Which receiver to buy

HDMI: 4-in 1-out. AV inputs: 2 x digital audio 1 x optical and 1 x coaxial , 3. Dimensions: w x 90 h x d mm. Weight: 6kg. Reasons to avoid - Not Dolby Atmos compatible - Fun for movies, music not so much. An innovative, affordable Dolby Atmos AV receiver with plenty of cool tricks.

Specifications Power output claimed : 7 x W into 6 ohms. Dolby Atmos: Yes 5. HDMI: 6-in, 2-out. AV inputs: 3 x composite; 2 x digital audio.

Dimensions: w x h x d mm. Weight: 9. Specifications Power output claimed : 7 x 95W at 8 ohms. Reasons to avoid - Only one 8K-compatible port. Specifications Power output claimed : 7 x W at 8 ohms. Dolby Atmos: Yes 7. HDMI: 7-in, 3-out. Weight: Reasons to avoid - Less bang for your buck. Arcam's best sounding AV receiver to date, but it has a frugal spec.

Specifications Power output claimed : 7 x W into 8 ohms. HDMI: 7-in 3-out. AV inputs: 6 x digital audio 2 x optical and 4 x coaxial three stereo phono inputs, 3. Dimensions: w x d x h mm. Reasons to avoid - Only seven channels of amplification - Outdated user interface. See more Audio news. Unfortunately it does suffer from an HDMI 2. More on this below.

The RX-A is coming to the end of the road, with new Yamaha Aventage models lining up to replace it, but if you move fast you could pick up a bargain — this is a very tasty AV receiver indeed.

Amazingly, it works rather well, and despite the RX-A having a 9-channel design it can process 11 channels 7. This brilliant budget Sony AV receiver is a perennial favourite, ideal for home theatre fans that want barnstorming performance without the price. A 7-channel design, it supports a 5.

EX processing will virtually relocate the speakers you have. And it works, if imprecisely. In any case the STR-DN is an entertaining performer, with agile sonic steerage and a sucker-punch LFE low-frequency effects channel that relishes big, explosive effects.

HDMI provision covers 7 inputs one on the front facia , with two outputs. Digital audio inputs are limited to one coaxial and one optical. Pioneer AVRs have a characteristically crisp delivery, which can sound overly analytical, but we like its character.

The curved fascia with small porthole display speaks of legacy and old-school musicality. Its audio performance is sublime, with effortless control of the soundstage. Never feeling under pressure, sonic placement is always precise. What is Connect ID? Call us at Your advisor will be able to share relevant pages and add items to your cart. Your security and privacy are ensured. Our advisors cannot see anything that is on your computer. They only have the ability to "serve" a page from our site and put items in your cart.

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See bio. We will be calling you. We're sorry. We have encountered a problem. Sorry, the call-back feature is currently unavailable. Home theater receivers: The complete beginner's guide How to find the surround sound receiver that's right for you.

Meet Deia Z. About Deia Started at Crutchfield in Completed in-house Advisor training, learning the details of every type of product we sell Attends dozens of vendor training events each year Authored and edited dozens of Crutchfield articles and hundreds of product presentations.

Comments 46 Read comments. Thanks for your question, Danny, and congrats on your new home! You'll likely want a seven-channel home theater receiver to power your speakers. We'll want to gather a little more info about the speakers to make a recommendation, so I suggest giving one of our Advisors a shout to go over your options.

Thanks again for reaching out! Thanks for reaching out, Shawn. Please give one of our Advisors a call for help mapping out the right equipment for your system. Thanks for reaching out, Bernie. You've astutely observed that many of today's home theater receivers do not have as many analog video inputs as they once did. That's a trend we've seen for a while now, with many new receivers only supporting HDMI.

Thanks for reaching out, David. I understand your frustration. Wattage is one of those tricky topics where so many of the answers begin with, "It depends. Yes, on paper the rear speakers are getting "too much" power. But in actuality, they may only draw 20 or 30 watts of actual current in a given moment.

That's because the wattage output of most amplifiers fluctuates based on the particular passage being played — it's dynamic, and almost never approaches maximum output. As long as you're not hearing distortion, you can safely use an "overrated" receiver with your surround speakers without issue.

Hi Jim, thanks for your questions. Yes, your receiver has the option to automatically select the best playback mode for a given source. Hi Dave, thanks for reaching out. There are a few ways you can add Atmos to your system: in-ceiling speakers, upward-firing speakers, or wall-mounted speakers that angle sound effects toward you. There are even some specialized sound bars that deliver convincing overhead effects. This article has a good breakdown of how Atmos works, along with a look of the different gear options.

If you go the conventional speaker route, you'll need a new home theater receiver with Atmos processing your Onkyo predates the technology. We can certainly help with any of the above — feel free to give our Advisors a call any time.

Hi Richard, thanks for your questions. The short answer is no, you don't need a new receiver. It's the best AV receiver value of the past 12 months, with plenty of HDMI inputs including 8K and eARC support , plus it can stream audio wirelessly from just about any smartphone or tablet, although it does lack Chromecast.

If you like your dramas just as much as you love your singer-songwriters the Elac Debut 2. It offers excellent build quality and can form the heart of a great AV system. Read our Elac Debut 2. You can also take a look at CNET's list of the best AV receivers , which includes some other solid alternative options, depending on what you're looking for.

If you're looking for more information, here's what's important. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to how many is enough, though. If you love electronics you might need six or more, whereas others could get by with three or less. I recommend getting at least one more HDMI input than you currently need. Even if you feel confident that you'll never need more than four devices, you never know when a neat new product will come out -- I'm sure plenty of people wished they had an extra port as soon as Sony's PlayStation 5 was announced.

Although a universal remote can help. Considering the fact that you're likely to hold onto an AV receiver for upward of five years, it's worth investing in a little extra HDMI connectivity. Just when you thought that it was safe to buy a 4K TV, the manufacturers found another four K's seemingly behind the sofa.

One interesting part of this new breed of receivers is eARC -- the ability to pass Dolby Atmos from a TV and other hi-res formats to your home theater system. This you can use and if you have a compatible TV you don't need to worry about the number of HDMI ports on your receiver, just use the television as a switcher. HDMI 2. In general we recommend connecting those consoles directly to a compatible TV, not to the receiver, and using eARC or an optical connection to pass audio to the receiver.

If you opt for a pre receiver though make sure it has at least 4K compatibility, to make the most of 4K streaming and gaming. This means one that boasts at least HDMI 2. Read: Best AV receiver for AV receivers have a history of adding dubious features that aren't all that useful , but built-in support for wireless technologies such as multiroom audio, AirPlay, Chromecast and Bluetooth are very useful.

Here's the pitch for wireless connectivity: load up any app on your smartphone or tablet -- such as Pandora or Spotify -- and either technology will let you wirelessly stream it to your AV receiver in seconds. It's the ultimate in instant gratification, especially if your music habits tend to revolve around your mobile device. While most receivers now connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi, it's worth looking to a receiver that's compatible with streaming services.