Stereo receiver, which is better?

I'd take the yamaha if they were equal power and models. Denon has been dropping in reputation over the years.

Get another 2 channel stereo receiver for $200 today with the same quality, new. They still make them. I keep one out in the garage to fire a few speakers when I work on the car. I think mine is a Yamaha. You notice I don't care about the name of it? There all a dime a dozen today. Home theater is something else. Go with any that has a T amp or class D amp inside if you can find any.  A little quieter for the digital formats we have today and much better performance then a Marantz from the 1980's.

Denon has five letters, not six.

Both are acceptable makes. Without realizing the particular models included, nothing more explicit can be said.

had a marantz in the 70s 2275 was it, 70 wpc   paid 300$,dern things accrue value as collector items,a service guy out there would love to bring your baby back or someone out there will boy it as is for the same,pay for the repair and sell it for xxx what the repair bill was,

A lot comes down to which has more power and is in better condition. Also which one is newer may be a factor also...If the power and features are equal then I think my personal choice would be Denon...Denon has a little warmer sound quality and may have better base response or perceived better bass..If the Yamaha has a lot more power then a better base response may not apply...So a lot of it comes down to your personal preference and which model fits better into your life style.

Most the home cinema magazines tend to have them an even score-draw, averaging 4 or 5 stars each depending on the particular model.

Choice may have to be simplified to which one has the best diagram on the back showing how to connect the thing up.

Denon has five letters, not six.

Both are good makes. Without knowing the specific models involved, nothing more specific can be said.

Both are good brands. Dennon tends to be slightly higher end, but it really depends on what models they are.  If I were you I would write down the model numbers and do an internet search to see if there are any reviews.