How to find which surround sound av receiver is right for you
In this article we will help you choose the right home theater receiver by answering a few questions, such as:
How much power do you need?
How many channels do you need?
What connections do you need?
Where should it be placed?
What features should you look for?
What does an AV receiver do?
A home theater receiver (also known as an AV receiver) brings immersive, cinema-like surround sound into your living room. Acts as a connection hub for a variety of audio, video, and internet streaming sources. It uses video processing and surround sound decoding to make movies and TV shows look and sound better.
A receiver routes incoming video signals, Blu-ray player and other devices to your TV and simultaneously directs the sound from those devices to your speakers.
How much power do you need?
Home theater receivers have built-in multi-channel amplifiers to power a full set of surround sound speakers. The ideal power for your receiver depends on the power requirements of your speakers.
You will often see different wattages to power a particular speaker. For the clearest sound with minimal distortion, aim for the high end of this range. For example, if your speakers can handle 25-100 watts, you'll get a fuller sound with a 100-watt receiver than a 50-watt receiver, and you'll have enough power reserve to ensure your speakers don't distort during duration of strong moments in a film.
Try to match the power output of your receiver to the power requirements of your speakers.
The chart above shows what can happen in extreme situations, but for the most part it's not too difficult to match receivers and speakers. And of course, we're here to help if you have any questions along the way.
How many channels do you need?
Home theater receivers have five or fifteen channels. Consider how much room you'll have for speakers, including active subwoofers. Most receivers have outputs for two active subwoofers, but some have only one output. Recently, we've seen receivers with four sub outputs for mega-bass enthusiasts.
A note about stereo receivers
Are you willing to set up five or more speakers for surround sound? For limited space or people who are less tech savvy, it can be intimidating, then maybe a stereo receiver might be a better choice.
You only need two speakers for stereo sound, and if you've never used anything but your TV's built-in speakers for your sound, you'll be happy with the results. Note that surround sound is not possible with a stereo receiver, but not everyone wants it.
Connecting a TV to a stereo receiver will surprise you with the results. The soundtracks will be more alive! There are many stereo receivers that can be connected to the TV, some with HDMI connectivity.
Get a seven-channel receiver for more flexibility
We usually recommend home theater receivers with at least seven channels. Seven-channel receivers provide more system flexibility than five-channel models, and if you don't start with seven speakers, you'll have room for future upgrades.
Listed below are some other things you can take advantage of with a seven-channel receiver.
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
With seven or more channels of power, you can play surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. They use in-ceiling speakers or special speakers (height modules) to produce overhead surround effects. The result is a complete audio experience that immerses you in your music or movie.
A Dolby Atmos system starts with a 5.1 or 7.1 channel surround sound system. Then you add two or four lit or ceiling speakers for effect.
Wired multi-zone audio
Want to listen to music on the patio? A seven-channel receiver lets you use five channels for surround sound in your living room and two channels to connect a pair of stereo speakers outdoors or in another room.
Enjoy multiple audio bands with one receiver
Most A/V seven-channel receivers can supply power to at least two zones.
Amplification (Bi-amp) of your front speakers for louder sound
Some receivers support bi-amping the front speakers. If your speakers have two pairs of speaker terminals, you can use the front main speaker channels as well as an unused pair of surround speaker channels to increase volume and detail for a more powerful front soundstage. With a seven-channel receiver, you can amplify your main speakers and still have room for a 5.1-channel surround sound system. Bi-amping is also handy if your speakers need a lot of power.
Use all channels for surround sound, assign some channels to another zone or use extra channels for bi-amping, the choice is yours!
What connections do you need?
Look at the back of any AV receiver and you'll find many different connections for audio and video. Most of your equipment will be connected to your receiver via HDMI cables.
To allow for system expansion, get a receiver that has more HDMI inputs than you currently need. Want to connect two TVs? Look for a receiver that has more than one HDMI output.
This receiver has seven HDMI inputs for 4K and 8K content.
HDMI cables allow two-way communication between the receiver and your TV, so you only need one cable to transmit audio and video. This is due to the ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) capabilities, which are standard on current models.
If your source components (Blu-ray player, game console, media streamer, etc.) are connected to the receiver, the receiver processes the audio and streams the video to the TV. If you stream from TV apps or have your sources connected to the TV, the video is processed by the TV and the audio is passed to the receiver for processing.
If you have an older TV that doesn't support ARC, you'll need an extra cable to get the audio to your receiver.
HDMI 2.1
HDMI 2.1 is the latest version of HDMI. It supports bandwidth up to 48 Gbps and higher video resolutions and refresh rates. HDMI 2.1 also supports Dynamic HDR formats such as Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+ for brighter, clearer and more vibrant video than ever before.
Most receivers support HDMI 2.1, but check to make sure. Best results are achieved when your TV and all your connected devices such as Blu-ray players, streaming boxes and game systems have HDMI 2.1 built in, just make sure you get HDMI 2.1 cables for best performance.
And don't worry if you have older equipment in your system. Each HDMI version is backward compatible, so older components with HDMI will work with a new receiver. Their capabilities will just be limited to the older HDMI version.
Other connections
If you have an older TV or AV components without HDMI connections, an RCA or optical digital connection is your best bet for connecting them to your receiver.
Do you have a record player? For the easiest connection, look for a receiver with a dedicated phono input.
Vinyl lovers can indulge their passion for vintage records with a home cinema receiver.
Features to look for
AV receivers are great for connecting all kinds of audio components, but your musical options don't stop there. Receivers with built-in Bluetooth allow you to play anything you want from a compatible phone, tablet or computer. And many models let you stream over Wi-Fi with built-in support for popular streaming services like Spotify, Pandora and TIDAL.
Home theater receivers can reproduce top-quality sound, so of course most of them are compatible with popular high-resolution audio formats like FLAC and DSD.
Wireless multi-room music
Many receivers work with multi-room music platforms that allow you to stream music to compatible wireless speakers set up throughout your home. You can create different zones and control what's playing in each room with an app on your phone or using voice commands.
Next-gen gaming features
If you are a gamer, you should look for a receiver with all the latest gaming features. These features are designed to optimize next-generation game consoles like Xbox Series X/S and Sony PlayStation 5. Immerse yourself in detailed ambient sound and never miss a shot due to lag.
Next-gen gaming features to look for include:
- 4K/120Hz HDMI inputs for a smooth, detailed picture
- ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) for reduced input lag
- eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) for high-quality, uncompressed audio transmission between your console and compatible TV
- VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) allows your compatible TV to adjust its frame rate in real-time to match your console's output
Wireless surround sound
Customers have been asking us about wireless surround sound for years, so we're very excited that the technology has finally advanced enough to make it a reality. We expect to see more and more wireless surround sound solutions in the coming years, but there are already some exciting options.
Convenient control options
The remote controls included with most home theater receivers have extensive options for switching sources. You can even customize your remote control for certain functions and certain connections with other components, such as the corresponding brand of CD player or Blu-ray player. In addition, most modern receivers and TVs allow HDMI-CEC control. As long as your TV and receiver support HDMI-CEC, you can control your receiver with your TV's remote control.
You can also use a universal remote, such as One For All remotes. They can be programmed to control any or all of your audiovisual components. Of course, they may not work for very old equipment.
App control
Almost every network-enabled AV receiver offers a free app to use your phone or tablet as a remote control. They make it easy to switch sources, adjust volume, adjust settings and stream music from online sources.
Remote apps are the easiest way to control your receiver's multi-band functions. You can choose which rooms to play music in and choose the music for each room.
Voice control
Voice control integration adds a new level of convenience to today's home theater receivers. When your phone or remote control isn't handy, you can just talk.
Voice-controlled receivers work with voice-activated virtual assistants for easy control A/V your system.
Some models support voice control with Amazon Alexa and others support Google Assistant voice control. Whichever you prefer, you can use spoken commands to:
-Turn your receiver on or off
-Volume control on the receiver
-Play and pause music, skip or return to the previous track
-Mute/unmute the receiver
- Change receiver input selection
-Connecting or disconnecting rooms in a multi-room music setup
-Control music playback in different rooms