Comparison

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.

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

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.

Highlights
  • Alexa voice control setup
  • Volume and input control
  • Wi-Fi audio streaming
  • Wireless surround speaker control
Read full description

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

Denon AVR Remote4 screens
Sound Bar Controller4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

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

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Denon AVR Remote versus Sound Bar Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDenon AVR RemoteSound Bar Controller
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1.4K ratings)4.4 (6.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews21.5% of reviews21.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.4K6.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB153 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperD&M HoldingsYamaha Corporation

Customer experience

Denon AVR Remote

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

Sound Bar Controller

All ratings6,783 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral4.5%
Negative12.3%
Written reviews539 reviews
Positive21.7%
Neutral10.6%
Negative67.7%

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

Sound Bar Controller

From 6.8K App Store ratings

What 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

None

Denon AVR Remote

No in-app purchases

None

Sound Bar Controller

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Denon AVR Remote free?
Denon AVR Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sound Bar Controller free?
Sound Bar Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Denon AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller?
Sound Bar Controller is rated higher. Denon AVR Remote averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Sound Bar Controller averages 4.4 from 6.8K ratings.
Do Denon AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller have ads?
Neither Denon AVR Remote nor Sound Bar Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Denon AVR Remote or Sound Bar Controller?
Denon AVR Remote ships an update every 2 months, and Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. Most recently, Denon AVR Remote was updated on September 22, 2026 and Sound Bar Controller on September 23, 2026.

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