Samsung HW-S700D vs Denon DHT-S517 Soundbar Comparison

Samsung HW-S700D vs Denon DHT-S517

Samsung HW-S700D

3.1-channel | $548

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Denon DHT-S517

3.1.2-channel | $499

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Samsung HW-S700D vs Denon DHT-S517: the short answer

Across 12 features we can compare from the published specs, the Samsung HW-S700D comes out ahead on 4 and the Denon DHT-S517 on 4. The biggest difference for movies is height: the Denon DHT-S517 has 2 ceiling-firing channels and the Samsung HW-S700D has none.

Reasons to choose Samsung HW-S700D over Denon DHT-S517

Rear speakers: Optional vs None
Streaming: Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect vs Bluetooth only
Voice assistant: Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional vs No
Height: 1.44 in vs 2.31 in

Reasons to choose Denon DHT-S517 over Samsung HW-S700D

Channel layout: 3.1.2 vs 3.1
Height channels: 2 vs 0
HDMI to the TV: eARC vs ARC
HDMI inputs: 1 vs 0

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Samsung HW-S700D	Denon DHT-S517
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	3.1	3.1.2
Height channels Drivers aimed at the ceiling, which is what makes Dolby Atmos sound overhead rather than just wide.	0	2
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
DTS:X	No	No
HDMI to the TV eARC carries lossless Dolby TrueHD and Atmos from the TV; plain ARC compresses them.	ARC	eARC
HDMI inputs A spare HDMI port for a games console or disc player.	0	1
Video pass-through	—	4K
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Included	Included
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	Optional	None
Room correction	—	No
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect	Bluetooth only
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional	No
Dialogue enhancement	Yes	Yes
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	1.44 in	2.31 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	35.06 in / 43-inch	41.31 in / 50-inch
Drivers in the bar	6	7
Power (total, as published) Makers rate soundbar power differently, so the totals are not a like-for-like comparison.	—	50 W
Weight	2.2 lbs	5.5 lbs
List price	$548	$499

Green marks the better figure where one is better. Dashes are specs the maker does not publish.

Size: Both Soundbars in Front of a TV

Drawn to scale. The solid bar is the Samsung HW-S700D, the dashed outline the Denon DHT-S517. Pick your TV size and how it stands to see whether either would cover the picture.

Full Specifications

Samsung HW-S700D Specifications

Sound
Channels	3.1
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: Dome (1); Midrange: Cone (5); Subwoofer: 6" Cone; Enclosure: Sealed
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	Optional
Virtual surround	3D Surround
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	ARC
HDMI inputs	0
Optical inputs	No
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ac
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, YouTube Music
Voice control	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	35.06 x 1.44 x 1.56 in / 891 x 37 x 40 mm
Weight	2.2 lbs / 1 kg
Subwoofer size	8.13 x 13.88 x 12.06 in (W x H x D), 13.2 lbs
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket included)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$548

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

Denon DHT-S517 Specifications

Sound
Channels	3.1.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: 1" Dome (3); Midrange: 2.625" Up-Firing (2); Woofers: 4.75"x1.625" Cone (2); Subwoofer: 5.25" Cone; Enclosure: Sealed (bar),Ported (sub)
Power (bar, total)	50 watts
Power (subwoofer)	100 watts
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	None
Virtual surround	Movie Mode
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	No
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	1
Video pass-through	4K
HDMI version	2.0b
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	3.5mm
USB	USB-A
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	No
Bluetooth	Yes
Voice control	No
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	41.31 x 2.31 x 3.81 in / 1049 x 59 x 97 mm
Weight	5.5 lbs / 2.49 kg
Subwoofer size	6.75 x 14.56 x 12.94 in (W x H x D), 9.5 lbs
Wall mounting	Yes (no bracket supplied)
Warranty	2 Years parts, 2 Years labour
List price	$499

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

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