You can also nurture a love for movies at home by setting up a mini home theater with a decent-sized TV, a sound system, and a receiver to control it all.
In our guide, we focus precisely on the latter device, which deals with managing audio and video signals, acquiring them from a source (Blu-ray player, decoder, console), and sorting them on TVs and speakers.
Right below we had selected some of the best av receivers that are present below.
- 155 watts per channel
- Supports 4K/60p and HDR (HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, BT.2020)
- Dolby Atmos and DTS:X playback
- 5.1 channel powerful surround sound with Bluetooth for wireless connectivity
- Rated Output Power (1kHz, 1ch driven) 100W (8 ohms, 0.9% THD); Rated Output Power (20Hz 20kHz, 2ch driven) 70W (8 ohms, 0.09% THD); Maximum Effective Output Power (1kHz, 1ch driven) (Jeita) 145W (6 ohms, 10% THD)
- HDMI with HDCP 2.3 (4 in/1 out)
- Cinematic Sound at Home: Enjoy your favorite movies, TV shows and more with theater like sound in the comfort of your home.NOTE: Scroll down the catalog to find installation Manual and User Guide for trouble shooting steps..Frequency band : 2.4 GHz band
- Virtual Front Surround: S Force PRO delivers virtual surround sound with only a 2 speaker setup
- 4K Pass Through: 4K HDR Compatible with Hdcp 2.2 Support for Sharper Source to Screen Image Quality
- DTS:X PLAYBACK. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X is the next-generation audio codec from DTS that leverages object-based audio to enable new immersive and interactive audio experiences.
- BLUETOOTH COMPATIBLE. Seamlessly connect your phone, tablet or PC and stream to the receiver with Bluetooth Wireless Technology. This smart receiver remembers your device and starts playback whenever it detects an incoming Bluetooth audio stream.
- DOLBY ATMOS. Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer provides an immersive listening experience, creating a virtual surround and height effect without employing additional surround or height speakers. 5.1.2ch Dolby Atmos.
- WATCH YOUR MOVIES IN 8K - At 70W x 5, the Denon AVR-S570BT features (4) HDMI 2.1 8K inputs and (1) HDMI output. Supports eARC with up to 40 Gbps speed. A successor to the AVR-S540BT, the receiver ensures HD audio playback and an enhanced gaming experience. Power Consumption in W : 310, Standby Consumption in W : 0.1.
- TRUE-TO-LIFE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE - The AVR-S570BT supports the latest formats like HDR, HLG, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dynamic HDR for realistic display, VRR and QFT for lag-free exceptional gaming, and DTS HD Master, and Dolby TrueHD for immersive audio
- YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC AT YOUR FINGERTIPS - With built-in Bluetooth, play music from various audio sources and create an integrated multi-room audio system. Allows wireless music streaming from popular streaming apps like Spotify, TIDAL, Pandora, and more
- 210 W/Ch THX Certified Select DAA system
- SMART AV Receiver Works with Sonos, Chromecast built-in, AirPlay 2, DTS Play-Fi, FlareConnect, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, TIDAL, Deezer, TuneIn
- Supports 5.2.2-ch Dolby Atmos and DTS:X playback
- NEW 8K READY 7.2 CHANNEL AVR - Upgrade your home entertainment with the high-performance AVR-S760H that lets you build the best 4K home theater and supports 8K video & latest 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, DTS:X and DTS Virtual:X
- ADVANCED HDMI VIDEO SECTION WITH 8K UPSCALING - Features 3 dedicated 8K inputs that support 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz video pass-through. All HDMI inputs support 4:4:4 Pure Color Sub Sampling, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision & HLG for exceptional color and clarity
- SEAMLESS, LAG-FREE GAMING EXPERIENCE - Enjoy Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which reduces lag and frame tearing for a smoother gameplay with stunning visuals and hi-resolution sound effects
- HI-RESOLUTION 3D AUDIO & CINEMATIC 8K VIDEO - With 8K/60Hz & 4K/120 pass-through, the Denon AVR-S770H (75W X 7) delivers pristine 8K picture quality, while Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Surround & DTS Neural:X upmixer offer 3D heightened realism for legacy content
- GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR 8K TV - This home theater receiver supports the latest, advanced video formats like HDR10+, HLG, HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dynamic HDR. The Denon receiver also supports VRR, ALLM, QFT, and more for seamless, lag-free gaming
- UPGRADE YOUR HOME THEATER - With Dolby Height Virtualization and DTS Virtual:X, the AV receiver can create overhead sound in a 7.1, 5.1, or 2.1 speaker setup without height speakers. Get room-filling audio in a 7.2 or 5.2.2 setup with Dolby Atmos & DTS: X
- The Onkyo TX-NR7100 9.2 Channel THX Certified AV Receiver offers an immersive home theater experience with 9 channels and built-in Dirac Live Room Correction technology that enhances musical staging, clarity, dialog, and deeper bass
- Klipsch Optimized Mode allows seamless integration of Klipsch Reference and Reference Premiere speakers with the Onkyo AV receiver, using precise crossover values for specific new Reference Premiere speakers
- With Discrete Zone 3 HDMI Switching, the Onkyo receiver allows you to set up different high-definition entertainment options with up to 8K60 resolution in two different rooms, with improved bass and sound quality
- UNPRECEDENTED REALISM AND NEW FEATURES – eARC and heightened sound effects with Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology. Be it the sound of a helicopter or torrential rains, it’ll sound so real, you'll think it's happening right above you
- 7.2 channel, 75w (2 channel driven)
- 6 HDMI inputs / 1 HDMI 2.1 output / Phono input
- 80 w/ch x 5ch, High current amplifier
- Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
- HDMI 2.1a - 8K/4K, HDCP2.3, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, SBTM
- 210 W/Ch THX Certified Select Dynamic Audio Amplification system
- 5.2.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS:X playback
- 8K with HDMI 2.1 40Gbps (3 ins)
Buying Guide to Select the Best Av Receivers
A receiver looks like complex audio equipment, but it’s just a way to check your AV setup. AV receivers take the audio track from any TV show, movie, CD, or video game you are playing or watching, to process the audio and send it all the connected speakers you have at home.
Power Supplied
In the ranking of the aspects to pay attention to choose the device that fully meets your needs, in addition to the price, power, and number of channels supported in the first place.
Let’s analyze these two aspects in detail to help you understand them better and not be fooled by the communication usually implemented by the manufacturers.
One of the sales techniques, as also evidenced by the reviews of these products, is to show off the power that a receiver can deliver.
Well, it is not necessarily said that this parameter should be as high as possible, because the most powerful model may not offer the right performance if placed in your living room. Keep in mind that typically these devices have a declared power that fluctuates between 50 and 200 watts per channel.
A device that delivers 100 watts, for example, is perfectly capable of offering all the power needed to spread the audio in a room of about twenty square meters.
Therefore, make your assessments, also taking into account the speakers that you plan to combine since they must be able to withstand the maximum volume level spread by the receiver. Also, compare prices to find the right compromise between cost, power, and number of available channels.
Canali and Dolby
As said, the receiver can spread the audio to the speakers of a home theater system. All models of the best brands can have a variable number of channels, that is outputs to connect the speakers for creating the surround effect.
The most popular devices are those that manage 5.1, or six speakers to be placed in an environment to obtain a high level of audio involvement.
But the 7.1 models are increasingly spreading on the market, coordinating an extra pair of speakers. Make your considerations also taking into account the space you have, because to place eight speakers, and you need a rather large environment.
As for the ability to manage audio encodings, it is good to focus on a receiver that supports a large number of them, so that you can reproduce any type of DVD or Blu-ray in a rewarding way. Then check that the device is compatible with Dolby Digital and DTS in their various variations.
The Inputs and Video Outputs
The receivers can manage both audio and video and are therefore particularly convenient because you can connect multiple devices at the same time and let the device route the various signals to the TV.
Thanks to the remote control, you can easily change the signal source: a nice convenience, especially if you have many devices, from the DVD player to the console for video games.
It is very important that the device you choose can accommodate numerous devices and therefore has multiple inputs, preferably HDMI, which represents the standard for the transmission of high definition images.
Finally, if you want to use the receiver also to play music stored on your PC or a stick, opt for a model that is equipped with a USB or Bluetooth input, to facilitate the operation.
How to Select a Receiver?
During the golden age of high audio fidelity, the receiver represented the heart of the Hi-Fi system, to which the speakers, the turntable, the recording plates were connected and, for the most demanding amateurs, also equalizer, echo chamber or other apparatus to improve the quality of the sound performance.
The advent of digital technology has, however, brought about great changes, also in the high fidelity audio sector. Some things have disappeared, such as the magnetic tape audio cassettes and related Hi-Fi components, replaced by the new digital media.
On the other hand, other things have been integrated, such as TV and video recording and reproduction systems, gradually transforming what was born only as an audio technology into a larger and more modern multimedia system.
Nowadays, the receiver continues to perform the function for which it was born, but instead of being the heart of a purely audio system.
It has become a control hub for systems that include TVs, turntables, CD players and DVDs, equalizers, speakers, and even computers, laptops, and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Interfaces and Connectivity
To best perform its functions as a control hub, the receiver must have an adequate number of inputs. In this case, care must be taken, given that there are still on the market, especially in the cheaper range, receivers dedicated exclusively to audio systems; the latter are without WiFi connectivity and do not have HDMI type inputs.
Most receivers, available in all price ranges, on the other hand, are equipped with Bluetooth systems and Ethernet input, as regards the possibility of connecting to the internet via modem or other devices with integrated modems, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, as well as USB and HDMI inputs, apart from the classic RCA outputs for the speakers and the Phono and Aux inputs, for turntables and headphones.
In this way, the receiver can manage the reproduction of any type of audio and video track, both through data streaming and by reproducing the files stored on a PC or external memory media, such as pen drives and external hard drives.
Power and Number of Channels
Receivers also vary in power and the number of channels available. As far as power is concerned, the models currently on sale range from 50 to 200 watts per channel.
Except for those who have special needs, or are in a position to listen to music at a high volume without causing a nuisance to the neighborhood, a receiver with an average emission of 100 watts per channel, offers a more than satisfactory performance in terms of power.
The number of channels, on the other hand, depending on the type of Dolby system supported by the receiver, can vary from 5.1 to 7.1; the most popular, and also cheaper, manage 5.1 channels, that is they can connect up to six different speakers, to create an environment with high audio involvement, such as Home Theater systems just to give an example.
Receivers must also offer broad compatibility with all types of digital audio and video files currently used.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Receiver?
The receiver is an audio reproduction system that allows you to connect all the different sources to manage their volume and frequencies through a single device. You can connect your hi-fi system, TV, Blu-Ray player, game console, or PC and use only the receiver as a sound source.
It is a good solution if you have several devices in the house that you use with a certain frequency and do not want to keep remote controls scattered everywhere. Receivers are also often used for home theater systems or in recording studios to be able to manage the volume of audio peripherals more easily.
How Does a Receiver Work?
The receiver can have several inputs to which the various devices will have to be connected. The HDMI inputs are dedicated to Blu-Ray players, HD or 4K TVs, and for modern game consoles or PCs with HD / 4K graphics cards.
The speakers and subwoofer will be connected to the channel inputs for the speakers, depending on the number of channels (5 or 7) it will be possible to connect a specific number of speakers.
Once the connections have been made, all you have to do is switch on the receiver and the devices, trying each input at low or medium volume to check the correct operation.
What Is the Dab Tuner?
The DAB tuner is a particular device that allows you to receive digital radio channels. The abbreviation stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting and is used to define all radio broadcasts with digital technology.
You can connect the DAB tuner to the receiver just like other devices, so you can manage the volume and frequencies more easily, increasing the sound quality.
How to Connect the Pc to The Receiver?
It depends on the PC and the components. If you have a computer with a latest-generation graphics card with an integrated sound driver, then you could try to connect via the HDMI cable using one of the inputs of the video card.
Otherwise, you will have to connect the sound card (external or internal) to the receiver using white \ red (or red \ black in some cases) RCA cables. For portable PCs, you will have to look for a jack \ RCA adapter to be inserted into the input of the headphones or speakers of the laptop.
