Av Receivers
About AV Receivers
The AV receiver is one of the components of your home theatre system. You can deduce the importance of this device by its purpose. In layman terms, it is responsible for channelising audio and video signals to drive the speakers and route the video to display on your screen. So, if you are planning to buy an AV receiver, you need a proper planning guide to buy it right the first time.
The first-ever receiver was used in the early ’80s and initially had two inputs: audio and video. It came without a remote but had a hefty price tag back then. Today, the market is full of multichannel receivers incorporating hi-fi electronics elements. Here, a channel means dedicated circuitry for an audio source. Thus, there can be a two-channel or multichannel system depending on your requirements. For instance, if you need surround sound, five channels are required. Although the purpose of a receiver is amplification, the difference in channels lies in audio/video conversion and amplification power. In conclusion, a quality purchase is equivalent to efficient power.
Everything you need to know about AV receivers
An AV receiver primarily simplifies all the connections of your speaker system and TV/projector. You can easily switch between playback devices, such as Blu-ray players, video cameras, gaming console, and CD players. Let’s break the term – audio + video. By saying audio, we mean the power receiver sent to your speaker system. And by saying video, we mean the pictures that are sent to the display unit. The quality of both elements depends on the quality of the receiver you purchase. So, it’s imperative to know how to choose the right one. Keep reading to find out more.
Stereo receiver
Stereo receivers are the basic ones with an audio-only listening experience. They come with a built-in amplifier providing only a two-channel speaker configuration. Thus, these receivers do not have surround-sound decoding. Despite missing high-end features, you can add external elements to the receiver. For instance, you can connect a/b speakers to any two-channel configuration and elevate the experience similar to four speakers. Some of the premium highlights of any stereo receiver are headphone connection, turntable/CD inputs, digital coaxial inputs, ethernet, and WiFi connectivity. Although this component is audio-only in purpose, some brands provide video connectivity too.
Audio-video receiver
Some of the built-in features of an AV receiver include five amplifiers, surround sound encoding, radio tuner, analogue & digital inputs, and HDMI connectivity. With multiple built-in features, extendable outputs become easy and convenient to connect. For instance, you can comfortably accommodate 7.1 or 13.1 channel configurations with an AV receiver. Apart from this, you can obtain more optional features too. These include a second subwoofer, automatic speaker setup, external amplifiers, internet streaming, wireless audio, ethernet, and WIFI connectivity. There are more options, but it all depends on the money you want to spend. We recommend our retail search engine when it comes to finding the best AV receivers, as it offers over 500 online shops and high-end brands to consider.
Top AV receivers
When you search top AV receivers online and see a bunch of products, you should deduce that the products are highly liked by other customers. Apart from the brand label and authenticity provided by them, they have the compiled features that are most needed. If you don’t want your shopping to be wholly brand-specific, you can still explore them to comprehend the specifications list. It will help you contemplate between the choices. We would like to name some brands for you here. These include Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Harman Kardon, Pioneer, Sony, Arcam, Dolby Atmos, and Kenwood.
Tips on how to buy AV receivers online
Finally, you have reached the step where you know what you want, but the dilemma of picking the right one makes you stuck somewhere in the middle. Thus, it’s essential to understand some of the few essential characteristics of an AV receiver. This way, you can smartly narrow down your options. Without further ado, the following are some of the tips you can consider:
- N u mber of channels – You need to check the speaker configuration before buying. That’s because every AV receiver is designed to support different surround sound speaker layouts. The price and space are other factors to consider before fixing the number of channels. One instance is 5.1, which means three speakers in the front and two rear surround speakers on the left and right.
- Sound effects – AV receivers provide the perfect sound quality. In that case, you must consider those that enable you to add extra height speaker in the future. Dolby Atmos speaker configuration with two extra speakers is written as 5.1.2 for 5 channel or 7.1.2 for 7 channel version.
- N umber of connections – The number and types of connections vary between different models of an AV receiver. The most common one is 7/2, which means 7 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs. Think about the devices you want to connect with the receiver and decide the number. These include a gaming console, a video camera, and a CD player.
- N/w AV receivers – Do you want your setup to connect with your home internet, so that you can stream music or watch videos? In this case, you need to look for features such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Chromecast, or Airplay. The right network connectivity is of utmost importance for the proper functioning of the AV receiver.
- Power ratings – If you want to add a power rating, this would mean the sound level would be increased by 3db. Many customers, however, don’t want this much loud volume. And, it doesn’t mean better sound. Overall, the power rating is 50-200 watts, which is plenty for average-sized rooms.
We hope that the tips would help you in choosing the best. Well, the gadgets market is all about upgrades. You may see a new gadget just after you have bought yours. So, to avoid any post-purchase regret, you must make your purchase quality-wise perfect and durable enough. After all, a significant investment like AV receivers does not normally get replaced often. Scroll through the latest products and popular brands on our shopping platform and you will see a wide assortment of exciting features.
Question & Answer
Is AV receiver an amplifier?
Yes and no. Yes, because it does perform an amplifier’s functions. And no, because it is not just an amplifier but inclusive of other features too. An AV receiver includes a tuner, preamplifier, and an amplifier with lots of other built-in functionalities by default. Stereo receivers are sometimes referred to as amplifiers because they only consist of two-channel speaker configurations other than the amplifier. However, the audio-video receiver is one unit in which amplifying is just one of the small features.
Why are AV receivers so big?
Overall, the purpose of the AV receiver justifies its huge size. It has to accommodate audio & Hi-Fi components, such as six channels, decoder sections, and power amplifiers. Other than that, consumers tend to upgrade their home theatre system every now and then. Therefore, it must have space to contain extra video cards. There are two reasons for this huge size: regular upgrades and built-in features.
How to compare different AV receivers?
There are three important things you need to consider when comparing different AV receivers. First is the weight. Cheaper power supplies and transformers are lightweight. The second thing you need to focus on is power. Keep in mind that there are a lot of differences between 80 watts and 170 watts per channel. Ultimately, check the bench testing. You can watch online videos performing bench testing to different receivers, which can measure the actual power output.
Which AV receiver is the best for a home theatre?
There are certain features you need to look for in an AV receiver. These include video support of 4K HDR, surround formats of Dolby Atmos & DTS:X, 6 HDMI inputs, and high-res audio. Also, do not forget the audio channels and dimension as per your liking. All this will result in an enjoyable and dynamic performance you do not want to miss. Sony, Denon, Pioneer, Marantz, Dolby Atmos, Onkyo are a few brands manufacturing multiple features in one unit.
An AV receiver is a significant investment. So, it is advisable to conduct thorough research before the purchase. Our shopping platform is indeed a great platform to kickstart your shopping drive. You can start by filtering brands, features, or even our sale section as we have many AV receivers on sale. Just hop on to it and see if you find something exciting for your shopping cart.