audiofan and NeverHappy,
It's true those tests at Sound&Vision are accurate, however, I would point out that a further dilution of measurement standards has taken place in deference to the builders of 7-channel A/V receivers.
The maximum power output of the Denon (and other A/V multichannel receivers) is measured by S&V at only one frequency in the midrange--1 kHz--, a much less demanding test. And while this still is important, it tells you nothing about how much power the Denon is delivering at lower and higher frequencies and at what levels of distortion.
In the era of 2-channel stereo, an oft-quoted measurement checked the amplifier power output from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and measured the distortion across the audible bandwidth. The 1-kHz measurement used to be reserved for car stereo gear. It is much less rigorous.
Separate multi-channel power amplifiers usually will quote the power output across the audible bandwidth (it's sometimes called "power bandwidth) with all channels or five channels driven, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. In that respect, they are always superior to the on-board amps in A/V receivers. Whether or not you would hear a difference in most domestic living rooms is debatable, but I suspect in big system in large rooms, those differences would emerge in favor of much less distortion and greater output power from the separate power amplifiers.
Regards,
