Best Home Theater Receivers

Mainstream audio-video receivers deliver value and performance

As you move up in price, you move into the category of more full-featured AV receivers. In addition to processing audio, almost all have the ability to process video signals as well as switch them. They also generally offer better sound quality, more power and more features than budget receivers.

Receivers in this category generally cost between $400 and $500, and competition between makers is fierce. Still, we see more critical acclaim for the Onkyo TX-SR607 (*Est. $430) than any other mainstream audio-video receiver. This 7.2-channel receiver earns a Top Pick award from Home Theater magazine and a Recommended tag from TrustedReviews.com. Even sites that rate other home theater receivers a little higher say that the Onkyo TX-SR607 is still a top choice.

Like all home theater receivers in this price range, the TX-SR607 is capable of upconverting analog video signals for output over HDMI; however it is limited to 1080i, not 1080p (though 1080p can be passed through by the receiver). Most say the video quality is good enough -- though not necessarily better than what a typical TV can produce -- but CNET pointedly recommends not letting the TX-SR607 process anything and having your HDTV do the job.

The Onkyo TX-SR607 has built-in decoders for all of the typical Dolby and DTS formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. It also is one of the first receivers to include a decoder for Dolby Pro Logic IIz, which adds two additional speakers to the typical five- or seven-speaker configuration. Decoders for new or advanced signal-processing modes usually first appear in receivers that are notably pricier than the TX-SR607, so finding it here is a pleasant surprise.

Critical reaction to Pro Logic IIz ranges from muted to enthusiastic. Mark Fleischmann initially doubts the value of this new format. However, once he's had a chance to try out Pro Logic IIz, he changes his tune, saying that installing the extra speakers -- one each above the normal front surrounds – is worth the effort. "By radically expanding the front half of the soundfield, DPLIIz made the whole soundfield seem larger, more spacious, less constrained by the walls, and more capable of suspending disbelief," Fleischmann writes. However, he also says that the effect is much more striking in movies than with music.

Audio quality is liked by all. TrustedReviews.com says that the home theater receiver "delivers the sort of sparkling sound quality you'd expect from a receiver costing a lot more, while the feature list is similarly impressive." The simple user interface makes up for the lack of on-screen menus. In terms of connectivity, the six HDMI inputs (including one on the front panel) are a plus, while the lack of analog audio inputs is a minus. The 90 watts per channel provides plenty of power to drive all but the most inefficient speakers to pleasing volumes.

Note that this is a 7.2-channel rather than a 7.1-channel receiver, meaning it has an additional subwoofer output for rooms and set ups that call for it. Using multiple subwoofers can overcome bass dead spots and hot spots (areas with too little or too much bass) that naturally occur in some rooms because of their geometry and/or furniture placement.

Other receivers draw their share of fans. CNET is not quite ready to award its Editors' Choice recognition to the 7.1-channel Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K (*Est. $500), preferring to wait until reviews of additional receivers are in. However, Matthew Moskovciak and Steve Guttenberg set the bar pretty high by saying "it's hard to imagine that there will be a better AV receiver value in 2009." While other professional reviews are scarce to date, owner reviews are starting to accumulate and most are very complimentary.

Sound quality is said to be outstanding for a home theater receiver in this price range. Features are robust, and include niceties like built-in iPod support and included iPod cable. The receiver is also Works with iPhone-certified. Analog video upconversion to 1080p is offered, and while that's not perfect, CNET says that performance is better than with other audio video receivers the site has tested this year. On the audio side of things, Dolby and DTS support is good, and includes decoders for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Set up is made easier by a useful on-screen graphical user interface (GUI) and an automatic speaker-calibration system, though the latter did suffer some bobbles during CNET's testing. Connectivity is solid, and includes four HDMI inputs and 5.1-channel analog audio inputs. The GUI also pops up when an iPod is attached and provides full access to your music collection. Movies and photos can only be accessed via the iPod itself. Though some users report that the Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K struggles a bit with very large or inefficient speakers, most say that at 120 watts per channel, there's plenty of power for most home theaters.

The 7.2-channel Yamaha RX-V665 (*Est. $500) gets some good reviews as well, though some critics seem less enamored with it than other choices in this price range. CNET has the most negative review, simply stating that buyers will get more value from competitors such as the Onkyo TX-SR607 or Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K. On the other hand, Kieran Coghlan at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity listened to the Yamaha RX-V665 over a period of two months and reports that he is "very impressed" with the performance and features given the price. That said, he does express minor complaints and cautions that the 90-watt-per-channel RX-V665 won't fill a large room with sound or drive larger, inefficient speakers. The Yamaha receiver is the highest rated moderately-priced choice at DigitalTrends.com, where the performance given the price is praised, though the reviewer feels some cost-cutting compromises are made.

Connectivity is good, with four HDMI inputs and a 7.1-channel analog audio input. Many reviews include a bit of grousing from critics about an inability to assign audio inputs to different video inputs, but that issue was corrected in a recent firmware update. Most of the most popular Dolby and DTS decoders are present, including ones for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, but not for Dolby Pro Logic IIz. Outputs for Yamaha's optional "presence" speakers (part of Yamaha's digital signal processing technology and intended to recreate the ambient sounds of the original recording) are included. You'll also find other Yamaha technologies, such as Silent Cinema (for recreating surround sound for headphone wearers), and various scene modes (automatically select sources and settings for activities such as DVD viewing) and YPAO automatic speaker setup.