Review the Best 71 Home Theater Receivers Over $1500
The research
- Why yous should trust the states
- Who this is for
- How to shop for an AV receiver
- How we tested
- A great time to come-proof receiver: Yamaha RX-V6A
- A great choice for non-gamers: Denon AVR-S750H
- The best sound quality under $1,500: Denon AVR-X3700H
- An easy-to-use budget receiver: Denon AVR-S540BT
- What to expect forrard to
- The competition
Why you should trust us
Dennis Burger has been reviewing AV equipment for going on ii decades now for publications ranging from Robb Report Abode Entertainment to Home Theater magazine and HomeTheaterReview.com. Over the years, he has auditioned more receivers, preamps, and amplifiers than he cares to count, and in recent years he has devoted an inordinate amount of time to learning about and testing room-correction systems of all varieties.
Some of this guide is based on the piece of work of Wirecutter senior staff author Chris Heinonen, who has spent hundreds of hours over the past few years testing AV receivers for previous versions of this guide.
Who this is for
Today's soundbars offer a level of audio functioning that would have been unimaginable x years agone, but they still have limitations in performance and flexibility. For those who want to get closest to the movie-theater experience at abode, who accept multiple sources to connect, and who want more flexibility in speaker selection and setup, an AV receiver is the way to get.
An AV receiver is the core of near home theater systems. It combines source switching, audio (and sometimes video) processing, speaker amplification, and volume command in one box. Plug your source components—your media streamer, gaming panel, cable or satellite receiver, and disc player—into its inputs, and then connect its outputs to your display and speakers, and an AV receiver will direct all of the AV signals to the correct places and in the right formats.
An AV receiver can too serve equally a music hub for your habitation, since many tin connect to your home network and stream sound around the house via platforms such every bit AirPlay 2, Chromecast, or proprietary systems, like Denon's Heos and Yamaha'south MusicCast, that are designed to compete with the likes of Sonos. Many receivers include born music streaming services such as Pandora, Sirius XM, Spotify Connect, and Tidal, along with the ability to connect directly to internet radio stations and local DLNA media servers. And for those who adopt a more than traditional approach, some receivers allow you to distribute audio sources (and sometimes video, too) to a second zone via wired connections.
If your electric current AV receiver works with all your AV components and has all the features yous desire, you lot don't really need to upgrade, as you lot probable wouldn't hear improved sound quality with a newer model unless you were to upgrade to one with better room correction. But if you've recently purchased a new 4K HDR Goggle box and 4K HDR source devices, an older AV receiver may lack the ability to pass through those higher-quality signals (a actually old receiver may lack HDMI connections altogether). All of our current recommendations support 4K HDR displays and sources.
Many new AV receivers too support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, newer sound formats designed to add an overhead element to the typical ear-level surroundings sound bachelor for decades. To enjoy Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound to its fullest, yous need to add together height speakers or buy special Atmos-enabled speakers (you tin can read more about that topic in our guide to the all-time surround-sound speaker organization), and you need an AV receiver that tin decode these formats and provide ability to more speakers.
How to shop for an AV receiver
AV receivers run the cost gamut from a couple hundred dollars to well into four-figure territory. Our focus here is on receivers that strike a good balance of operation, features, and value, so all of our picks are priced beneath $1,500. The serious audio or home theater enthusiast may cull to spend more than coin to go more ability (which may be important if your speakers are difficult to drive), more than amplified channels, more setup and customization options, and amend build quality.
Considering our goal was to recommend unlike receivers for different needs, nosotros didn't set a lot of minimum spec requirements to limit what models nosotros considered. But there are sure key specs that you lot should consider when you begin your receiver search:
How many channels of speaker amplification do you need?
A basic home theater configuration requires a v.1-channel receiver to power two front speakers, a center-channel speaker, and two surround speakers. The "five" in this example refers to the number of amplified channels, and the ".1" stands for the subwoofer, which usually has its ain amplifier built in so your receiver won't need to provide it with power. Many mid- and higher-priced receivers are labeled as ".2" instead of ".ane," which means they have 2 subwoofer outputs that you may or may not be able to set up and adjust independently.
Most receivers priced around $300 or less are 5.1-aqueduct designs. Moving up to a seven.1-channel receiver gives yous the choice to add an extra pair of surroundings speakers, power a 2d audio zone, or build a bones Dolby Atmos/DTS:Ten system—provided the receiver has Atmos and DTS:Ten decoding (nearly newer 7.1-aqueduct models exercise). Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks include overhead or "height" effects to brand the audio feel even more immersive. The more height speakers you lot add, the more than convincing the event—but that requires more amp channels, which leads to a more than expensive AV receiver.
With Dolby Atmos and DTS:10, the aqueduct counting gets a trivial more than complicated. Yous might, for example, see designations like "5.1.2" or "5.2.4." The first numeral here refers to the number of conventional ear-level speakers, the 2nd refers to the number of subwoofer outputs, and the 3rd refers to the number of overhead channels. Since the subwoofer is typically cocky-powered, to figure out how many amplified channels a receiver has, or how many you demand, y'all simply add the offset and third numeral. So, a v.ane.2-channel receiver has seven amplified channels and might also be referred to as a vii.1-channel receiver.
How many sources do you program to connect?
Your receiver needs to be able to connect all the HDMI source devices you have, which could include a cablevision box or DVR, a Blu-ray player, a gaming panel, and a media streamer. Five HDMI ports is probably the correct number for most people, as it gives you inputs for every source you're likely to use in your home theater, with the option to add ane or 2 more than. You lot should likewise consider how many non-HDMI-equipped sources you want to connect and make sure the receiver has enough digital or analog inputs to have them. If you have a turntable that lacks a phono preamp, you may want a receiver with a phono input.
Which HDMI 2.1 features do yous need?
HDMI 2.1 is the newest version of the digital connection that all current video-based components use. The connector remains the same, but version ii.1 adds many new features, including support for 8K resolution past style of an increase in the maximum bandwidth from eighteen Gbps to 48 Gbps (though all of the currently available HDMI 2.ane–equipped receivers max out at 40 Gbps). Other noteworthy enhancements include automatic low-latency mode (which allows devices to automatically notice and switch to the best fashion for gaming), eARC (which allows for college-quality lossless audio over the HDMI Audio Return Channel instead of but compressed formats), variable refresh rate, and quick media switching.
An AV receiver can list features of the HDMI 2.1 specification even if it supports simply one or ii of them, which certainly creates confusion for shoppers. Many electric current AV receivers and TVs support eARC, some support automated low-latency way, and some support variable refresh charge per unit. Simply simply a few of the newest receivers support the college bandwidth necessary for 4K 120 Hz gaming and 8K video. Make sure to read the fine impress (or our discussions below) to pick a receiver that supports the HDMI 2.1 features y'all need.
What type of streaming audio support do you want?
Even folks with extensive physical music collections likely stream much of their music from the internet, so a receiver needs some way of supporting streaming audio apps like Pandora and Spotify. With a budget receiver priced under $300, you're likely to get only Bluetooth support. As yous move upwardly in price, you can expect the ability to connect to a home network (check for a wired or wireless network connectedness, if you lot take a preference) and support for services like Pandora and Spotify congenital in (so yous don't have to cast the audio from your phone), as well as support for streaming protocols such as Apple AirPlay two and Google Chromecast. If you lot already own Wi-Fi speakers that use a certain platform (such as AirPlay), you may want to look for a receiver that features the same streaming engineering and then that all the devices will piece of work well together.
What level of room correction are y'all willing to pay for?
Room-correction systems brand the biggest impact on how a receiver sounds to about listeners. People rarely have perfect listening rooms, and speakers (especially subwoofers) ofttimes end up in spots where they are unobtrusive instead of where they audio the best. Room correction helps to amend the overall sound quality by using microphones and built-in software to guess how your room and speaker placement are distorting the audio and to try to compensate for those distortions. Lots of receivers offering basic room correction, but when you invest in a more avant-garde room-correction technology such as Audyssey MultEQ XT32 or Dirac (both of which are proprietary systems that tin can appear in diverse brands of AV receivers), yous get the power to customize the type of corrections and account for multiple subwoofers, and these systems exercise a better job of tuning the audio without making it seem wearisome or overly processed.
In the price ranges we tested, nosotros were unable to tell nearly receivers apart in blind testing when their room correction was not enabled. We found that the type of room correction in use had the biggest impact on sound quality, providing big benefits for some receivers and simply smaller improvements for others.
How we tested
When testing each receiver, we considered its sonic performance and its ease of setup and everyday utilise. We performed blind A/B testing between receivers using an ABX examination box from Sound by Van Alstine, which allow u.s.a. instantly switch between two different receivers to make up one's mind which i sounded better, with and without room correction enabled.
In previous tests, Chris Heinonen used KEF Reference In-Wall THX speakers and a subwoofer from Power Audio Audio for the majority of his testing. In our latest round of testing, Dennis Burger relied primarily on a CG3 speaker system from RSL Speakers and connected every receiver to a Vizio P-Series Television set, a Sony PlayStation 4, a Roku Ultra, an Amazon Burn down Tv, and an Oppo Ultra Hard disk drive Blu-ray thespian to see how easy it was to gear up up the system—including the Sound Return Channel (ARC) function—and switch between sources.
A swell future-proof receiver: Yamaha RX-V6A
Our option
Who information technology's for: If you lot want a groovy all-purpose 7.i-channel receiver that won't experience outdated in a couple of years but is still priced well beneath $ane,000, we recommend the Yamaha RX-V6A. Information technology has enough inputs for all of your source devices—from your streaming video role player to your turntable—and information technology's piece of cake enough to ready and operate. Fifty-fifty if you have only a 5.ane-channel speaker organization right now, it'due south squeamish to have the two actress amp channels to add meridian speakers or a second audio zone downwardly the road. The RX-V6A is a great option if you're thinking of buying a 4K TV that supports 4K video at 120 Hz forth with a source that can generate such video signals, such as the PlayStation v—since it has (or will soon accept) the HDMI 2.1 features that gamers demand.
Why it'due south keen: The Yamaha RX-V6A is an first-class performer that should serve near people'due south movie and music needs right at present, and we look Yamaha to add a few key features via firmware update very soon (maybe past the time y'all're reading this) that will entreatment to gamers. It has plenty of inputs, including a phono input to connect a turntable, and information technology has seven channels of distension, with Dolby Atmos and DTS:Ten decoding to add together overhead sound effects. In addition, information technology's loaded with all the music streaming platforms and services you're likely to subscribe to, and it sounds great thanks to a room-correction feature—multi-indicate measurements—that we just don't expect to see on a $600 AV receiver.
During our blind listening tests, we found that we were unable to tell most of these receivers autonomously when their room correction was disabled. The quality of the room correction had the biggest impact on the sound, and the RX-V6A'southward YPAO (Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer) room-correction system helped it deliver better results than what we heard from anything else near its price. After we ran the room correction, the RX-V6A'southward audio was more open, more detailed, and more than dynamic than that of annihilation else under $1,000, which really makes a difference when y'all're listening to music.
What distinguishes the RX-V6A's room correction is the ability to place the included microphone in multiple positions while yous're taking your measurements. This gives the YPAO system a more comprehensive snapshot of your room's acoustics, allowing it to correct the bug affecting all (or at least almost) of the seating positions in your home theater or media room without overly dull the sound—an effect that affects almost room-correction systems in this toll range and virtually all of the systems that rely on merely i measurement position. YPAO is not quite as advanced as the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 technology built into the more expensive Denon AVR-X3700H, though, with less-refined delivery of the very deepest bass notes, those below 30 Hz. Just if you're ownership a cheap subwoofer to connect to a $600 AV receiver, the subwoofer is unlikely to generate bass that deep anyway (our budget subwoofer pick, the Dayton Audio SUB-1200, is a rare exception).
Streaming-music aficionados volition appreciate that the RX-V6A supports Bluetooth and AirPlay ii, with congenital-in Amazon Music, Deezer, Napster, Pandora, SiriusXM, Spotify Connect, Tidal, and more than. It as well supports Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri vocalization command, and it features Yamaha's proprietary MusicCast organisation, a multiroom wireless music ecosystem similar to Denon'south Heos and standalone systems similar Sonos.
The MusicCast engineering science allows you to wirelessly connect your surround speakers and subwoofer, but it has some limitations. You lot need to apply Yamaha's own MusicCast 20 or MusicCast fifty wireless speakers as rear speakers and its MusicCast SUB 100 for bass. Wireless forepart speakers aren't supported, then you still demand to connect a left, right, and center speaker with speaker cables, besides as overhead speakers if you're configuring an Atmos/DTS:Ten organisation. There are also some other limitations that nosotros'll detail in the adjacent section.
As for physical connectivity, the RX-V6A is rather generous in its HDMI connections merely pretty sparse on the analog side of things. It sports four stereo RCA inputs, one of them an MM phono input to connect a turntable, and that'due south it as far as support for analog source devices. Information technology has no composite or component video inputs to connect older video sources. You get 7 HDMI inputs, and all of them support 4K HDR (including Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log Gamma). 3 of them boast some level of HDMI two.i compliance, and the HDMI output supports eARC. Most of the HDMI 2.ane features—such every bit quick media switching, quick frame ship, variable refresh rate, automated low-latency style, and the ability to pass uncompressed 4K 120 Hz video—were nonetheless dormant when we reviewed the RX-V6A, but Yamaha said these features would be added in a jump or summertime 2021 firmware update, with more than advanced features such as 8K video passthrough coming later, possibly autumn of 2021. As of October 2021, though, we're withal waiting for these updates.
Finally, nosotros simply beloved the way the RX-V6A looks. This may not be a big business for nigh AV receiver shoppers, but the sleek aesthetic of this Yamaha receiver sets it apart from near of its competition, regardless of price, which you're likely to appreciate if you install your home theater gear on an open-air shelf or tabletop.
Flaws just not dealbreakers
The RX-V6A's original HDMI chipset has an incompatibility consequence with the Xbox Series Ten and Nvidia RTX30 graphics bill of fare that prevents information technology from passing through 4K 120 Hz video signals correctly. This appears to be a problem with all of the early "8K-compatible" receivers, not just Yamaha'due south. The fix requires registered owners of the RX-V6A to ship in their receivers for a hardware update (get more info here). If you're a PlayStation 5 owner or a PC gamer, yous should be able to road 4K 120 Hz signals without the upgrade.
You need to download Yamaha's mobile app (bachelor for iOS and Android devices) to access the sort of intuitive setup wizard that Denon builds into its receivers, or you can work your style through the less-intuitive on-screen menus of the RX-V6A. Setup is all the same fairly straightforward overall, and the RX-V6A'southward menus are pretty easy to figure out. Only they could be better.
I thing that makes the setup process only fairly straightforward instead of completely straightforward is the fact that the RX-V6A'due south remote is sparse and not very responsive. We found ourselves frequently aiming the remote at the receiver, pressing a button, thinking the receiver didn't receive the command, and pressing it again, only to cancel out the command we sent to brainstorm with. The remote as well lacks backlighting, so it's hard to use in the dark across uncomplicated commands similar volume control. If you lot use a universal remote to command your whole entertainment organisation, this will exist less of a business organization.
Our biggest frustration is that calculation wireless surround-sound speakers to the RX-V6A disables the ability to utilise the YPAO room-correction arrangement'southward multi-signal measurement capabilities, which is one of this receiver's most significant selling points. Measuring your room from only one seating position results in noticeably less-refined room correction and more inconsistent performance from seat to seat. Also, for high-resolution audio fans: You cannot play DSD audio files when using wireless surrounds, nor does the receiver decode audio from SACD or DVD-Audio discs sent via HDMI.
A keen choice for non-gamers: Denon AVR-S750H
Our pick
Denon AVR-S750H
A neat choice for non-gamers
The AVR-S750H sounds great and is easier to fix and use than the contest. Simply it lacks some HDMI 2.i features that probably aren't all that important unless y'all're a gamer.
Who it's for: If y'all're not interested in the newest generation of video game consoles (and thus don't need all the new HDMI 2.1 features) and y'all only desire a great seven.1-channel receiver that supports all the 4K video formats used in movies and Tv set shows, the Denon AVR-S750H is our recommendation. You might want merely a 5.1-channel configuration now, only information technology's good to accept the choice to set a basic Dolby Atmos/DTS:X system in the future. We too recommend the AVR-S750H for those who are new to AV receivers and need one that'due south easy to set up and employ.
Why it's great: The Denon AVR-S750H ticks all the necessary boxes. It has plenty of inputs, including a phono input to connect a turntable. It has 7 channels of amplification, and it's loaded with all the desirable music streaming platforms and services. Simply possibly nigh important, the guided setup makes getting your organization upwards and running very easy. Plus, this receiver sounds very good when y'all utilize the bones Audyssey MultEQ room correction—and it tin sound keen if you're willing to put a footling actress piece of work into the room-scale process.
Dolby Atmos and DTS:10 support, along with seven channels of amplification, lets you bask a more immersive sound experience than you can get from a basic 5.1 system. But if y'all tin can't run surroundings speakers or height-channel speakers in your room, the AVR-S750H also includes speaker-virtualization engineering (similar to that constitute in many soundbars) to simulate surroundings audio from the front channels. And if you're doing only a 5.1-channel setup, yous can utilise the two extra amp channels to power stereo speakers in a second audio zone.
The sonic results of the bones Audyssey MultEQ room correction aren't quite as refined as those of the Yamaha RX-V6A's YPAO system across the entire audible spectrum, then if you were to compare the 2, you lot might detect that the sound isn't as open and spacious, and that high frequencies are slightly dulled. But it does have a couple of advantages that put it on more equal ground with Yamaha's room correction. First, it does a better job of taming the very deepest bass frequencies, which you'll capeesh if you lot have a subwoofer that puts out a notable amount of bass below 30 Hz. Secondly, the AVR-S750H is compatible with the MultEQ Editor app for iOS and Android devices. This $xx app greatly expands the capabilities of Audyssey MultEQ, assuasive you to customize the receiver's sound to a meaning degree. It doesn't deliver results as advanced as what you get from the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 technology built into the more expensive Denon AVR-X3700H, and it tin can't calibrate two subwoofers individually, merely if you're willing to spend the extra coin on the app and acquire a bit about room acoustics, you can still achieve very proficient results.
What truly distinguishes Denon's receivers from the pack is how easy they are to get upward and running. With an on-screen setup system that walks you through the entire process—from connecting speakers to setting up inputs to getting on Wi-Fi to running the room correction—almost anyone should exist able to set up the AVR-S750H correctly. When creating inputs, the receiver automatically grabs the proper noun of the devices connected over HDMI, and then you don't take to recall, for example, that you hooked upward the Xbox to the Cable/Sat input—it volition be renamed "Xbox" for you lot. And the inputs you lot don't use are hidden in the bill of fare. These simple trivial touches make the AVR-S750H one of the easiest receivers to use that we've ever seen.
With back up for AirPlay ii, Bluetooth, Deezer, Heos (Denon's own multiroom music platform), Pandora, Spotify Connect, TuneIn, and more, the AVR-S750H lets you stream most anything you desire without needing any actress hardware. Through the free Heos app for iOS and Android, you can launch streaming services to play straight through the receiver, so y'all don't need to keep your phone in range of Bluetooth or on Wi-Fi for AirPlay.
6 HDMI inputs, including a front end-console HDMI input, brand it like shooting fish in a barrel to run all of your devices through the AVR-S750H. Though it isn't a fully HDMI ii.ane–compliant receiver, it does back up features such as automatic low-latency way for video gaming and eARC for improved sound quality from TVs. Yous too go digital and analog audio inputs (including an MM phono input), plus a couple of composite video inputs to connect older sources.
The AVR-S750H provides other nice features, likewise, such every bit Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, the ability to route audio through Bluetooth headphones for nighttime listening, and a secondary audio zone that supports stereo playback of the receiver'south internal digital sources such as Spotify, as well as AirPlay two and Bluetooth.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Since the Denon AVR-S750H's HDMI inputs are non fully HDMI 2.one compliant, this receiver isn't as hereafter-set as the Yamaha RX-V6A. You can't pass a 4K 120 Hz signal through it, and gamers don't become support for variable refresh rate. (In autumn 2021, Denon appear a new version of this receiver that adds the latest features; encounter What to look frontward to for more details.)
Although Denon's Heos wireless system is technically capable of supporting wireless surround-sound speakers, as evidenced past the visitor'due south Heos Bar and Heos AVR, the AVR-S750H doesn't support such connectivity.
The best audio quality under $one,500: Denon AVR-X3700H
Our selection
Who it'south for: Nosotros recommend the Denon AVR-X3700H nine.two-channel receiver for anyone who is willing to pay more to get improve room correction and thus a clear sonic upgrade. It'south likewise a corking choice for anyone who wants to add more speakers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:Ten.
Why it'southward great: The Denon AVR-X3700H takes everything we like about the AVR-S750H and improves upon it. This model is a substantial upgrade to our previous pick in this category, the at present-discontinued Denon AVR-X3600H, thank you to improved sonic performance and support for newer HDR video standards and other HDMI enhancements. The Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction is appreciably ameliorate than what you can find in any of our other picks, with more adjustments and the ability to calibrate ii subwoofers independently. And the add-on of ii more amp channels allows for more speakers and improved Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersion.
The AVR-X3700H offers 9 channels of amplification, and so you could gear up a system with 5 ear-level speakers, two independently measured subwoofers, and four overhead speakers. You lot can also reserve two of those channels for a dissever stereo zone in another room. If you're willing to add an outboard stereo amp, the AVR-X3700H has preamp outputs that allow you to aggrandize the full speaker count to 11.
The on-screen interface has improved graphics and easier-to-read text in comparison with its predecessor. The receiver also features seven HDMI inputs, all of which support HDMI 2.i features such equally variable refresh rate, quick frame transport, and automatic low-latency mode. But merely one supports 4K video at 120 Hz or 8K video at threescore Hz.
Flaws merely not dealbreakers: The AVR-X3700H suffers from the same HDMI two.i issues as the Yamaha RX-V6A—it can't pass a 4K 120 Hz signal from the Xbox Serial 10 and Nvidia RTX30 graphic card. Denon has introduced an HDMI adapter box that solves this trouble, and owners of the AVR-X3700H tin request the free box—but it does add another minor piece of equipment to your gear rack. The PlayStation 5 is not affected by this bug.
Although Denon's Heos wireless organization is technically capable of supporting wireless surroundings-sound speakers, as evidenced by the company's Heos Bar and Heos AVR, the AVR-X3700H doesn't support such connectivity.
An easy-to-use budget receiver: Denon AVR-S540BT
Our selection
Who information technology'southward for: If you want to assemble a basic five.1-channel environment-sound system and you don't have much (or whatever) experience setting one up, nosotros recommend the Denon AVR-S540BT. It's likewise an affordable selection for anyone who already has a simple v.i system in place but needs to upgrade their receiver because information technology can't do 4K or HDR.
Why it'south slap-up: Because the Denon AVR-S540BT doesn't have a lot of features, information technology'south particularly easy to ready, even if you don't have much experience. On-screen prompts and a well-labeled back console arrive simple to get everything running correctly even if you're a rookie.
This 5.1-channel AV receiver supports high-quality Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Hard disk Master Sound soundtracks (but not the overhead capabilities of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X), and it offers 5 HDMI two.0 inputs that back up 4K HDR laissez passer-through (simply no HDMI ii.ane features), which is more than you'll run across on some comparably priced models. Y'all also become a front-panel USB port, plus three digital inputs and a pair of analog inputs effectually back. The receiver has Bluetooth for streaming audio, too as basic room correction to make everything sound practiced.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: This receiver lacks Wi-Fi and integrated music streaming options. As a issue, you have to apply Bluetooth to stream music, so your phone or other source device needs to stay close to the receiver—or you can add an cheap Wi-Fi streaming device. In addition, the AVR-S540BT doesn't have the Audyssey room correction that the college-stop Denon models offer, it lacks a front-panel HDMI input, and the speaker connections accept simply pins and smaller-gauge bare wire, not banana plugs or thicker speaker wires.
What to look forward to
Denon has appear several new receivers that we program to consider for this guide: The $700 7.ii-channel AVR-X1700H is part of the company'southward premium-performance 10-Series, and it features three 8K-uniform HDMI inputs (half-dozen HDMI inputs total), is rated at lxxx watts per channel, and supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Engineering science, DTS:X, and DTS Virtual:X decoding. It uses the Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction system and has AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, and HEOS audio streaming built in. Role of Denon's mid-tier S-Series, the new $550 AVR-S760H (which replaces our electric current pick, the AVR-S750H) is a 7.two-aqueduct model rated at 75 watts per channel of power, with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Peak Virtualization Technology, DTS:X, and DTS Virtual:X decoding. Information technology also has three 8K HDMI inputs (six HDMI inputs full) and uses the step-down Audyssey MultEQ room correction system. HEOS, AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth are built in. The $450 AVR-S660H is similar, but has only five channels of amplification and omits the 3D audio decoding.
Yamaha'southward new Aventage RX-A4A carries a similar cost equally the Denon AVR-X3700H and gives yous 3 8K-uniform HDMI 2.1 inputs, just it only has 7 amp channels.
Anthem has introduced new upgrades to its popular MRX line in the course of the MRX 540 ($i,600), MRX 740 ($two,700), and MRX 1140 ($3,700). All three models sport some compelling new features, including IMAX Enhanced and eARC, and they employ Anthem's ain outstanding room-correction system. None support 4K 120 Hz or 8K signals at any refresh rate, merely Anthem has designed the units to exist hardware upgradable and promises a full 8K upgrade at some point down the road.
The competition
Companies such every bit Denon and Yamaha offer a number of AV receivers at prices beneath, between, and in a higher place those nosotros included in this guide. In selecting which specific models to recommend, we looked for the best mix of features, operation, and toll, keeping in listen the needs of well-nigh people. But you may have specific needs that make one of the models we didn't select a amend pick for you.
For example, the Denon AVR-S960H and AVR-X2700H are priced between the company's AVR-S750H and AVR-X3700H, and both characteristic one fully compliant HDMI ii.1 input. Nosotros've concluded that the AVR-S960H doesn't offer enough advantages over the AVR-S750H to justify the increased toll, though. And if you lot're willing to step up to the AVR-X2700H in cost, you'd be meliorate off spending a couple hundred dollars more for the superior Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction of the AVR-X3700H, even if you don't need its extra channels of amplification.
Along the same lines, the Denon AVR-S650H falls between the AVR-S750H and the AVR-S540BT in price. It's only a 5.one-aqueduct model, so it doesn't give y'all Dolby Atmos or DTS:X back up and tin't handle a second zone of audio; yous besides give up the front HDMI port. But it has all the networking features of the AVR-S750H, so yous don't need to rely on Bluetooth for streaming audio, and information technology has the Audyssey MultEQ room correction. If y'all're certain you lot'll never need more than five channels of audio and don't require a front end-panel HDMI input, it offers performance very similar to that of the AVR-S750H.
Yamaha recently introduced its Aventage RX-A2A ($900). Despite its enhanced structure and other step-up features, the RX-A2A remains remarkably like to the RX-V6A in features, channel count, power ratings, and other aspects—and as a event, the $200-cheaper RX-V6A is but a better value. The company too offers the RX-V4A at $440, merely we still think it's worthwhile to step up to the RX-V6A, not just for its increased channel count (the RX-V4A has only five amplified channels) merely too for its superior room correction, since the RX-V4A lacks multi-point measurement capabilities. Finally, the Yamaha RX-V385 is the company's entry-level Bluetooth-merely model; the comparably priced Denon AVR-S540BT is easier to set up and use.
Sony has not introduced new receivers since 2017. We previously tested the STR-DN1080, which is virtually three years old at this point so it's missing fundamental features such equally AirPlay 2 support and whatsoever HDMI 2.1 functionality. Nosotros were not impressed with its room correction; the automated speaker setup wasn't terribly accurate, and the bass in music was lacking bear upon and particular. We also tested the Sony STR-DH790 and STR-DH590. As with the STR-DN1080, the room correction in these receivers wasn't equally authentic in detecting our speakers, and Denon's comparable models were easier to fix upward.
Onkyo and Pioneer have been in limbo for a couple of years, so nosotros were hesitant to review and recommend their receivers, but both are should exist back soon with new models (detailed above), some of which feature the superior Dirac Live room-correction system.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-receiver/
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