Comparison

Denon AVR Remote vs MusicCast Controller

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Denon AVR Remote

Control your compatible network-ready Denon AV Receiver from your iOS device. Manage basic functions, access network browsing, and adjust settings with an overhauled interface. Integrates with HEOS for seamless control.

Highlights
  • Basic function control (power, volume, input)
  • Network browsing and HEOS app integration
  • ECO Mode settings
  • Option settings (Sleep Tone, Channel Level)
  • View user manuals
  • Multi-language support
Read full description

This app for iPhone and iPad will give you an unprecedented level of command and control over your 2014 or later model year network ready Denon AV Receivers (due to hardware differences, older models are not supported with this app. Please check the model compatibility list below). Along with many new features, the graphics and user interface have been completely overhauled. Control the basic functions of your Denon product with power, volume, input and settings. Network browsing is either done within the Denon AVR Remote app or depending on model by selecting HEOS network as input which opens the HEOS app automatically. With the Denon AVR Remote, your iOS device just became an integral part of your home entertainment experience. Compatible Denon Models (*1, *2) 2026 New Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-S980H, AVR-X2900H, AVR-X3900H 2024 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-A10H, AVR-X6800H 2023 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-X1800H, AVR-S770H, AVR-S670H, DRA-900H 2022 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-A1H, AVR-X4800H, AVR-X3800H, AVR-X2800H, AVR-S970H 2021 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-X8500HA, AVR-X1700H, AVR-S760H, AVR-S660H 2020 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-A110, AVR-X6700H, AVR-X4700H, AVR-X3700H, AVR-X2700H, AVR-S960H 2019 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-X3600H, AVR-X2600H, AVR-X1600H, AVR-S950H, AVR-S750H, AVR-S650H, DRA-800H 2018 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-X6500H, AVR-X4500H, AVR-X3500H, AVR-X2500H, AVR-X1500H, AVR-S940H, AVR-S740H, AVR-S640H 2017 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-X8500H, AVR-X6400H, AVR-X4400H, AVR-X3400H, AVR-X2400H, AVR-X1400H, AVR-S930H, AVR-S730H 2016 Models Network AV Receiver: AVR-X6300H, AVR-X4300H, AVR-X3300W, AVR-X2300W, AVR-X1300W, AVR-S920W, AVR-S720W 2015 Models: Network AV Receiver: AVR-X6200W, AVR-X4200W, AVR-X3200W, AVR-X2200W, AVR-X1200W, AVR-S910W, AVR-S710W 2014 Models: Network AV Receiver: AVR-X7200W, AVR-X7200WA *Not compatible with Denon models other than the above models. Main feature: •On the fly HEOS app switching for network browsing and control for HEOS built-in AVRs •ECO Mode setting •Option settings (Sleep Tone, Channel Level etc.) and Selected Setup Features •Viewing User manuals •Multi-Language Support (English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Russian and Polish.) (*3) Notes: *1: A firmware update for your Denon product is may be needed, please update the firmware via the system setup menu. (General > Firmware) If the App doesn't work well, please try to reboot your mobile device, unplug the power cord of the main unit and reinsert into the power outlet or check your home network. *2: Please set "Network Control" to "ON" in your product via the system setup menu to use this app. (Network > Network Control) *3: The OS language setting is automatically detected; when not available, English is selected.

About

MusicCast Controller

Control your Yamaha MusicCast-enabled audio devices to stream music throughout your home. Enjoy music from various sources, create multi-room setups, and customize your listening experience with high-resolution audio support.

Highlights
  • Multi-room audio streaming
  • Control of Yamaha MusicCast devices
  • Stream from music services and internet radio
  • Access local music libraries
  • High-resolution audio playback
  • Wireless stereo and surround setups
Read full description

Choose what you want to listen to, where and how with MusicCast. MusicCast is a streaming and multi-room audio system built into many Yamaha products, including sound bars, wireless speakers, AV receivers and more. The MusicCast app lets you easily control them all. Music Everywhere -Listen to music throughout your whole home -Listen to the same or different music in each room Stream your favorites -Stream from popular music services or from Internet Radio stations -Access your music library from your smartphone, NAS drive or computer -Stream internal or external content (TV, CD Player, Blu-ray Disc Player, USB, and more) Don't skimp on quality -Supports High Resolution Audio playback (up to 192kHz/24bit) Create wireless setups -MusicCast Stereo: Pair compatible models for a wireless 2-channel or 2.1-channel setup -MusicCast Surround: Pair select models together for the ease of wirelss surround sound Make your music yours -Multiple settings to customize your experience Requirements - iOS 16.0 or higher - A Wi-Fi router and one or more MusicCast-enabled products within the same network Compatible models vary by region. Please refer to the following site for compatible models. https://www.yamaha.com/2/musiccast/ This application performs following functions for purposes described below. - Making a connection under Wi-Fi enabled environment The application uses Wi-Fi function on your mobile terminal for the purpose of operating network-enabled devices. - Accessing to music information stored in your smartphone / tablet This application accesses to music information stored in your smartphone / tablet for the purpose of displaying, playing and editing the music information and/or playlist. To setup your MusicCast devices, this app needs to find your Wi-Fi network as location information. This app doesn’t collect your actual location using GPS or Wi-Fi based positioning technologies.

Screenshots

Denon AVR Remote4 screens
MusicCast Controller4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MusicCast Controller at 4.7 against Denon AVR Remote's 2.0. MusicCast Controller also leads on review sentiment (40% vs 22%) and ratings volume (41K vs 1.4K). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MusicCast Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MusicCast Controller has 41K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Denon AVR Remote's written reviews are positive against 40% of MusicCast Controller's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Denon AVR Remote ships an update every 2 months, MusicCast Controller every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Denon AVR Remote versus MusicCast Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDenon AVR RemoteMusicCast Controller
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1.4K ratings)4.7 (41K ratings) — better
Positive reviews21.5% of reviews39.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.4K41K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB106 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperD&M HoldingsYamaha Corporation of America

Customer experience

Denon AVR Remote

All ratings1,446 ratings
Positive21.6%
Neutral6.8%
Negative71.6%
Written reviews948 reviews
Positive21.5%
Neutral10.3%
Negative68.1%

MusicCast Controller

All ratings41,390 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral2.8%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews246 reviews
Positive39.8%
Neutral12.6%
Negative47.6%

User reviews

Denon AVR Remote

From 1.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Works as intended
  • 🚀 Flawless connectivity
  • 💡 Convenient remote control
  • 👍 Intuitive interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Unreliable connection
  • 🐛 Buggy after updates
  • 🔧 Outdated and clunky UI

MusicCast Controller

From 41K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent when working
  • 👍 Great concept and features
  • 🎶 Fantastic sound quality
  • 💡 Innovative multi-room audio
  • 🎨 Refreshed UI is an improvement

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
  • 🔌 Unreliable app performance
  • 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive UI
  • 🔇 Occasional audio dropouts
  • 🔋 High battery consumption

Bugs and requests

Denon AVR Remote

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App unable to detect receiver on network
  • Volume controls not syncing with receiver
  • Certain settings not persisting across inputs
  • Frequent app crashes and hangs

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to manually enter receiver IP address
  • More customization options
  • Better integration with smart home platforms
  • Improved multi-zone control

MusicCast Controller

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes after recent updates
  • Bluetooth speaker frequently disconnects
  • Streaming services stop working randomly
  • Zones get unlinked without user action
  • Volume controls behave unexpectedly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for more music services
  • Improve volume control and display
  • Allow custom photo/icon for zones
  • Provide better integration with iOS
  • Add stereo pairing settings in app

In-app purchases

None

Denon AVR Remote

No in-app purchases

None

MusicCast Controller

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Denon AVR Remote free?
Denon AVR Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MusicCast Controller free?
MusicCast Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Denon AVR Remote or MusicCast Controller?
MusicCast Controller is rated higher. Denon AVR Remote averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while MusicCast Controller averages 4.7 from 41K ratings.
Do Denon AVR Remote or MusicCast Controller have ads?
Neither Denon AVR Remote nor MusicCast Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Denon AVR Remote or MusicCast Controller?
Denon AVR Remote ships an update every 2 months, and MusicCast Controller every 3 months. Most recently, Denon AVR Remote was updated on September 22, 2026 and MusicCast Controller on September 24, 2026.

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