Home Theater Receivers

Receiver basics

Most people tend to spend more time considering the video display and the speakers part of a home theater setup, but a home theater receiver is, in many ways, the most important component. Its primary purpose, of course, is to deliver great sound to your speakers. Movie audio ranges from soft dialog to floorboard-rattling special effects; having the ability to render all of that with clarity, fidelity and volume is a challenge that's only compounded when music becomes part of the equation.

The sound quality delivered by today’s TVs is typically far superior to the norm of just a few years ago, when even top-quality sets had speakers and amplifiers that might have been more suitable in a clock radio. Instead of being an afterthought, TV manufacturers are now spending time and effort on the audio side of things. Many current televisions are capable of delivering sound quality that’s fine for casual viewing, and some can do even better than that.

However, even the best TVs can't provide the kind of sound needed for a satisfying home-theater experience. That's because a proper surround sound field requires a minimum of five speakers plus a subwoofer. See our companion report on home theater speakers . You'll need a home theater receiver to drive the speakers and to control signals sent to and from the television.

You’ll see home theater receivers labeled as 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1. That designation refers to the number of sound channels. For example, a 5.1 system will have five audio channels -- right front, center front, left front, right rear surround and left rear surround -- plus a subwoofer. Receivers designated as 6.1 or 7.1 add a rear center surround channel or channels to the mix. (Stereo receivers used for music have two channels, by comparison.)

Every home theater receiver includes Dolby surround sound processing, and many receivers support multiple formats. Dolby Digital is the most popular surround sound format and is used in HDTV programming and most DVDs. It contains 5.1 channels of sound information. Dolby Digital EX adds an additional rear center surround channel to the mix to create an even more realistic surround sound field. It can be implemented with either a single center rear surround speaker (6.1 channels) or twin center rear surround speakers (7.1 channels). In a 7.1 system, both center rear surround speakers are fed the same audio material.

The newest Dolby format is Dolby TrueHD, a lossless sound format that's used in some HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs. The decoders for that are built into all HD DVD players and most Blu-ray players, so you don't need a receiver that can decode that format to enjoy it. However, the receiver will need either multi-channel (5.1, 6.1 or 7.1) analog inputs or an HDMI input that's capable of accepting multi-channel LPCM audio. Note that many home theater receivers, and especially budget models, only have HDMI passthrough; they can switch HDMI signals, but they don't process them.

Most home theater receivers also support Dolby Pro Logic II and/or Dolby Pro Logic IIx. Dolby Pro Logic II is used to create a realistic 5.1-channel surround sound field from a two-channel stereo source such as recorded music on a CD. Dolby Pro Logic IIx is used to expand 5.1 material for 6.1 or 7.1 playback.

In addition to Dolby, many home theater receivers support DTS surround sound. DTS has lower compression than Dolby Digital for what’s considered by some to be better sound quality. However, fewer DVDs -- and no HDTV programming -- include DTS-encoded audio tracks. DTS is a 5.1 channel surround system. Variations include DTS-ES, which is a 6.1-channel system, and DTS NEO:6, which creates a 5.1 or 6.1 sound field from a two-channel sound source. DTS-Master HD is the DTS equivalent of Dolby TrueHD.

Budget home theater receivers

According to the reviews we read, many budget receivers aren't a great value; they mainly get mixed reviews, with not enough features and flexibility. That said, reviews reveal that some less expensive home theater receivers are better than others. Keep in mind that in this price range, you could also consider a home theater system , which includes both a receiver and speakers in the same box.

For those on the tightest of budgets, the Onkyo TX-SR304 (*est. $150) is a good value, say critics. At this modest a price, you won't get much in the way of features, but where the Onkyo TX-SR304 shines is in its sonic performance. While we did not see a ton of user reviews for this home theater receiver, most are pleased with its sound quality. Among professional reviewers, Robert Silva at About.com is also impressed with what he heard, saying the Onkyo TX-SR304 "delivered clean, non-fatiguing sound, even at higher listening levels."

This 5.1 channel receiver delivers a modest 65 watts-per-channel, but that should be enough to fill a medium-sized room. Silva notes that there are not a lot of special surround-sound or DSP (digital signal processing) options available, but what's there is practical and sounds great. Connectivity is a weak spot, with no HDMI or S-video connections, and just one coaxial and two optical digital audio inputs. No HDMI means that this receiver isn't the ideal companion for an HDTV or high-definition DVD player (though it will certainly work with an HDTV using other connections).

The Pioneer VSX-816 home theater receiver was recommended as a budget choice by The Perfect Vision and Audioholics.com. That receiver is now discontinued. In its place, Pioneer has introduced the Pioneer VSX-817 (*est. $270) , which is an essentially identical model. The major difference is the inclusion of Sirius and XM radio capabilities (the VSX-816 was XM-ready only).

What sets the Pioneer apart from the Onkyo TX-SR304 are its extra power and more features. The Pioneer VSX-817 is a 7.1 channel receiver that can deliver a respectable 110 watts per channel (compared to 65 watts for the budget Onkyo receiver). Setting up the receiver is simplified by the inclusion of Pioneer's MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration) system -- place a calibration microphone at your listening position, press a button, and MCACC configures audio settings to create an ideal surround field. Connectivity is more generous than in the Onkyo TX-SR304, but, again, it does not include HDMI. The component video connections are capable of passing 1080p signals to an HDTV, though most DVD players and other devices are not capable of passing 1080p over their component outputs. Signal processing modes include Sound Retriever, which improves the sound quality of highly compressed audio formats such as MP3, and Dialogue Enhancement, which adds extra detail to the center channel for movies that are dialog intensive. Multi-zone operation lets you listen to stereo sound in two different areas.

The sound quality in earlier versions of this home theater receiver has been generally described as very good for music and especially movies. We've not seen any professional or user reviews for the newer Pioneer VSX-817, but based on its pedigree (the VSX-815 was also well received by reviewers) and similarity to previous models, we expect it to be a solid choice. The VSX-817 is available in silver (VSX-817-S) and black (VSX-817-K).

The 7.1 channel Yamaha RX-V659 (*est. $295) is the Pioneer VSX-817's closest competitor, and it is similar in many ways. Output power is just a hair lower (100 watts per channel vs. 110 for the Pioneer). Like most other home theater receivers in this price class, it lacks HDMI compatibility, but connectivity is otherwise robust. You will find a total of six digital audio inputs (four optical and two coaxial), along with 7.1 channel analog inputs. There's even a turntable input.

Yamaha offers its own automatic speaker calibration, called YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer). It works similarly to Pioneer's MCACC, which is featured in the Pioneer VSX-817. Reviews on this feature are mixed, with CNet.com saying that it's accurate and easy to use. Audioholics.com, on the other hand, says "not to take the end results too seriously," adding that manual speaker set up is made easier thanks to precise level and distance setting gradations (+/-.5dB and .5 ft. increments).

The Yamaha RX-V659 home theater receiver's features include a pair of extra speaker connectors. Those can be used to drive presence speakers, which supplement the front surrounds to create a broader sound field or to send music to a separate zone. An adjustable audio delay can help clean up lip sync issues -- a common problem with some displays. Compressed Music Enhancer helps when playing back MP3s and other compressed audio formats. The Yamaha RX-V659 home theater receiver is XM ready and XMHD compatible, but it’s not Sirius ready. Audio quality is excellent overall, though CNet.com complains that the "sense of depth and richness we get from higher-end receivers" is missing. Audioholics.com compliments the Yamaha RX-V659 for its low noise floor, which means silent scenes are truly silent -- that is something with which even high-end receivers sometimes struggle.

If you are interested in a budget home-theater receiver and don't yet have a speaker package, some home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs) also might make sense. These are covered in our report on home theater systems .

For example, the Onkyo HT-S907 (*est. $760) is a home-theater system composed of component grade equipment. The receiver in that system is the Onkyo TX-SR604, a fairly well regarded home-theater receiver that Onkyo sold separately up until recently. It features great connectivity, including HDMI switching, something that's missing in a lot of lower cost receivers. Although the system price is higher than anything else in the budget range, you get a six-disc upscaling DVD player and a 7.1 speaker package (seven speakers plus a subwoofer) as part of the deal.

Home-theater receivers with HDMI

As you move up in price, you get somewhat better audio performance and additional features. Many have the ability to switch and process digital audio and video signals delivered via HDMI. HDMI switching saves you from having to run any cables from your other components to the TV. Your speakers, DVD player, cable box and other components hook up just to the receiver, so you only need to run a single HDMI cable between the receiver and the television -- a much cleaner setup. With the above receivers, you'll still have to run other cables to the display. Since HDMI cables can pass high-definition audio and video, you only need the one cable.

We saw lots of praise for the Onkyo TX-SR674 (*est. $675) , an older but still current 7.1-channel home-theater receiver that offers great features and sound. This 95-watts-per-channel receiver includes a pair of HDMI 1.1 inputs, and both its HDMI switching and processing features are particularly robust. It can accept and switch all video resolutions to 1080p and can deinterlace 480i standard definition video from the composite, component or s-video connections and output it as 480p via HDMI. That's an important feature, since some older HDTVs can't accept 480i video via HDMI.

On the audio side, the Onkyo TX-SR674 home theater receiver can process a variety of formats via HDMI, including multichannel LPCM, Dolby Digital and DTS. The ability to process LPCM signals means that it can deliver the full impact of Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio when connected to an HD-DVD or Blu-ray player equipped with the appropriate decoders (many are). However, the Onkyo TX-SR674 can't natively decode those new high-resolution audio formats.

Setup is easier due to 2EQ speaker-configuration software created by Audyssey. In a review at Big Picture Big Sound, Chris Boylan compares the results obtained using 2EQ with those achieved by using manual configuration, and he found them to be "remarkably accurate" despite some limitations. Reviews also say the Onkyo TX-SR674 is otherwise easy to use, with a good menu and manual. The small remote is said to be well organized. Audio quality is first rate, with Boyan saying "the TX-SR674 did an excellent job driving efficient bookshelf speakers to suitable levels with no hint of strain or confusion."

Onkyo has also recently released one of the more future-proof home theater receivers in the Onkyo TX-SR605 (*est. $470) . Key improvements over the Onkyo TX-SR674 include the support of HDMI 1.3 (a more recent standard than 1.1) and the inclusion of on-board Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders. HDMI 1.3 supports a higher bandwidth than previous versions. That offers a number of video benefits, but also adds audio goodies like support for the new high-resolution audio formats (such as Dolby TrueHD) via bitstream, in addition to LPCM.

Critics point out, however, that HDMI 1.3 and built-in high-resolution audio decoders are not of much benefit right now. No current HD-DVD or Blu-ray players output high-resolution audio in the bitstream format the decoders require; instead high def DVD players use their own internal decoders and output that audio as LPCM. Very few devices currently support HDMI 1.3, though support should become much more widespread in the not too distant future. Like the Onkyo TX-SR674, the Onkyo TX-SR605 has auto speaker setup and two HDMI inputs, along with a smorgasbord of other connections.

In terms of audio quality, CNet.com says that the Onkyo TX-SR605 provides plenty of power at 90 watts-per-channel for action-packed movies and handles all sorts of musical content with aplomb. Video is another matter, however. Oddly, 1080i signals input via component are downconverted to 720p when output over HDMI, and 1080p input via component can't be output over HDMI at all. Even more disappointing, according to CNet.com, is that when called upon to deinterlace, the Onkyo TX-SR605 noticeably softens resolution and introduces an artifact known as jaggies (lines and curves that are stair-step shaped rather than smooth). However, CNet.com adds that sub-par video processing is fairly common in receivers in the Onkyo TX-SR605's price class and that there are workarounds, although those aren't terribly convenient. Performance is greatly improved when the TX-SR605 is fed progressive or HD signals.

The JVC RX-D702B (*est. $540) home theater receiver is a small step up in price, but it offers a number of interesting features. Perhaps the most fascinating is a wireless USB feature that can stream Internet radio and other audio from a PC or Mac to the JVC RX-D702B. The receiver is also relatively high powered, though the manufacturer's specification of 150 watts is at an unconventional 6 ohms (most power specifications are at 8 ohms, or separate numbers are given for power at 4 and 8 ohms).

Like other receivers in this category, the JVC RX-D702B supports HDMI, but only the older 1.1 version. However, aside from the two HDMI inputs, there are only three optical inputs and a single coaxial digital audio input, which could be inadequate if you have an extensive home theater setup. There are, however, plenty of analog connections, including 5.1 channel analog audio. Analog video via composite, S-video and component are converted to HDMI. The home theater receiver will also convert S-video and composite to component.

The JVC RX-D702B uses a rather unusual automatic speaker configuration scheme. Most have the user place a small calibration microphone at the seating position. With JVC's system, the speakers become the microphones, and the user is asked to clap loudly. Mark Fleischmann at Home Theater Magazine found this system (called Smart Surround Setup) fun to use and reasonably accurate for the front speakers. Results were not as good for the rear surrounds, but Fleischmann says that given his room's set up, this was not unexpected. Michael Fremer at UltimateAV also found the results to be reasonably accurate, but adds in his review that the instruction manual's dense writing style and confusing organization makes the process harder than it should be for neophytes. CNet.com describes the Smart Surround Setup as neither smart nor accurate and adds that manual set up is complicated by on-screen menus that that are "especially difficult to fathom and use." One positive is that the on-screen menus are passed by the HDMI connection -- something that's not true on all home-theater receivers.

Regardless of its odd power specification, reviewers say the JVC RX-D702B home theater receiver has plenty of power. Fremer says that the receiver sounded as if it had power in reserve, no matter how hard he pushed it. He also notes that bass is "well-controlled and utterly tuneful" and that "bass fanatics will love this receiver."

On the video side, the JVC RX-D702B does a better job than similar home theater receivers, thanks to its inclusion of Faroudja's DCDi de-interlacing circuitry. Tests at UltimateAV and at CNet.com reveal that processing works flawlessly, without introducing artifacts, and that 720p and 1080i resolutions pass through with out harm. However, this is an older receiver and does not support 1080p. In addition, professional and user reports say that the JVC RX-D702B runs exceptionally warm.

Luxury home theater receivers

Home theater receivers that cost $1,000 or more are usually of interest only to audiophiles who can afford such an expensive component. But if you can spend this much, it means you won't have to compromise much, if at all.

According to reviewers, the Denon AVR-2807 (*est. $1,000) delivers a nearly unbeatable combination of performance and features. It's got connections from 1080p-capable HDMI 1.1 inputs to stereo phono -- and there are enough of them to accommodate even complex home-theater setups.

The Denon AVR-2807 includes the obligatory auto speaker setup option, but what's included here is more sophisticated than those found in lower priced options. Also present is Audyssey's MultiEQ XT, which balances sound in several spots in a room -- handy for larger groups of viewers.

Lots of receivers have multi-zone support, but the Denon AVR-2807 let's you configure its 7.1 channels as a 5.1 surround system plus an independent 2-channel stereo if you wish, sending audio from a second source -- such as a CD player -- to another room. Other features include XM radio compatibility, a dedicated iPod port (accessory dock required), audio delay to correct for lip sync and a host of Dolby, DTS and Denon's own surround modes.

Video performance is very good. Where some home-theater receivers struggle when deinterlacing 480i sources, Carroll says that the one in the Denon AVR-2807 outperformed the one in his display and "happily passes analog sources like cable boxes, VCRs and gaming systems through to the HDMI output." Piero Gabucci at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity concurs, adding that "the images on my projector never looked better."

Sonically, everyone sings the Denon AVR-2807's praises. Steve Guttenberg at CNet.com says sound quality from CDs is "far beyond what we hear from most affordable receivers," and movie audio puts the viewer right in the middle of the scene. Gabucci succinctly says "This little receiver rocked!" At 110 watts-per-channel, the AVR-2807 has the horses to deliver thundering special effects in up to a medium-sized room, yet still provide with clarity the little sonic details that give a scene its realism.

Video processing takes center stage in Sony's 7.1-channel STR DA5200ES (*est. $940) , but what strikes most users first is the sophisticated on-screen menu system. It utilizes a graphical user interface (GUI) to produce displays that Sound & Vision's Daniel Kumin calls "by a wide margin, the most elegant and detailed I've seen from any receiver." The menu makes setup easier, too.

While most receivers in this price range can convert 480i to 480p, the Sony STR-DA5200ES home theater receiver uses Faroudja technology to upscale standard definition inputs to 1080p for output via HDMI, or 1080i for output via component. However, we saw differing opinions on how well the receiver handles video. CNet.com complains that the receiver fares poorly when fed standard definition video, failing to lock into film mode (2:3 pull down processing) when passing video that was originally recorded on film. That resulted in images that suffered from jaggies and other artifacts. Performance with progressive or high definition video is markedly better, however.

Kumin, on the other hand, is far more impressed by the Sony STR-DA5200ES, and he calls the video capabilities "class leading." While he does not directly address performance with 480i sources, he does note that a host of sources -- including cable and satellite TV boxes, DVD players, displays and more -- can both de-interlace and scale video. He adds that when fed a 480p input, the Sony receiver easily outperformed the upconversion done by the display in the test set-up. Audio is said to be great across the board. CNet.com says that this Sony "sounds downright muscular, with the warmth and the refined treble we associate with the very best receivers."

While the Sony STR-DA5200ES remains available, Sony has announced the Sony STR-DA5300ES (*est. $1,500). CNet.com takes a sneak peak at that receiver and generally likes what it sees. Upgrades include HDMI 1.3 support, on-board Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders, even more inputs -- including six HDMI -- and significantly improved performance with standard definition (480i) video. The only significant negative noted is some HDMI compatibility difficulty with some other equipment.

The Outlaw Audio Model 1070 (*est. $900) also gets some positive press. Most reviewers, such as Home Theater Magazine's Mark Fleischmann, hail it as a bargain because of its great audio performance -- the equal of receivers costing much more. The Model 1070 trails behind most other home theater receivers in its switching capabilities. It lacks HDMI altogether, though DVI inputs and outputs are provided, and those are compatible with HDMI (sans the audio signal) via an adapter. You also won't find any video processing circuitry here to upconvert or de-interlace video, although it will convert between component, composite and s-video, so you can send everything to your display via one cable (or set of cables).

While the video capabilities (or lack thereof) might leave some cold, the Model 1070 really shines when it comes to producing fantastic audio. In particular, the receiver is hailed for passing clean, pure and uncolored audio. Its 65 watts-per-channel is not particularly impressive on paper, but in reality, this provides plenty of power for even medium-sized listening rooms.

Important Features: Home-theater receivers

You should consider the following factors when shopping for a home-theater receiver:

• How any audio channels do you want or need? You’ll see 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 channel receivers. The advantage of the extra rear channel(s) in 6.1 and 7.1 systems is that they can do a better job of creating a convincing surround sound field. The disadvantage is that many listening locations can’t easily accommodate proper placement of the additional speakers, and relatively few DVDs -- and no HDTV broadcasts or cablecasts -- are encoded with the extra rear channel, although it can be derived by home-theater receivers with the proper processing circuitry.

• Don't forget the video. Delivering sound is still the most important factor, but home-theater receivers are increasingly adding video capabilities, making them the hub of a home-theater system. Mid-priced receivers usually have the ability to switch HDMI signals and even de-interlace them for better compatibility with older HDMI-equipped HDTVs. Many can also convert analog video sources and output them as HDMI to reduce the typical rats nest of home theater wiring to just a couple of cables.

• Auto-setup can be helpful. Many receivers include sophisticated auto-setup routines that simplify the job of setting up the speakers. The best ones work relatively well, but results vary depending on the speakers and the room's acoustics. However, while audiophiles might still prefer to make settings manually, auto-setup can help an inexperienced user get better results.

• Check the manufacturer's policy before buying online. Some manufacturers have strict policies regarding authorized dealers. Denon, for example, clearly warns prospective buyers that their warranty is not valid if they don't purchase their receiver from an authorized retailer or if the serial number has been removed or replaced to prevent tracing the receiver's original source. Some retailers do offer their own warranties in such cases, but the decision on whether on not that's sufficient is one that should be carefully weighed.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
3	Onkyo TX-SR674 (*est. $675)	details
3	JVC RX-D702B (*est. $540)	details
2	Onkyo TX-SR605 (*est. $470)	details
2	Outlaw Audio Model 1070 (*est. $900)	-
2	Denon AVR-2807 (*est. $1,000)	details
2	Yamaha RX-V659 (*est. $295)	details
2	Sony STR-DA5200ES (*est. $940)	details
1 each	Denon AVR-4306 , Pioneer VSX-1016TX, Onkyo TX-SR304 , Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS , Sony STR-DG1000 , Sony STR-DG910, Yamaha RX-V661

Reviewers tell us that there are great home-theater receivers to fit almost any budget. Performance and features generally escalate with price. The no-frills Onkyo TX-SR304 is the cheapest receiver that receives a recommendation in reviews. The Yamaha RX-V659 lacks HDMI capabilities, but has virtually every other connectivity option available. The Onkyo TX-SR605 is one of the most future-proof receivers you can buy. It has HDMI 1.3 compatibility and on-board Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders. The Sony STR-DA5200ES has a groundbreaking graphical user interface that looks cool and generally makes the receiver easy to set up and use. An announced successor model, the STR-DA5300ES, adds HDMI 1.3 compatibility, high-resolution audio decoders and even more inputs.

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