AV receivers are the centerpiece of your home theater. The device bundles auditory and visual signals in one, whether from TV, speakers or PC.
The all-rounder receiver is equally suitable for beginners and experts. Nevertheless, the numerous possible applications require know-how to find the right device. Thanks to the many technological developments, the topic of AV receivers and home cinema has an enormous depth and complexity.
For this reason, this page provides information about technical details. The purpose is to get a better understanding as well as answers to the most common questions.
The right knowledge effectively helps in making the right purchase decision and paves the way for a long-term investment that can save money. This site provides transparent navigation to quickly get to the desired sub-item.
When it comes to making the right buying decision, a best list can be crucial. In addition, a listing of products from the brands Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer, Teufel and Yamaha can be found within the scope of the extended purchase decision.
AV receivers: bestseller list
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2022-10-04 / Der angegebene Preis kann seit der letzten Aktualisierung gestiegen sein. Maßgeblich für den Verkauf ist der tatsächliche Preis des Produkts, der zum Zeitpunkt des Kaufs auf der Website des Verkäufers stand. Eine Echtzeit-Aktualisierung der vorstehend angegebenen Preise ist technisch nicht möglich. * = Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
The heart of every home theater is the AV receiver with its multifaceted applicability. Both auditory and visual signals find their way into the technical jack-of-all-trades.
But there are many questions on the way to the right model. After all, there is an incredible wealth of possible A/V receivers in the home theater segment.
This fully automated best list for AV receivers maps the strong receivers according to their sales rank. Thus, the rank can give conclusions about the price/performance ratio of the product.
Therefore, this list of bestsellers can send valuable impulses for the right purchase. The focus here is not on price, but on positive feedback.
AV Receiver Product Presentations
AV receivers from Denon and Co.
The home theater sector offers room for many competent manufacturers. Common companies include, for example, Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer, Teufel and Yamaha.
Denon amplifier
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2022-10-04 / Der angegebene Preis kann seit der letzten Aktualisierung gestiegen sein. Maßgeblich für den Verkauf ist der tatsächliche Preis des Produkts, der zum Zeitpunkt des Kaufs auf der Website des Verkäufers stand. Eine Echtzeit-Aktualisierung der vorstehend angegebenen Preise ist technisch nicht möglich. * = Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
The products of Denon convince above all with their great versatility. Thus, the bandwidth ranges from entry-level models to high-price products.
The Denon company draws its expertise from its many years of experience in the home cinema segment. Among other things, it introduced digital pulse code modulation audio technology, or PCM for short.
This technological achievement is significant for processing signals in audio and video technology. Likewise, the Denon brand is considered a pioneer in the introduction of Dolby Digital in the field of A/V receivers.
Onkyo AV receivers
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2022-10-04 / Der angegebene Preis kann seit der letzten Aktualisierung gestiegen sein. Maßgeblich für den Verkauf ist der tatsächliche Preis des Produkts, der zum Zeitpunkt des Kaufs auf der Website des Verkäufers stand. Eine Echtzeit-Aktualisierung der vorstehend angegebenen Preise ist technisch nicht möglich. * = Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
Originating from Japan, the company joins the ranks of major consumer electronics manufacturers. Among the important milestones was the installation of the Ethernet interface. This provides the basis for using Internet radio.
Pioneer AV/Receiver
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2022-10-04 / Der angegebene Preis kann seit der letzten Aktualisierung gestiegen sein. Maßgeblich für den Verkauf ist der tatsächliche Preis des Produkts, der zum Zeitpunkt des Kaufs auf der Website des Verkäufers stand. Eine Echtzeit-Aktualisierung der vorstehend angegebenen Preise ist technisch nicht möglich. * = Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
Pioneer is known for its diversified product range.
Buying advice for the AV receiver
Professional buying advice is essential for the satisfactory purchase of an A/V receiver. If possible, those who invest a lot of money in technology do not want to accept any compromises in later use.
At first glance, there may not be any significant differences in an A/V receiver. Part of the high-quality look is the reduction to the essentials. This may be true for the front view, but not for the hidden rear, which faces the wall. Because this is where the true potential of any powerful A/V receiver is revealed.
The connections on the back of an A/V receiver help with the purchase decision .
The front is very sparsely structured with the small display, one or two tuners and a few buttons. The back, on the other hand, presents a completely different picture.
One port after the other is found here. You almost get the feeling that the manufacturers seem to want to outdo each other in terms of quantity.
As a buyer, it’s important to know that many ports first speak for the device’s usability. Nevertheless, the ports have a different weight in the context of their practical potential.
For example, many analog connections only make sense when record players or cassette recorders (technology of days gone by) are to be connected. More contemporary and more likely to be of longer-term use is a multitude of HDMI connections.
An A/V receiver never has too many HDMI ports. For example, DVD players or Bluray players run through these digital ports. In addition to the multi-faceted hardware, the software sets the right framework for enjoyment in the home theater room.
But which components should be given special attention when buying? The lack of certain connections makes itself felt negatively sooner or later. If the multitude of video signals run via the HDMI interface, then a low number quickly becomes noticeable.
The LAN connection is an essential feature that belongs to the standard repertoire of the A/VR. This has less interference compared to WLAN and scores in terms of security.
The more precise the later place of use is, the easier it is to find the right device. If this factor is unknown, the best buying advice is of no help because it depends significantly on the usage behavior, etc.
Musical enjoyment primarily focuses on an intact speaker system that likes to sound the whole living room a la Multiroom. In contrast, this approach works less well for cinematic performances.
After all, surround sound is part and parcel of an authentic cinema experience. Here, the right selection of speakers is required (for example, front, core, rear speakers and subwoofer).
Sensible investments are characterized by the fact that they are far-sighted. It makes sense to buy an AV receiver that is compatible with the latest technological standards.
For example, the right number of HDMI connections is part of this. AV receivers are predestined to bring home cinema sound into your own four walls.
In this context, terms like “AV receiver 5.1”, “AV receiver 7.1” or “AV receiver 9.2” come up. To the observer, these combinations of numbers may seem inexplicable. However, this is simple mathematics.
Improvement of technological features
Not all hardware innovations pay off equally. However, computing power increases with each new generation compared to the previous one.
Thus, the performance of digital signal processors improves, resulting in more authentic sound acoustics. Fortunately, many innovations can be installed with a suitable update.
AV Receiver WLAN Speaker
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2022-10-04 / Der angegebene Preis kann seit der letzten Aktualisierung gestiegen sein. Maßgeblich für den Verkauf ist der tatsächliche Preis des Produkts, der zum Zeitpunkt des Kaufs auf der Website des Verkäufers stand. Eine Echtzeit-Aktualisierung der vorstehend angegebenen Preise ist technisch nicht möglich. * = Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
Once the right speakers have been purchased, it’s a matter of assigning them the right place in the home theater room. After all, A/V receiver speakers develop their potential through proper positioning.
In this way, the sonic yield is particularly high. Free-standing speakers develop their sound optimally because pieces of furniture or walls do not absorb the vibrations.
In this context, the intended position of the individual speakers is informative. For example, front speakers do not replace rear speakers, which are placed in the back.
These have a high value for the creation of a surround sound. The reason for this is that the rear speakers for AV receivers authentically reproduce sounds from the environment within a movie.
Unfortunately, the market for speakers is as complex as the market for A/V receivers. As a rule of thumb it is advisable: Better a cheap A/V receiver with cheap speakers than an audio and video receiver in the high-price segment with cheap speakers.
The option to complete the set of real speakers over time also seems practical. Quality prevails in the long run.
Yamaha or Denon AV receivers offer the option of multi-room use. Those who like to experience music enjoyment in the individual rooms of their own home will benefit from these special systems.
AV receiver speakers
5.1-channel speaker system
7.1-channel speaker system
AV receiver wireless boxes
AV receiver 9.2 - complex surround system
Denon HEOS speakers
Yamaha MusicCast speakers
Glossary: Explanation of key terms
4K HDR - High contrast image
Sony in particular uses the term 4K HDR, but so do other manufacturers, as can be seen at Yamaha*. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. This dynamic range refers to the color and brightness range.
4K UHD - picture resolution
The term 4K UHD consists of two components. First, 4K refers to the resolution, which corresponds to a resolution of 4096 x 2160. Secondly, UHD is the abbreviation for Ultra High Definition, which means extremely-high resolution.
AirPlay for Apple products
Friends of Iphone, Macbook and Co. pay attention: The "Apple AirPlay" function on the AV receiver simplifies the connection of these devices with the home theater center. A simple app brings the end devices together with the control center without any problems. AV receivers with this functionality are explicitly declared with this technology.
Connectable devices on the AV receiver
The central importance is obvious from the range of connectable devices. These include: Beamers, BluRay players, BluRay recorders, digital cameras, DVD players, DVD recorders, external hard drives, TVs, laptops, speakers in variable numbers, NAS servers, PCs, smartphones, game consoles, subwoofers, tablets, USB sticks, etc.
Possibilities at a glance
Projector
BluRay player
BluRay recorder
Digital cameras
DVD players
DVD-Recorder
External hard disks
TV set
Laptop
Speakers in variable number
NAS server
PC
Smartphone
Game consoles
Subwoofer
Tablet
USB sticks
Definition of AV receiver
The receiver is characterized by being able to receive auditory or visual signals. For this reason, the A stands for audio and the V for video. In the written version, it is also called audio-video receiver, and in the abbreviated form, AVR.
Meaning of 4K
4K is an indication of horizontal image resolution, which contains 4000 pixels. Moreover, the K is the abbreviation for kilo, which means as much as 1000. Accordingly, 4 K is 4000 pixels.
4K AV receiver
A 4K AV receiver is a multi-channel amplifier that is characterized by an image resolution of 4000 pixels.
Importance of 5.1 or 7.1
As a common descriptor of products, (1) 5.1 or (2) 7.1 or their variations often appear. In other words, the AV receiver is described in the same breath as 5.1* or 7.1*, for example, to refer to surround sound as the central functionality.
The numbers indicate the value of the multi-channel sound system. Thus, (1) contains one low frequency channel (".1") and five main channels (".5"). In terms of speaker selection, there is one speaker in the center, two speakers in the front area, i.e. to the left and right of the TV, and two more surround speakers in the back area to the listener, which is in the center of this arrangement.
Similarly, (2) has seven main channels and one low frequency channel. The intention for an auditory multi-component system is based on a uniform sound expansion of the audio signals for an even sound image. Furthermore, it is as advantageous as possible to imagine a circle in the mind's eye in which the components are placed symmetrically to each other.
Task of an AV receiver
The heart of the home theater is connected as a control center with the devices connected to it. Worth emphasizing is the establishing possibility to use known streaming offers to call up created playlists or internet radio. The output of the music tracks is done via the sound system. Common channel systems represent 5.1 or 7.1, which expresses the number of power amplifiers.
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD-DTS:X
It is common that the descriptions of a model are accompanied by the mention of its audio format. This circumstance is due to the fact of showing the receiver's auditory potential. Behind the terms hide audio formats, which, of course, differ from each other in detail.
HDMI and its great popularity
The High Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI for short, is an interface for auditory or visual signals. Incidentally, the interface produces high quality and is the basis for high-definition images, for example.
For this reason, it represents a necessary component when buying an AV receiver. In addition, the receiver must have enough HDMI inputs, the number of which determines the sum of potentially connectable devices.
Yamaha MusicCast for independent music enjoyment
The manufacturer Yamaha is in the process of establishing a new system for its products. The intention is to bundle all devices into a network that can be accessed at any time in the household via WLAN using the MusicCast CONTROLLER application.
In addition to the in-house products, which are now supported with the appropriate hardware, other devices can also be part of the network via Bluetooth.