There is something truly special about seeing a movie in a theatre, with its stunning visuals and engrossing sound. The truth is that life gets busy, and we can’t always go to the movies to see the newest hits. That’s why a great AV receiver is important. Based on my own experience, I can say that the best AV receivers can bring a little of the magic of the movies into your living room. You can get mind-blowing 8K video quality, stunning Dolby Atmos sound, and even Wi-Fi streaming for your favourite music on these devices.
The home cinema amplifier is essentially the brains and power of any home theatre system. In order to manage all the audio and visuals that go into giving your living room a fantastic movie experience, home theatre receivers put in a lot of effort. These focal points manage connections between your gadgets, enabling fantastic surround sound settings, letting you enjoy numerous entertainment sources, and more. Below the list of best AV receivers.
Best Audio Video Receivers
Denon AVR-X2700H
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 channels |
Power Output | 95 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 0.08% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | 8 HDMI inputs (including 1 front) |
HDMI Outputs | 2 HDMI outputs |
HDR Support | Yes (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG) |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS Virtual:X, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, HEOS |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17.1″ x 6.6″ x 14.9″ (without antennas) |
Weight | 22 lbs (10 kg) |
The AVR-X2700H turns this cop movie sequence into a Dolby Atmos symphony of screeching tires, underpinned by Meek Mill’s thumping feel-good rap Uptown II. Every vehicle type appears crammed into the mix: police bikes rumble back to front, a chopper hives into view from stage left. We even get a finely spaced sand plume as Smith’s Porsche barrels onto the beach.
This plucky Denon delivers hard, fast transients like a Deliveroo driver on a mission. But amidst the gutty chunk of manual gear changes, there’s the light spatial details of that sandy beach spray. It has both power and poise, his plucky Denon delivers hard, fast transients like a Deliveroo driver on a mission. But amidst the gutty chunk of manual gear changes, there’s the light spatial details of that sandy beach spray. It has both power and poise. Easily one of the best AV receivers available right now.
Marantz NR1711
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 channels |
Power Output | 50 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 0.08% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | 6 HDMI inputs (including 1 front) |
HDMI Outputs | 2 HDMI outputs |
HDR Support | Yes (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG) |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, HEOS |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17.3″ x 4.1″ x 14.9″ |
Weight | 20.7 lbs (9.4 kg) |
For the better part of a decade, Marantz hasn’t changed the appearance of its half-height lifestyle NR AVR range, but we’re okay with that because there has been continual growth within. The sound is warm rather than surgically exact, and the sonic signature is substantially unchanged. Although it may be a little less musical than some of its siblings further up the food chain, it is unquestionably enjoyable to listen to.
A 5.1.2 Atmos configuration can be operated with a constant 50W provided over all 7 channels. There are six HDMI inputs, one of which is marked 8K and supports both 4K and 8K 60Hz resolutions. Although there is only one HDMI output, the amenities include AirPlay 2 and HEOS multiroom.
Marantz SR8015
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 11.2 channels |
Power Output | 140 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 0.05% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | 8 HDMI inputs (including 1 front) |
HDMI Outputs | 3 HDMI outputs |
HDR Support | Yes (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG) |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, HEOS |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17.3″ x 7.3″ x 16.2″ |
Weight | 41.9 lbs (19 kg) |
The Marantz SR8015 is at a brilliant point, offering extremely powerful, capable and versatile home theater management without dipping into diminishing returns territory. This AV receiver is a bit different – first, it’s not a receiver in the true sense of the word, as it doesn’t have a tuner section. However, it has a lot going for it, as it’s a top-of-the-line multi-channel amplifier that’s bursting with intelligence.
We’ll come back to the tuner thing (because we think it’s interesting), but first we want to look at the heart of the Marantz SR8015 multichannel amplifier. Because it is the real deal. It is equipped with 11 amplifier channels, each of which has an output power of up to 140W into 8 ohms across the entire audio bandwidth with minimal (0.05%) total harmonic distortion, driving two channels. Overall, one of the best AV receivers you can buy right now.
Denon AVR-X4700H
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 9.2 channels |
Power Output | 125 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 0.05% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | 8 HDMI inputs (including 1 front) |
HDMI Outputs | 3 HDMI outputs |
HDR Support | Yes (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG) |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, HEOS |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17.1″ x 6.6″ x 15.3″ (without antennas) |
Weight | 31.1 lbs (14.1 kg) |
One of them is Denon, and with the exception of a small upgrade on some of the higher-end units, the rest of the product lineup remains the same as last year. This gives us the opportunity to look at another mid- to higher-end device in our review of the Denon AVR-X4700H and see if it’s still worth considering. As for the AVR-X4700H, the receiver features 9.2 channels with a total power output of 125 watts.
The unit supports Dolby Atmos, DTS X, Auro-3D and IMAX Enhanced along with the usual virtual and upmixing technologies such as Dolby Surround, DTS Neural X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization and DTS Virtual X, uses the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 automatic calibration system, while High Resolution Audio, HEOS technology, AirPlay 2, voice control, custom integration, bi-amp capabilities, multi-room zones, Bluetooth audio streaming, preamp mode, and HDMI upscaling are some of the extras you also get
Sony STR-DN1080
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 channels |
Power Output | 100 watts per channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | 6 HDMI inputs (including 1 front) |
HDMI Outputs | 2 HDMI outputs |
HDR Support | Yes (HDR10, Dolby Vision) |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast Built-in, AirPlay |
Streaming Services | Spotify, TIDAL, Deezer, Pandora, and more |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17″ x 6.3″ x 13″ |
Weight | 22 lbs (10 kg) |
The Sony STR-DN1080 sounds fantastic, drawing deeply on its reserves to deliver a performance that has the kind of power, dynamics, and authority we haven’t heard before in this price range. There’s an incredible amount of detail, from natural, expressive vocals to layers of insight and depth surrounding every sound effect. When a glass window shatters under a spell, you can hear both the sharp clang and the deep, sonic note surrounding the effect – it’s riveting to listen to.
The additional treble channels are compelling, even if the spread of sound is a bit off from the solidity of the bass response. And there’s so much depth and texture in the low end. It’s not quite as beefy as the Denon AVR-X2500H (or its successor, the AVR-X2600H), but the Sony pulls every bass note tight and makes an impression.
Yamaha TSR-700
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 7.1 channels |
Power Output | 100 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 0.06% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | 7 HDMI inputs (including 1 front) |
HDMI Outputs | 1 HDMI output |
HDR Support | Yes (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG) |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Streaming Services | Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, and more |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 17.13″ x 6.38″ x 14.88″ |
Weight | 19.84 lbs (9 kg) |
The Yamaha TSR 700 is a inexpensive way to add some of the most important features to your home theater without having to spend a lot. Take a look at what makes the Yamaha TSR-700 different from other receivers so you know what to look for when you choose this one.
For the price, you get a lot for your money. If you know how to use all the settings most AVRs have today, you’ll see this one has a lot to offer. Not at all! This can’t just be connected to speakers and go, even though it’s an entry-level unit. With all the different settings and what you can do sound-wise, this thing is at least “Mid-Fi,” at the very least. So if you want one of the best AV receivers, you should consider this one.
Marantz M-CR612
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Channels | 2 channels |
Power Output | 60 watts per channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 10% THD) |
HDMI Inputs | N/A |
HDMI Outputs | N/A |
HDR Support | N/A |
Audio Decoding | Dolby Digital, DTS, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2 |
Streaming Services | Spotify, Deezer, TIDAL, Napster, TuneIn, and more |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 11.02″ x 4.92″ x 12.6″ |
Weight | 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg) |
If you’re already familiar with the older versions of the M-CR series, then the 612 will look pretty familiar. The format is similar all around, with a compact shape that easily fits into any hi-fi or TV stand. There are two colors to choose from for the Marantz M-CR612, including a flashy silver and gold variant and the traditional black. We prefer the black variant for minimalism, but the choice of color is entirely up to you.
On both sides of the screen you will find control panels with different functions. On the left panel you can explore the menus of the Marantz receiver with the Up, Down, Left and Right buttons. The right panel is used to control your music, with audio playback, open/close the CD tray, and play or pause. For private listening, the Marantz M-CR612 has a headphone input, which is clearly visible on the front panel. The back of the unit is a bit more complicated, with multiple speaker inputs, a network cable for connecting to the Internet, and more. Overall, one of the best AV receivers available in the market.