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A/V Receivers are what power your home theater speakers. They let you consolidate multiple entertainment sources into one user-friendly unit. This allows you to switch from your Xbox or PS4, Blue-ray player or cable with the push of a button. But a quality AV receiver won’t just combine your sources together. It’ll bring life to your favorite movies, shows, music and video games. Without one, your HDTV and surround sound system won’t meet their full potential.
Manufacturers offer quality AV receivers at all price ranges now. Many come standard with the latest features like Bluetooth and wireless speakers too. And most are under the $1000 mark. Combine one with the right speakers and you’ll find yourself questioning the quality of movie theaters! And you’re looking to really step up your home theater, combine a home receiver with a Floor standing Tower Speakers.
Here is a list of the top rated and reviewed AV Receivers to help you choose the best products for your home theater.
Best A/V Receivers | Top 5
Our Rank | A/V Receiver | Power Output | Channels | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Denon AVR-X3000 | 105 watts per channel | 7 | $$$$ |
2. | Harman Kardon AVR 3700 | 125 watts per channel | 7 | $$$ |
3. | Yamaha RX-V777BT | 95 watts per channel | 7 | $$$$$ |
4. | Sony STR-DA2800ES | 100 watts per channel | 7 | $$$ |
5. | Pioneer Elite SC-81 | 130 watts per channel | 7 | $$$ |
Choosing an A/V Receiver
If you’re looking for more information to find the right AV receiver for you, take a look at the video below. It’ll walk you through the basics and help you make a more informed decision when you’re buying:
https://youtu.be/WfqHHYLVE_Q
Household Audio has reviewed and rated the top A/V receivers based on many aspects. This includes features, design, quality performance and others to narrow your search for the ultimate receiver for your home. Check them out:
Latest Lists & Reviews
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Best A/V Receivers
1. Best Overall: Denon AVR-X3000
Quick Stats
- 7.2 Channel Home Theater Receiver
- Channels: 7
- Power: 105W/chan @ 8 ohms
- Multi-zone Control
Price Comparison
$1,528.00 on Amazon.com |
Denon AVR-X3000 Quick Review
Denon was established nearly a century ago. The name has come to be synonymous with high quality and user friendliness. The AVR-X3000 is no exception to that reputation. It’s a very well rounded unit and has everything you want in a receiver. The X3000 has many key features that make it great, including:
- Plenty of power
- An innovative video processing system with 4K upscaling
- Seven HDMI inputs
- Two HDMI outputs
- Auto setup and room correction via Audyssey’s MultEQ XT system
It also gives an excess of audio/photo streaming capabilities. This includes FLAC HD support, Apple’s AirPlay and Windows 8 certification. It’s a great av receiver and most definitely worth consideration.
2. Best Bluetooth: Harman Kardon AVR 3700
Quick Stats
- 7.2 Channel Home Theater Receiver
- Channels: 7
- Power: 125W/chan
- Built-in AirPlay & Bluetooth
Price Comparison
$299.99 on eBay.com |
on Amazon.com |
Harman Kardon AVR 3700 Quick Review
The Harman Kardon AVR 3700 is a competitive A/V receiver. It combines excellent audio processing power with innovative video features and user-friendly controls to give you a great home theater experience. Let the AVR 3700 fill your home with sound through an innovative and eco-friendly digital power supply. This unit delivers up to 125 watts per channel. And its Dolby and DTS processing power creates a 3 dimensional surround sound experience. Use it to unite your many input sources with eight HDMI inputs, including a front HDMI input. Or, access its built-in AirPlay and Wi-Fi connectivity to stream audio wirelessly.
3. Best Value: Yamaha RX-V777BT
Quick Stats
- 7.2 Channel Home Theater Receiver
- Channels: 7
- Power: 95W/chan @ 8ohms
- Dual room/dual source output
Price Comparison
$504.95 on eBay.com |
on Amazon.com |
Yamaha RX-V777BT Quick Review
The Yamaha RX-V777BT features built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay, the Yamaha RX-V777BT. It’s the ideal av receiver for streaming music from all of your favorite devices, wirelessly. It has a number of expandability and connectivity features, including:
- 6 HDMI inputs (1 front HDMI input)
- Four pairs of RCA stereo outputs
- One USB port and auxiliary input
It’s truly a universal A/V receiver that brings incredible value for its price. If it’s been a few years since you’ve replaced or upgraded your receiver, the RX-V777BT will make you wonder why you waited to long to upgrade. It’ll bring crystal clear HD and quality sound to your home theater.
4. Best Home Theater: Sony STR-DA2800ES
Quick Stats
- 7.2 Channel Home Theater Receiver
- Channels: 7
- Power: 100W/chan @ 8ohms
- Dual room/dual source output
Price Comparison
$310.00 on eBay.com |
on Amazon.com |
Sony STR-DA2800ES Quick Review:
The Sony STR-DA2800ES was built to entertain. If you have a subscription to a streaming internet radio service, this AV receiver is for you. It has a built-in Ethernet hub with streaming services like Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio, Slacker, Sony Music Unlimited and vTuner. And 8 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs allow for ample consolidation of your other input sources too. Game consoles, blu-ray, Apple TV, it’ll connect them all. But the features don’t stop there on the STR-DA2800ES. This receiver comes with sophisticated video processing and hi-res audio to bring your movie theater or concert hall to your home. And with Sony’s easy automation feature, you can set four customized ‘scenes’. It’ll even let you program a sequence of tasks with a single press of a button, simplifying the way you customize settings for movies, music and more. All in all, the DA2800ES is a high end unit with features and inputs galore. It’s another great choice for an AV receiver.
5. Best Power Output: Pioneer SC-81
Quick Stats
- 7.2 Channel Home Theater Receiver
- Channels: 7
- Power: 130W/chan @ 8ohms
- Built-in Airplay & WiFi Ready
Price Comparison
Pioneer SC-81 Quick Review
The Pioneer Elite SC-81 is the central hub to all of your key input sources. It has a number of great features, including:
- 8 HDMI inputs
- Android/iOS control app
- AirPlay and Spotify compatibility
The SC-81 offers a huge features package. In addition to it’s great connect-ability and expansion features, the SC-81 is also equipped with Pioneer’s third-generation D3Class D amplifier. It delivers smooth, clean and dynamic sound.
I have pioneer vsk 1122k .it is awesome it has many features.i just bought a Sony STR 2800 on eBay I got it for 220 I think I lucked out on that.i am waiting for it to come in the mail.its like Christmas to me.my question is. Which is better for sound and functional things.my pioneer supports my iPad.while I cannot find any information on the Sony supporting it.it says iPhones and iPods but nothing about iPads while I have AirPlay and other apple features on the pioneer.i have a new blue ray -4K Sony player with many features.built in Bluetooth.and I have a old Sony cd jukebox 300 CD player.i have a projector and I have Xbox one s and the oculus RV.with a super gaming pc. The most important question is.will this Sony with the thousands of inputs and outputs and the HDMI in and outs.support all of my gadgets specially my iPad and Xbox and projector? I am upgrading my projector to 4K projector.thank you Tommy…ps please don’t share my email with other telemarketing people.i have 70,000 emails and I’m stressed out because of it.