You need an AV receiver in your home theater, like a competent chef for a delicious dinner or a car to drive around town.
How to choose a receiver for home theater when there are so many options today — various brands, different models, and varied capabilities?
Reading these specifications to select the appropriate component may be quite a demanding undertaking for consumers who do not yet have a firm knowledge of home audio technology.
This blog will make the process more manageable if you’re looking for a new home theater receiver.
Let’s get started!
What Should I Look for In a Home Theater Receiver
Are you in a rush? When purchasing an AV Receiver, here are a few things to bear in mind:
Types
Surround-sound decoding and additional amplifiers are included in A/V receivers, which can route video signals and have stereo decoding built-in. Stereo receivers, on the other hand, can only route audio data. Stereo receivers may appear low-end alternative, but their simplicity makes them popular among audiophiles.
Having an A/V receiver in your home theater system is a must. Most current A/V receivers have at least five amplification channels for powered subwoofers (for the three front speakers, left, center, and right, plus two surround speakers).
There is a slew of additional functions accessible only on A/V receivers, which are not standard on stereo receivers.
Specifications
When shopping for a receiver, it’s essential to be sure it can drive your speakers with appropriate power. Powerful receivers can push most speakers to a maximum volume level. If your speakers are 84 dB or more responsive, a receiver with 80 to 100 watts per channel into 8-ohms should be enough.
Connectivity
Any modern A/V receiver has at least 5.1 channels (5 amplifiers plus a subwoofer line output), but most have at least 7.1. 13.2 channels of sound are available in the most recent Dolby Atmos-compliant receivers, which include 13 speakers and two subwoofer connectors.
Make sure the A/V receiver you purchase has enough HDMI inputs to accommodate all of your devices and a few spares so that you don’t run out of HDMI ports.
Even though VCRs and other analog video sources are becoming rare, most receivers will still feature a few composite and component video inputs and analog and digital audio inputs to accommodate them or DVD players without an HDMI output.
Some additionally contain an input for a turntable, so you’ll be able to connect your cassette deck or MP3 player. You should verify that any receiver you consider has all the required inputs.
Price Points
AV Receivers can be categorized into entry-level, mid-level, and high-end versions based on the characteristics you anticipate from each category. As costs fall and new features are added, this information may be outdated at any given time.
For about $300, you can get a 5.1-channel receiver that decodes Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs. The 7.1-channel format may be available on some receivers in this price range. These receivers generally have a power rating of 50 to 100 watts.
If you buy a receiver in this price range, ensure it has enough inputs to accommodate all your sources—typically three or four HDMI inputs and a few analog audio/video inputs.
Bluetooth wireless connectivity is also standard, as is a home network connection, allowing these speakers to be integrated into a multi-room audio system or to stream Internet music.
You may get a mid-level receiver in the $300 to $600 range. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio will be included at a minimum.
You’ll also discover receivers with Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. These two new “immersive” audio formats let you add additional sound sources to your room, including ceiling speakers or speakers that bounce sound off the ceiling.
You may need an additional amplifier for the height speakers if your receiver doesn’t have enough amplification channels.
How Powerful of a Receiver do I Need
Your content will sound better if you use a receiver as part of your home theater center.
Some people, however, are curious about how much power their gadgets are consuming, as with everything powered by energy. The wattage rating of receivers has numerous channels, but how many watts per channel will you need?
Due to how loud this range is, you only need 70-100 watts per channel. This figure will increase when you go up to more expensive AV receivers, which require a more powerful sound.
Is 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound Better
It might be challenging to decide between 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound.
A 5.1 surround sound system includes front left, right, center, surround right, surround left, and a subwoofer. A 7.1 surround sound system contains an extra pair of back surround speakers.
Who wins? Unfortunately, it varies. Whether you need a 5.1 or 7.1 system depends on several factors. Some rely on the environment, and some on personal choice. Size, furniture, and listening location will affect your sound arrangement.
How Many Watts Should a Home Theater System Have
The higher the total wattage output your system can produce, the more impressive your home theater will be.
In addition, although it may sound counterintuitive, a high-power cinema sounds louder when the volume is turned down.
The best quantity of electricity to have without the risk of ever running out is 125 watts per channel.
Which AV Receiver is Best for Home Theater
A home theater’s audio/video receiver (AVR) is a piece of electronics for the general public. Audio and video signals are received from many sources, processed, and sent to loudspeakers and video displays, such as a television, monitor, or video projector, via this device.
The best AV receiver available in recent market are:
1. Pyle Home Theatre Receiver
2. Sony STRDH590 5.2 Home Theater Receiver
3. Denon AVR-X4700H 8K AV Receiver
Final Verdict
Adding an AV receiver to your home entertainment system will significantly improve its performance.
It lets you view movies and TV in superb quality and connect other devices, such as a Blu-ray player or gaming console, to the same home theater system.
Streaming audio and video content simultaneously are now a lot more convenient.
