Denon AVR-S570BT Review: The Best Gaming AV Receiver Under $500?

This Denon AVR-S570BT review covers the AV receiver that solves the most frustrating problem in gaming home theater setups: a receiver sitting between a PS5 or Xbox Series X and a 4K/120Hz TV that silently caps the video signal at 4K/60Hz. The AVR-S570BT eliminates that problem with HDMI 2.1 on all four inputs — 4K/120Hz, 8K/60Hz, VRR, and ALLM pass through correctly regardless of what the console and TV support. At around $449 it is Amazon’s most purchased AV receiver in the under-500 category, with 500+ units bought per month confirming its practical appeal to real buyers.

It sits in our roundup of the best AV receivers under $500 as the gaming recommendation. This review goes deeper — examining what HDMI 2.1 actually changes in daily use, how the AVR-S570BT sounds across movie and music content, and precisely which buyers benefit from its specific feature combination versus those who would be better served elsewhere.

Who Is the Denon AVR-S570BT For?

The buyer it was designed for

The AVR-S570BT is built for the household where gaming and movies share equal priority — specifically the household with a PS5 or Xbox Series X, a 4K/120Hz television, and a desire to run both through a proper surround sound system without any component in the chain limiting the video signal. HDMI 2.1’s 48Gbps bandwidth is what allows 4K/120Hz and VRR to pass through simultaneously; HDMI 2.0’s 18Gbps bandwidth cannot carry the signal at those specifications. An HDMI 2.0 receiver in the chain drops 4K/120Hz to 4K/60Hz, and VRR stops functioning. The AVR-S570BT removes those limitations entirely by providing HDMI 2.1 on all four inputs — not just one or two, which is a common compromise on more expensive receivers.

Beyond gaming, it serves any buyer who wants a straightforward AV receiver for movies and surround sound without the complexity of a streaming app ecosystem. Bluetooth covers casual music streaming. Audyssey basic calibration handles speaker setup automatically. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decode lossless audio from Blu-ray. The feature set is focused and practical — no streaming platform to configure, no network connection required, no app to maintain.

When to look elsewhere

The AVR-S570BT is a poor fit for music-first households who stream from Apple Music or want whole-home audio through an app ecosystem. Bluetooth-only streaming is a meaningful limitation for daily music use compared to the Yamaha RX-V4A’s MusicCast and AirPlay 2. It also lacks Dolby Atmos physical support — ceiling speakers cannot deliver height audio through this receiver. And for buyers who rarely game at all, paying for HDMI 2.1 over HDMI 2.0 is a capability they won’t use. Whether a 5.1 surround configuration is the right approach for your room versus stereo is worth considering before committing to any AV receiver — the stereo vs AV receiver guide covers that decision clearly.

Denon AVR-S570BT — Key Specifications

The HDMI 2.1 specification deserves its own explanation because it is the defining feature of this receiver. HDMI 2.0 provides 18Gbps of bandwidth — enough for 4K/60Hz with HDR. HDMI 2.1 provides 48Gbps — enough for 4K/120Hz with HDR, 8K/60Hz, and the variable refresh rate signalling that VRR requires. When a PS5 outputs a 4K/120Hz signal and that signal passes through an HDMI 2.0 receiver, the receiver cannot carry the full bandwidth and drops the signal to 4K/60Hz. HDMI 2.1 removes that constraint. The practical difference is that games running at 120fps on a 4K/120Hz TV display at their native frame rate rather than being throttled. How channel configurations and speaker setups compare for different room sizes is mapped in the speaker configuration guide.

Design and Build Quality

Chassis and front panel

The AVR-S570BT follows Denon’s standard NE-series design language — a clean black front panel with an alphanumeric display, volume knob, input selector, and a slim profile that fits standard AV furniture without difficulty. Build quality is consistent with Denon’s established reputation at this price: solid chassis, quality speaker binding posts, and a front panel that doesn’t feel fragile. The unit runs warm under extended use — leave ventilation space above the chassis, as with any AV receiver operating at moderate to high power levels.

Remote and setup experience

The included remote handles all primary functions and is straightforward to navigate without consulting the manual. Denon’s Audyssey basic setup process guides through microphone placement and speaker measurement on the TV screen when connected — the process takes under ten minutes and produces a usable speaker configuration automatically. The HD Setup Assistant walks through initial configuration step by step, which reduces the friction of a first-time AV receiver setup considerably.

Build for longevity

Denon’s S-series receivers have a consistent track record for long-term reliability. Internal component selection follows the same conservative engineering approach that the higher-end Denon AVR-X series uses, scaled appropriately for the price point. Long-term user reports from the S-series predecessor models describe units operating without fault after three to five years of daily use — consistent with Denon’s broader reliability reputation across their home theater receiver line.

Sound Quality

Movie and game audio

Denon’s audio character in the S-series is warm and musically engaged — the same house sound that appears in the PMA integrated amplifier line, translated into a home theater receiver context. Movie soundtracks through Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio have genuine weight and presence. Action sequences with significant LFE content are handled confidently with appropriate bass extension to the subwoofer. Dialogue clarity through the centre channel is one of the AVR-S570BT’s stronger qualities — voices stay stable and natural during scenes where ambient sound effects surround them.

For gaming audio, the DTS:X virtual processing that the AVR-S570BT provides creates a sense of height and spatial depth from a standard 5.1 speaker layout without ceiling speakers. In practice, this virtual height processing produces a more immersive gaming audio experience than standard 5.1 on game titles that have height-encoded audio tracks — it is not the same as physical Dolby Atmos, but it is a meaningful improvement over no height processing at all.

Music listening

Via Bluetooth or through the optical and coaxial digital inputs, the AVR-S570BT produces a warm, musically satisfying presentation consistent with Denon’s house character. Two-channel music through a pair of bookshelf speakers has good presence and low-end control. The receiver does not add brightness or harshness to acoustic recordings — extended music listening sessions are comfortable. Notably, the absence of a phono input means turntable users need an external phono preamp between the turntable and one of the analogue RCA inputs.

Connectivity and Compatibility

HDMI inputs and gaming setup

All four HDMI inputs are HDMI 2.1 — this is an important distinction from receivers that provide HDMI 2.1 on only one or two inputs and HDMI 2.0 on the remainder. Having HDMI 2.1 on every input means a PS5, Xbox Series X, and a third HDMI 2.1 source can all connect simultaneously without any signal compromise on any port. The HDMI output includes eARC, which allows lossless audio from the TV’s built-in streaming apps — Netflix Dolby Atmos, Disney+ surround, and Apple TV+ audio — to pass back through the single HDMI cable to the receiver for full surround decoding.

Digital and analogue inputs

Beyond the four HDMI inputs, the AVR-S570BT includes one optical Toslink input, one coaxial digital input, and two analogue stereo RCA inputs. The optical input handles a TV’s optical audio output or a CD player. The coaxial input serves as a secondary digital connection for sources that provide it. Two analogue inputs cover any line-level source. Notably, there is no phono input — a turntable requires an external phono preamp connected to one of the analogue RCA inputs. For an explanation of how ceiling speakers and height channel configurations work with receivers that support them versus those that don’t, the ceiling speaker connection guide covers the difference in practical terms.

Streaming and network

Bluetooth is the only wireless connectivity option — there is no Wi-Fi, no HEOS streaming platform, and no support for AirPlay or Spotify Connect directly. For households whose primary music streaming happens through a separate device connected via HDMI or optical — an Apple TV, a Chromecast, or a streaming soundbar bypass — this is a non-issue. For households who want the receiver itself to act as the streaming device, the Yamaha RX-V4A or the Denon AVR-X1700H Renewed are better suited.

How the Denon AVR-S570BT Compares

Denon AVR-S570BT vs JBL MA310

At approximately $9 more, the AVR-S570BT adds HDMI 2.1 on all inputs, VRR, ALLM, QFT, eARC, HDR10+, and 8K passthrough over the MA310’s HDMI 2.0 feature set. Audio processing is broadly comparable — both decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, both lack physical Dolby Atmos, and both provide Bluetooth-only streaming. The Denon’s Audyssey basic calibration and the JBL’s auto calibration produce similar practical results. For any buyer with a current-generation gaming console and a 4K/120Hz television, the AVR-S570BT’s HDMI 2.1 is worth the additional $9 without question. For movie-only households with no gaming use case, the difference is less meaningful.

Denon AVR-S570BT vs Yamaha RX-V4A

Both provide HDMI 2.1 with VRR and ALLM. The meaningful differences are in streaming and calibration. The RX-V4A adds MusicCast multi-room audio, AirPlay 2 for Apple Music, Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, YPAO room calibration, and a phono input — at approximately $11 more. For gaming-primary households who also stream music through the TV or a separate Apple TV, neither streaming feature on the receiver matters. For households who want the receiver to handle whole-home audio from Apple Music or Spotify directly, the RX-V4A is a fundamentally more capable tool.

Denon AVR-S570BT vs Denon AVR-X1700H Renewed

The X1700H Renewed adds genuine Dolby Atmos with physical ceiling speakers, six HDMI 2.1 inputs versus four, Audyssey MultEQ XT room calibration, and HEOS streaming with Wi-Fi — at approximately $50 more on the renewed listing. For buyers with ceiling speakers already installed or planned, that capability gap is decisive — the X1700H is the correct choice regardless of the price difference. For buyers without ceiling speaker plans and with three or fewer HDMI sources, the AVR-S570BT provides equivalent gaming performance at lower cost.

Best Speaker Pairings

At 70W per channel the AVR-S570BT handles a wider range of speakers than the JBL MA310. These 5.1 configurations work well for gaming and movie listening:

Is the Denon AVR-S570BT Worth It?

For gaming households — clearly yes

For a household where a PS5 or Xbox Series X is a central part of the entertainment system and 4K/120Hz gaming is a daily use case, the AVR-S570BT is the most cost-effective receiver currently available that handles that signal chain correctly. The combination of HDMI 2.1 on all four inputs, VRR, ALLM, and eARC at $449 is genuinely difficult to beat. Amazon’s monthly purchase volume — 500+ units per month at current pricing — reflects real buyer confidence from households who have made exactly this evaluation and arrived at the same conclusion.

When the case weakens

For households whose TV is 4K/60Hz only, HDMI 2.1 provides no practical benefit — and the JBL MA310 or Sony STRDH590 serve the same use case at comparable prices. For households who stream music daily through Apple Music or want whole-home audio without a separate streaming device, the AVR-S570BT’s Bluetooth-only streaming is a meaningful limitation. And for any buyer with ceiling speakers or Atmos in the plan, this receiver cannot support that configuration — the Denon AVR-X1700H Renewed is the correct tool.

Denon AVR-S570BT Review — Final Verdict

What makes it the gaming recommendation

The Denon AVR-S570BT earns its position as the gaming receiver recommendation by providing the complete HDMI 2.1 feature set — not just the bandwidth, but VRR, ALLM, QFT, and eARC — on all four inputs at a price that makes it the most purchased AV receiver in the under-500 category. Denon’s warm audio character gives movie and gaming soundtracks genuine presence. Audyssey basic calibration handles speaker setup automatically. The focused feature set means nothing requires configuring beyond the initial speaker calibration — a straightforward, practical receiver that does exactly what gaming households need from it.

The natural next step

For households who want all of the AVR-S570BT’s gaming capability alongside AirPlay 2, MusicCast whole-home audio, and YPAO room calibration — the Yamaha RX-V4A review covers the step up in streaming capability at a modest price difference. For the complete picture across all five AV receivers currently available under $500, the complete roundup maps every use case.

Check Price on Amazon

Approx. price: ~$449. Best for gaming — HDMI 2.1 with VRR and 4K/120Hz on all inputs. Amazon’s most purchased AV receiver at this price.

Frequently Asked Questions