Denon AVR Remote vs Sound Bar Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
Sound Bar Controller
Control select Yamaha sound bars remotely from your iOS device. Manage volume, input selection, and set up Alexa voice control. Stream audio from your phone or NAS drive over Wi-Fi.
- Alexa voice control setup
- Volume and input control
- Wi-Fi audio streaming
- Wireless surround speaker control
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The Sound Bar Controller app provides easy operation for select Yamaha Sound Bars using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Key Features: - Initial setup of built-in Alexa voice control settings - Basic control functions such as volume up/down and input selection - Play audio files stored on your phone or NAS drive through Wi-Fi - Volume control for wireless surround speakers and wireless subwoofer (Only SR-X40A, SR-X50A, ATS-X500) [Supported Models] YAS-109, YAS-209 ATS-1090, ATS-2090 SR-X40A, SR-X50A, ATS-X500 [iOS Version Requirement] * This application supports iOS version 10 or above. - A wireless Local Area Network (LAN) and a compatible Yamaha Network product(s)* residing within the same LAN.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Sound Bar Controller at 4.4 against Denon AVR Remote's 2.0. Sound Bar Controller also leads on ratings volume (6.8K vs 1.4K) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sound Bar Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 6.8K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 22% and 22% positive.
Denon AVR Remote ships an update every 2 months, Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Denon AVR Remote | Sound Bar Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (1.4K ratings) | 4.4 (6.8K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 21.5% of reviews | 21.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | 6.8K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 72 MB | 153 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | D&M Holdings | Yamaha Corporation |
Customer experience
Denon AVR Remote
Sound Bar Controller
User reviews
Denon AVR Remote
From 1.4K App Store ratingsWhat 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
Sound Bar Controller
From 6.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive app
- 👍 Lots of sound settings
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable Alexa integration
- 🐛 Unintuitive user interface
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
Sound Bar Controller
Reported bugs
4 issues- App unable to connect to sound bar
- Sound bar randomly disconnects
- Firmware updates cause issues
- Bluetooth connectivity problems
Requested features
4 requests- Equalizer for more sound customization
- Better volume control options
- Improved Alexa integration
- Simplified app navigation
In-app purchases
Denon AVR Remote
No in-app purchases
Sound Bar Controller
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Denon AVR Remote free?
Is Sound Bar Controller free?
Which has better reviews, Denon AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller?
Do Denon AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller have ads?
Which is updated more often, Denon AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller?
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