = lab-measured · amber = manufacturer-verified · blue = retailer/community-reported · grey = estimated · “not stated” means exactly that
Reading the numbers honestly
The Onkyo TX-RZ50 does something rare and honest: it publishes BOTH a conservative rating (120W at 8Ω, two channels driven, 0.08% THD) and a generous one (250W into 6Ω). Compare its 120W line — not the 250 — against the Denon's 105W under the same context, and they're near-identical amplifiers. Both state a 4–16Ω impedance rating.
Compatibility · computed, not written
Checked against a bookshelf that dips to a stated 3.7Ω like the KEF Q150: KEF Q150
Can the Denon AVR-X3800H drive the KEF Q150?
Denon AVR-X3800H states a 4Ω-minimum rating; the KEF Q150 dips to a stated 3.7Ω minimum, a little below that floor. Most receivers handle a marginal dip at normal volumes — it's worth watching only at very high output on an entry-level unit.
Can the Onkyo TX-RZ50 drive the KEF Q150?
Onkyo TX-RZ50 states a 4Ω-minimum rating; the KEF Q150 dips to a stated 3.7Ω minimum, a little below that floor. Most receivers handle a marginal dip at normal volumes — it's worth watching only at very high output on an entry-level unit.
Computed from the catalog's normalized fields — the same fields the builder's compatibility engine reads. A missing field reads as "can't check", never as a pass.
Gaming & connectivity · answered from the spec sheets
Can the Denon AVR-X3800H and Onkyo TX-RZ50 pass 4K/120 through?
The Denon AVR-X3800H states 40 Gbps HDMI bandwidth — enough for full 4K/120; the Onkyo TX-RZ50 states 40 Gbps HDMI bandwidth — enough for full 4K/120.
The verdict
Buy the Onkyo TX-RZ50 if room correction matters most — Dirac Live is the standout feature. Buy the Denon AVR-X3800H if bass management matters most: four independent sub pre-outs vs two.
The RZ50 publishes DUAL power contexts — 120W (8Ω/2ch/0.08% THD) and 250W (6Ω) — and our data keeps both with their conditions, so the honest line to compare with Denon's 105W is 120, not 250.
Both state 4–16Ω impedance ratings and 9 amplified / 11 processing channels — the spec parity is real, not assumed.
4 (Denon) vs 2 (Onkyo) independent subwoofer pre-outs.
Dirac Live vs Audyssey MultEQ XT32 — $1,400 vs $1,399 as tracked today.
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