Top Picks A/V Receivers

A/V Receivers Click here for AV Receiver shopping and tech tips
< $999
	Yamaha RX-V473, RX-V573: $450, $550 Take your pick: The RX-V473 and RX-V573 are two of the best budget receivers you can buy. They look identical from the front and share the same features, including Apple’s AirPlay, a front-panel USB port, and Yamaha’s automated room acoustic optimizer. The difference? The V573 has two extra channels you can use to drive back-surround speakers in a 7.1 setup or to power speakers in another room. With either model you get a well-chosen set of features and sound that reviewer Dennis Burger described as “fantastic” for the money. (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Sony STR-DN1030: $499 Sony has unleashed a wireless triple threat in a budget receiver that offers Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity for tapping into your home network and accessing Internet radio stations like Pandora. That’s in addition to an amplifier section well suited for medium-size rooms, automated room correction that works like a charm, and Faroudja DCDi Edge video processing. Noting that it’s “especially adept at pleasing the listener who’s tired of wires and addicted to mobile devices,” reviewer Mark Fleischmann concluded: “The STR-DN1030 does everything a budget AVR should do and then some.” (January 2013, Read Full Review)
	Denon AVR-2313CI: $900 The AVR-2313CI has everything most of us would want in a receiver—plenty of power, six HDMI inputs and two outputs, first-class video processing with 4K upscaling, and auto setup and room correction via Audyssey’s excellent MultEQ XT system. It also provides a plethora of audio/photo streaming capabilities, including Apple’s AirPlay, FLAC HD support, and Windows 7 certification. How’s it sound? Watching The Amazing Spider-Man, reviewer David Vaughn wrote: “Dialogue was clear and concise, bass response tight and deep, and discrete effects flew throughout the room from every direction with precise imaging.” What more could you ask for? (April 2013, Read Full Review)
	Anthem MRX 300: $999 From a company known for bleeding-edge surround processors and muscle amps comes the MRX 300, the least expensive of Anthem’s three AVRs. In addition to automated setup and room correction, it offers a handful of unusual features, including Dolby Volume (equalizes volumes among sources and tames extreme dynamic range), Dolby Pro Logic IIz (derives two height channels from any program material), and the excellent stereo-to-surround modes AnthemLogic-Music and AnthemLogic-Cinema, the first of which reviewer Mark Fleischmann described as “remarkably fine.” His conclusion: “Altogether, this is a very impressive AVR and a must-hear.” (August 2011, Read Full Review)
Worthy of Consideration, < $999 Though not Top Picks, the following models are worthy of consideration in the under $999 price range. See our full review for details.
	Pioneer Elite VSX-42: $450 Pioneer’s entry level Elite series AVR didn’t wow reviewer Chris Chiarella enough to make it a Top Pick, but it’s nonetheless an excellent value in a 7.1-channel AVR: loaded with features like Apple AirPlay and Pioneer’s excellent proprietary room correction circuitry, and it measured well for a budget receiver, delivering excellent power sufficient for smaller rooms when mated with appropriately efficient speakers. Our issues with it are the same we find with every budget AVR we test, all of which come up short on power reserves and start sounding strained when pushed to notably high volumes. But use it within its range, and it’ll deliver plenty of clean, impactful sound at a very good price. (August 2012, HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Onkyo TX-NR414: $499 This 5.1-channel model failed to achieve Top Pick status, not for any flaw in audio performance but mainly because reviewer David Vaughn thought it came up a bit short on features for its $499 suggested retail price, lacking as it does some extras like room correction circuitry and video cross-conversion that allows a single HDMI connection to the display even with non-HDMI sources. However, it’s readily available online for $299 or less, where it qualifies as an excellent value in a basic, no-nonsense receiver. (August 2012, Read Full Review)
$1,000-$1,999
	Pioneer Elite SC-61: $1,100 You can’t go wrong with the SC-61 and its smart assortment of features. In addition to decoding a wealth of audio formats, the receiver provides ready access to Internet radio and streaming services such as Pandora, supports AirPlay streaming from Apple devices, and puts Pioneer’s world-class auto setup and room-correction system at your fingertips. Then there’s the topnotch video processing and ultra-efficient Class D amplifier section that not only delivers 7 x 125 watts of muscular power but encourages lifelike dynamics, improves bass output, and takes on challenging speaker loads without crapping out. (May 2013, Read Full Review)
	Yamaha Aventage RX-A1020: $1,200 As the top 7.2-channel model in Yamaha’s Aventage line—now entering its third year—the RX-A1020 hits the sweet spot with excellent build quality, exceptional imaging prowess and clean amplification that brings authority to well-recorded movie soundtracks and music. New features include an Eco mode that cuts power consumption by 20 percent and ultra-high-def 4K video scaling and passthrough. Reviewer Mark Fleischmann wrote: “The more I listened to it, the more I liked it, until finally it moved into “I could live with this” territory.” (February/March 2013, Read Full Review)
	Marantz SR6006: $1,200 This model was recently replaced by the SR6007 at the same price, but can still be found online at discounted pricing. Reviewer Mark Fleischmann praised the SR6006 for it’s attractive porthole design and full slate of features (including Apple AirPlay and a full suite of Audyssey modes). But it was the sound that got him. “With best-case content, the sound was as clear as a bell,” he wrote, and deliciously well balanced across the audio spectrum; the clean mids and highs, he said, “allowed the receiver to achieve a degree of transparency well above its pay grade.” (June 2012, Read Full Review)
	Cambridge Audio Azur 551R: $1,299 This surprisingly compact and low-profile AVR from Cambridge Audio falls into that class of product that lacks some of the latest whiz-bang features normally found at its price point among the mainstream brands, but makes up for it with sound quality. There’s no fancy room correction circuitry, and no networking features. Still, “those with more demanding speakers may want to take a long, hard look at this receiver…” wrote audio editor Mark Fleichmann. “If you want a closer relationship with music and movies—and are willing to overlook the absence of bells and whistles—this AVR will take you to the heights.” (August 2012, Read Full Review)
	Onkyo TX-NR1009: $1,499 Despite its pricetag, this 9.2-channel behemoth sits at a sweet spot in Onkyo’s line. David Vaughn wrote that “the TX-NR1009 offers virtually all of the most desirable features you’ll find in a flagship product at a savings of over 50 percent, and delivers sound quality that rivals more expensive components. This one comes highly recommended.” (March 2012, Read Full Review)
	Arcam AVR360: $1,799 We’ve been fans of Arcam AVRs in the past thanks the remarkable musicality they deliver, and this “budget” Arcam, rated at 75 watts per channel (all 7 channels driven), was no different. Mark Fleischmann wrote that, “though not cheap, the AVR360 sets a new standard of affordability for anyone hungering for the Arcam sound. If you want maximum features per buck, look elsewhere. If you want to power speakers with low sensitivity or efficiency ratings, the rail-switching AVR600 is a better bet. But with the right speakers, the AVR360 is just the ticket for the budget-minded audiophile seeking a receiver that celebrates musical and cinematic values.” (April 2012, Read Full Review)
	Marantz SR7007: $1,800 Marantz’s new top-of-the-line receiver boasts gobs of power, the company’s signature porthole design (with a second full-size/full-info display below the porthole readout), a full suite of Audyssey room correction and dynamic/eq features, and Marantz’s best audio circuitry in the preamp section. Said reviewer Mark Fleischmann, “The SR7007 expertly conjures musical magic and cinematic excitement. It also has a great feature set, spearheaded by AirPlay and other treats for the Apple-centric listener. It’s a great receiver and well worth its price.” (October 2012, Read Full Review)
	Anthem MRX 700: $1,999 Anthem’s first best AVR features the company’s excellent proprietary ARC room correction and highly regarded audiophile sonics. Fred Manteghian described it as “light on bells and whistles, heavy on high-end sound,” adding, “It owes its excellent sound to both the high quality amplification section and proprietary room correction, which can overcome some limitations in your room and to a much lesser degree, your speakers. It comes down to your priorities. If they begin and end with first rate sound, you should visit your Anthem dealer. You certainly won’t be disappointed.” (March 2011, Read Full Review)
$2,000 >
	Sony STR-DA5800ES:$2,100 The 9.2-channel STR-DA5800ES might be the most versatile A/V control center on the planet. In addition to a multitude of audio processing modes, nine HDMI inputs, and Sony’s Digital Cinema Auto Calibration system, it has serious networking and streaming chops. It also boasts an intuitive, app-controlled (Android and iOS) graphical user interface (GUI) and doubles as a Control4 home automation controller. In the words of reviewer Darryl Wilkinson: “Sony figured out a way to take an excellent AVR, soup it up with extra connectivity, add a healthy dose of system (and lighting) control capabilities, and put it under the control of an easy-to-use activity-based GUI.” (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Onkyo TX-NR3010: $2,299 Onkyo’s TX-NR3010 is about as fully loaded as it gets, and includes something not found even on several directly competitive models from other manufacturers—namely, Audyssey MultEQ XT32, the very best and highest resolution room correction scheme that Audyssey offers. There’s also InstaPrevue HDMI selection that lets you see what’s playing on different sources, and MHL compatibility for watching high-def content from a compliant smartphone. Nine amplifier channels allow a full-tilt system with front height or width channels in addition to back surrounds without the need for additional amplification, as well as multiple options for feeding distant listening zones. (December 2012, see HomeTheater.com for review)
	Pioneer Elite SC-68: $2,500 Pioneer’s latest top-of-the-line receiver is the first AVR we’ve seen with a built-in high-quality USB DAC for improving the sound of your streamed digital music files; it offers the company’s proprietary Class D amplifier topology first introduced to rave reviews last year. Though different than what we expect to hear from a traditional Class AB amplifier, it in some ways betters sonically what’s come before, said reviewer Mark Fleischmann, who noted “the D3 amplification is dynamically compelling and well rounded in other performance parameters. If you approach it without preconceptions, it’ll treat you right.” (November 2012, Read Full Review)
	NAD T 787: $4,000 NAD’s latest receiver offers a tremendous power plant—120 watts with all channels driven into 8 ohms—and a future-proof modular design, while skimping on some of today’s most popular features. But did it ever sound great, notes our golden-eared reviewer Michael Fremer. “If you do get the opportunity to hear the T 787 in a proper setting, its superb sonics should be immediately obvious…Overall, the NAD T 787 is the best-sounding A/V receiver I’ve yet heard.” (August 2012, Read Full Review)

Comments

posts posted by this

Submitted by michelstarc on May 22, 2013 - 10:34pm.

Although existing optical disc technologies like DIGITAL VIDEO DISC, DVD±R, DVD±RW, as well as DVD-RAM rely on a reddish lazer you just read as well as write files, the new formatting relies on a blue-violet lazer as a substitute, that's why your identify Blu-ray. This is pleasant one particular and provides indepth data. appreciate it with this pleasant write-up. xrumerservices.info/