Let’s face it, TV speakers are junk. Sure they’ll do in a pinch, but you’re never going to “Award-winning Sound” and “Television” in the same sentence (at least you shouldn’t). Modern 4K TVs can also be limited in inputs, and someone should never have to choose which console gets left out in the cold.
Enter the AV Receiver (AVR). It acts as the hub of your home entertainment setup, connecting all video and audio sources and sending the signals out to your display and stereo, surround, or Dolby Atmos speaker setup. Some soundbars can function in a similar way, but they’re never as robust and feature-full as an AVR. Having one is an absolute necessity for a fully immersive home gaming experience.
All of the receivers below (except the two Anthem models) have Bluetooth connectivity, built-in Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2, and passthrough for 4K/60, HDR (HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision compatible), BT.2020 wide color gamut, and 4:4:4 chroma subsampling.
TL;DR – These are the Best AV Receivers:
1. Pioneer VSX-934 7.2-channel AV Receiver
Best Entry-level AV Receiver
- Channels: 7.2
- Power Output: 80W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 6 x HDMI In, 2 x HDMI Out, 2 x Digital Audio (1 x Optical, 1 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: HDR10, HLG, BT.2020
- Connected Features: AirPlay 2
- Connectivity: Dual Band (5GHz/2.4GHz) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 + LE
- Size: 17.1" x 12.6" x 6.8"
- Weight: 20.7 pounds
Most surround AVRs have some form of room correction built in, and for the VSX-934 it’s Pioneer’s MCACC. Unfortunately that’s one of the drawbacks of this model, but it’s easy enough to get around. Speaker distance can be set manually in the AVR settings, and relative channel levels can be set using a free or cheap SPL (sound pressure level) app. And since the worst room correction problems exist in the low frequencies, try and get a subwoofer with built-in room correction. It will deal with any unruly low-end better than MCACC.
2. Denon AVR-X3600H 9.2-channel AV Receiver
Best Midrange AV Receiver
- Channels: 9.2
- Power Output: 105W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 8 x HDMI In, 2 x HDMI Out, 4 x Digital Audio (2 x Optical, 2 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, BT.2020
- Connected Features: AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa-compatible, Google Assistant, Siri
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
- Size: 17.1” x 13.3” x 6”
- Weight: 26.7 pounds
The extra amplified channels can accommodate more speaker positions, if you’re so inclined. The X3600H supports 5.2.4 and 7.2.2 Atmos configurations, or you can use some of the extra channels for a multi-room setup. Its internal processing can handle even more channels (up to 11.2) if you want to add an extra stereo amplifier. There are also multi-channel outputs if you want to connect to even more external amps and use the X3600H as just a processor. It also supports IMAX Enhanced, a certification that combines 4K HDR, DTS, and the IMAX aspect ratio under one banner. Support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri are also included.
3. Yamaha RX-V485 5.1-channel AV Receiver
Best non-Atmos Budget AV Receiver
- Channels: 5.1
- Power Output: 80W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 4 x HDMI In, 1 x HDMI Out, 3 x Composite In, 1 x Composite Out, 3 x Digital Audio (1 x Optical, 2 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, BT.2020
- Connected Features: AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa-compatible, Google Assistant, Siri
- Connectivity: Dual Band (5GHz/2.4GHz) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
- Size: 17.1" x 8.9" x 12.9"
- Weight: 17.2 pounds
The RX-V485 HDMI supports 4K with HDCP 2.3 so you’ll be ready when you upgrade to HDCP 2.3 components in the future. The Yamaha YPAO room correction is pretty good at fine-tuning speakers to its surrounding environment (we generally like its results). It only has four HDMI inputs though, which could pose a problem depending on how many devices you need to connect. If you have Alexa or Google Assistant, the RX-V485 can be controlled by either, or by Siri over Apple AirPlay 2.
4. Marantz NR1710 7.2-channel AV Receiver
Best Slim AV Receiver
- Channels: 7.2
- Power Output: 50W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 7 x HDMI In, 1 x HDMI Out, 2 x Digital Audio (1 x Optical, 1 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
- Connected Features: AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa-compatible, Google Assistant
- Connectivity: Dual Band (5GHz/2.4GHz) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
- Size: 17.3" x 6.9" x 14.9"
- Weight: 18.3 pounds
The NR1710 is a slimline AVR that’s half the height of the other options on this list. Its seven channels can be set up for Atmos speakers, or you can use the Atmos Height Virtualization. If you only have or need five speakers and don’t care about the Height Virtualization, the NR1510 is very similar and costs $150 less.
The Audyssey MultEQ room correction is a step up from the YPAO room correction found in the Yamaha RX-V485. Another Audyssey feature called Dynamic EQ helps preserve the cinematic experience when listening below reference level, which is louder than most of us listen to movies in our home, by keeping the perceived volume balanced across frequencies. Lastly, Dynamic Volume controls the dynamic range of the sound (which your close neighbors and fellow apartment dwellers will appreciate).
The Marantz NR1710 supports HEOS (Home Entertainment Operating System), Denon’s multi-room wireless system. There are a bunch of HEOS speakers available that range from $200-900. In addition to passing HDR, the eight HDMI inputs are eARC compatible and will upconvert your video signal to 4K. And for gaming, there’s an auto low latency mode to link up with TVs that support it. Both Alexa and Google Assistant are supported for voice command.
5. Marantz SR5014 7.2-channel AV Receiver
Best First Audiophile AV Receiver
- Channels: 7.2
- Power Output: 100W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 8 x HDMI In, 2 x HDMI Out, 4 x Digital Audio (2 x Optical, 2 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
- Connected Features: AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa-compatible
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Size: 17.32" x 9.09" x 13.7"
- Weight: 22.4 pounds
6. Anthem MRX 720 7.2-channel AV Receiver
Best for Audio Lovers with a Bigger Room
- Channels: 7.2
- Power Output: 100W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 8 x HDMI In, 2 x HDMI Out, 5 x Digital Audio (3 x Optical, 2 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
- Connected Features: DTS Play-Fi
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Size: 17.3” x 14.8” x 6.49”
- Weight: 31 pounds
7. Denon AVR-X8500H 13.2-channel AV Receiver
Best for if you want everything
- Channels: 13.2
- Power Output: 150W/ch @ 8 Ohms
- Ports: 8 x HDMI In, 3 x HDMI Out, 2 x Digital Audio (1 x Optical, 1 x Coaxial)
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
- Connected Features: AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa-compatible, Google Assistant, Siri
- Connectivity: Dual Band (5GHz/2.4GHz) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR
- Size: 17.1 x 10.2 x 17.2"
- Weight: 51.4 pounds
The Future for AV Receivers
Honestly, the AVR market hasn’t made many leaps forward in the past couple years. Most significantly has been the addition of pass-through for 4K and HDR signals and an improvement to upconverting. But on the horizon is HDMI 2.1 and HDCP 2.3 (the latter has already been implemented in some models). Maybe because of that you’re thinking of waiting for the new (possible) crop of AVRs to be announced and released.
The question is then, what will HDMI 2.1 get you? Most importantly will be a significant increase in throughput, from 18 Gbps with 2.0 to 48 Gbps with 2.1. That will allow 4K signals at 120Hz (something we’ve only had possible with DisplayPort so far), or 8K at 60Hz. But hold up just a second. It will also require something that’s sending that signal and a display to accept it. So while having an AVR with HDMI 2.1 will be very important, we’re still a little ways away from it being necessary. And if there’s one truth in technology, it’s that there’s always another big thing coming around the corner.
