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Sony STR-AN1000 vs Denon AVR-X2800H
Sony's '165 watts' vs Denon's 95 — which should you buy?
The Sony's sticker says 165W against the Denon's 95W. The conditions behind those numbers make direct comparison impossible — and the Sony's own impedance spec carries a real compatibility consequence most buyers never see.
Reading the numbers honestly
Sony rates the STR-AN1000 at 165W into 6Ω with one channel driven at 0.9% THD; Denon rates the X2800H at 95W into 8Ω with two channels driven at 0.08% THD. Those aren't the same test — as printed, the numbers cannot be ranked, and we won't pretend otherwise. The spec that CAN be compared: Sony states a 6–16Ω speaker impedance range. By its own sheet, it is not rated for speakers that dip toward 4Ω — a real constraint, since popular bookshelves like the KEF Q150 dip to a stated 3.7Ω.
Specifications · side by side · per-field provenance● SOURCE-TRACKED
| Spec | Sony STR-AN1000 | Denon AVR-X2800H |
|---|
| Price | $1,148 | $1,299 |
| Brand | Sony | Denon |
| Channel Config | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Main Channels | 7 | 7 |
| Sub Pre Outs | 2 | 2 |
| Zone2 Capable | Yes | Yes |
| Zone3 Capable | Yes | not stated |
| Watts Per Channel 6ohm | 165 | not stated |
| THD Percent | 0.9 | 0.08 |
| Power Measurement Channels Driven | one channel driven | two channels driven |
| Impedance Range | 6ohms-16ohms | not stated |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Dts X | Yes | Yes |
| Imax Enhanced | Yes | not stated |
| Room Correction System | Sony DCAC IX | Audyssey MultEQ XT |
| Measurement Mic Included | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI Inputs | 6 | 6 |
| HDMI Outputs | 2 | 2 |
| HDMI Version | 2.1 | not stated |
| HDMI 21 Port Count | 4 | not stated |
| Max Passthrough Resolution | 8K 30 | 8K 60 |
| HDR Support | HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma, Dolby Vision | HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10+, Dynamic HDR |
| VRR Passthrough | Yes | Yes |
| ALLM Support | Yes | Yes |
| Wifi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Airplay2 | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming Services | Spotify Connect | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Amazon Music HD |
| Form Factor | full size | full size |
| Width Inches | 16.9 | 17.1 |
| Height Inches | 6.1 | 6.6 |
| Depth Inches | 13 | 13 |
| Weight Lbs | 20.7 | 21 |
| Power Consumption W | 240 | 500 |
| Watts Per Channel 8ohm | not stated | 95 |
| Phono Input | not stated | Yes |
| Heos | not stated | Yes |
Shaded rows differ · green dot = lab-measured · amber = manufacturer-verified · blue = retailer/community-reported · grey = estimated · “not stated” means exactly that
Compatibility · computed, not written
Checked against a bookshelf that dips to a stated 3.7Ω like the KEF Q150: KEF Q150
Sony STR-AN1000 states a 6Ω-minimum rating, and the KEF Q150 dips to a stated 3.7Ω minimum — well below that floor. By its own published spec this receiver is not rated for a load like this.
Denon AVR-X2800H publishes no rated impedance range, so the pairing with the KEF Q150 (which dips to a stated 3.7Ω minimum) can't be verified from its spec sheet — we treat that as "can't check", not a pass.
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.
Check either one against your own build →The verdict
Buy the Denon AVR-X2800H if your speakers dip low — Sony's own 6–16Ω rating excludes 4Ω-class loads, which includes many popular bookshelves. If your speakers are an easy 8Ω load, the Sony at $1,148 tracked is a legitimate 7.2 alternative.
Low-impedance (4Ω-class) speakersDenon AVR-X2800H — The Sony's stated floor is 6Ω; pairing it with a 3.7Ω-dipping speaker is outside its own rating.
Easy 8Ω speakers, Sony ecosystemSony STR-AN1000 — $1,148 vs $1,299 tracked, with 4 stated HDMI 2.1 ports.
What our normalized data addsNOT ON THE SPEC SHEETS
- Sony's 165W is 6Ω / one channel / 0.9% THD; Denon's 95W is 8Ω / two channels / 0.08% THD — different tests on every axis, so we flag the stickers as non-comparable instead of ranking them.
- Sony states a 6–16Ω impedance range: by its own spec it is NOT rated for 4Ω-class speakers — a concrete pairing consequence (the KEF Q150's stated 3.7Ω dip falls outside it) that no retailer page surfaces.
- The Sony states 4 HDMI 2.1 ports; the Denon's count is unstated in our data.
- Tracked prices: $1,148 vs $1,299.
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