That is a bit extreme analogy.
This is more like you think you feel a bit more vibration in your engine and you have it checked out and the mechanic says, they have used Autolite spark plugs rather than the original NGK ones and the car manufacturer blames the supply chain shortage for the switch but that they feel the replacement was acceptable and offer to replace it IF you ask for it.
These supply chain disruptions happen all the time even without the pandemic. Benchmark amps were delayed because of the heat sink supply disruption but they delayed it rather than put something else that wasn't as efficient at cooling.
Here the Denon rushed it to market with a replacement component. They claim their Sound Master (!) deemed it acceptable. Have no idea if this was a ear test or a measurement test or just market BS.
However, I would neither skewer Denon nor put them on a pedestal just because of their response. So far it has been reactive to potential bad PR. How they take care of it after this has come out will determine their corporate culture.
If they are still shipping the same units and just lied about it being a short production run (and companies do this not infrequently), then that would be different from if they did have a batch problem, identified the serial numbers and soon we will see a public announcement from them on their web site stating which serial numbers are affected and asking owners to get in touch.
I hope the owner of this unit will allow or open it to take some pictures as
@restorer-john suggested to compare later and with units that they deem is after that problem production run. Pat of holding them accountable -
Trust but Verify.
I firmly believe testing a unit
that they will ship out is not fair for any other AVR in the comparison chart. They could test it to ensure the best measurements as done here even if it varies from the production runs. We would never know.