Compatibility

Which Denon and Marantz receivers work with Sotto?

Sotto controls network-connected Denon and Marantz A/V receivers over your local network, using the manufacturers' own control protocols. There are two levels of support, and the app works out which one applies to your receiver by itself.

Two levels of support

Verified profile

Everything, exactly right

Built from a real snapshot of that exact model, so every input name, sound mode, zone and processing control matches the hardware. Verified profiles are added one receiver at a time, and the list is still short.

Experimental mode

The core controls, on anything

Any model that is not profiled yet runs in experimental mode: power, volume, inputs, mute and zones. That is enough for most units, and it is what you will use ninety percent of the time anyway.

Verified receivers

These models have a full profile built from a real hardware snapshot.

Denon receivers in experimental mode

Network Denon receivers that are not profiled yet. Power, volume, inputs, mute and zones work; model-specific extras such as the full Audyssey chain may not appear until the model is verified.

Marantz receivers in experimental mode

Marantz uses the same control protocol family as Denon, so the same core controls apply.

Not on the list? The list is not a whitelist. Sotto does not refuse unknown models: it detects what your receiver reports and enables what that receiver supports. If it is a network Denon or Marantz receiver, connect it and see. There is also a demo mode, so you can drive the entire app with no hardware at all before you decide.

How a receiver becomes verified

The app sorts this out for itself. Connect it, and if your model is not fully profiled yet it offers to send an anonymized snapshot: model, firmware and zones, never your network, serial number, or what you are playing. That snapshot is what a verified profile is built from, and it is the quickest way to get your exact model supported.

Nothing is sent automatically. You are asked, you can read what is in the report, and you can decline and keep using the app in experimental mode indefinitely.

Common questions

Does Sotto need HEOS or a Denon account?

No. There is no account and no sign-up of any kind. Sotto talks directly to the receiver on your own Wi-Fi. It reads HEOS now-playing information from the receiver itself when the receiver exposes it, but you never log in to anything.

Does it work over cellular, or away from home?

No. Sotto is local-network only by design. Your phone and the receiver need to be on the same network. Nothing is proxied through a cloud service, which is also why there is nothing to sign in to and nothing for anyone else to see.

How old can the receiver be?

It needs to be a network model that accepts the manufacturer's IP control protocol, which in practice means roughly 2016 and newer. Older receivers without network control cannot be controlled by any phone app, Sotto included.

Will it find my receiver automatically?

Usually. Sotto discovers receivers on the network via Bonjour, and you can enter an IP address by hand if discovery is blocked (some mesh routers and guest networks block it). There is a Test Connection probe either way, so you know before you finish setup.

Does it control Zone 2 and Zone 3?

Yes, where the receiver has them: power, input and volume per zone, including in experimental mode.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Every feature is free, on every receiver, verified or not. There is no Pro tier and no subscription, only an optional tip jar that unlocks nothing.

Connect it and find out in a minute.

Sotto is free on the App Store, with every feature included. If your model is not profiled yet, the core controls still work, and you can help get it verified from inside the app.

Download on the App Store