Best Stereo Receivers 2023: highly recommended for audiophiles

The best stereo receivers are the center of your home entertainment system and the most important sound gadget for any home theater setup. They are needed for any set of surround sound speakers, and they are also the best way to add smart home features to your theater system. Anyone who wants to build a home theater or improve the sound and atmosphere of their current system needs a great receiver to hold everything together.

If you’re reading my review, you have probably already read a lot about stereo speakers and are probably ready to buy one. Since there are so many things to think about when shopping around, I chose to look into the subject in depth so I could give you a professional opinion.

I did a lot of study to write this review. I’ve talked about the best stereo speakers on the market right now and pointed out the most important features to look for when choosing one. My review will help you choose the best 2-channel radio receiver under $1000 and buy it. Below we have mentioned the best stereo receivers.

Best Stereo Receivers Comparison Table

Yamaha R-S202BL

Yamaha’s stereo receivers are a great middle ground, with enough power to drive your speaker setup and enough features to give you choices. The R-S202BL is our top pick because it does all of these things well. The best thing about the 202BL is that it’s a 100W/channel audio receiver with just enough features to make it feel high-end at a very low-end price, without any of the flashy features that can make your receiver cost a lot more. Still, it is one of the best stereo receivers that you can buy.

To be clear, this unit is a real stereo receiver. It lacks features like HDMI pass-through or surround sound outputs. It is an amplifier that can deliver 100W of power and an 8-ohm impedance to two pairs of passive speakers. Setting up a record player and a basic TV viewing setup is simple and effective. There are 4 RCA-level inputs and 1 RCA-level output, so if you need more channels, you can connect your system to a different receiver. It also has a radio receiver with AM/FM setting for up to 40 stations.

Check Price

Amazon Echo Link Amp

Amazon’s Echo Link line of products is meant to act as a bridge between your regular audio and video equipment and Amazon’s tried-and-true Alexa voice control, turning your stereo system into a smart stereo receiver. Overall, it is one of the best stereo receivers that you can buy.

The Echo Link Amp is a real stand-alone receiver that can power passive speakers and run an entire AV system. Standard inputs and outputs include RCA, coaxial, and digital optical. It’s easy to put your media into the speaker and send it to another device. There is also an ethernet port for linking to the Internet, which is a necessary step for the Echo to work. Lastly, two speaker outputs (an L and a R) send 60W of power to your passive bookshelf or stereo speakers and a subwoofer if you want to add one to your system.

Check Price

Sony STR-DH190

The Sony STR-DH190 is about as basic as an audio receiver and amplifier can get. With the standard big knobs on the front and the text-based LED display, you aren’t getting anything that looks very modern. The 100W RMS handling is also very basic, giving most speaker sets enough volume to enjoy TV shows and music. In addition to the four RCA audio inputs, there is also an RCA phono port for hooking up a record player. Because of this and the fact that it has sound outputs, this is a great choice for people who like to listen to records.

But if you want some current features, you can connect it to your phone, tablet, or computer via Bluetooth and play music from those devices. The Bluetooth protocol isn’t the main focus here, so don’t look for anything like aptX or other current codecs. Instead, you’re getting a decent radio for a great price that will power your speaker setup. For now, it is one of the best stereo receivers that you can buy.

Check Price

Marantz NR1200

Marantz is an audio brand that has always done a good job, but in the past few years, they have tried to bring their standard AV handling to the modern market with the Denon HEOS app that connects to smart devices. The NR1200 stereo speaker already has HEOS built in. You can set up a whole-home music system like Sonos if you have other HEOS-enabled Marantz speakers. This app also lets you connect to all the necessary streaming services, and it even lets you use Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to handle things with your voice. The NR1200 is easy to use and feels current.

But this radio is worth having for more than just its new features. Because each channel can handle 75W of power, you can send a lot of power to your passive speaker set-up. And because it has subwoofer and zone outputs, it can be used as both an audio system and a surround-sound system. Currently, it is one of the best stereo receivers that you can buy.

Check Price

Cambridge Audio AXA35

Cambridge Audio’s household audio products have gotten quite a reputation. Instead of putting a lot of flashy extras on their speakers and radios, they put all of their attention on making sure they sound great and look great.

The AXA35 is not the most powerful receiver, and it doesn’t have as many inputs and outputs as more expensive models. But it has 35W per channel of truly balanced sound, a moving magnet phono input that works well with record players, and tone-shaping controls that give an amazing audio response. In short, it’s all you need to make your audio speakers sound their best.

We’re giving it the nod here because it’s one of the slimmest units out there that still has a lot of power. It’s only 3.3 inches tall and weighs just over 12 pounds. Its silver-gray color and bright white screen make it look much more modern than the plain black receivers that most people use. Thus, it is one of the best stereo receivers that you can buy.

Check Price

FAQs