Best AV Receivers
Updated How we research
Denon AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV Receiver, 80W/Channel, 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HEOS
Denon's AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV receiver at 80W/Channel with 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and HEOS streaming.
Denon AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch AV Receiver, 8K UHD (95W x 7), HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Bluetooth
Denon's AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch 8K UHD AV receiver at 95W x 7 with HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Bluetooth.
An AV receiver is the hub of a real home theater, powering your speakers, decoding surround formats, and switching between your consoles, players, and streaming boxes. It is the piece that ties everything together, and the right one gives you enough channels, HDMI inputs, and power to fill your room now while leaving headroom to expand your system later. This guide compares AV receivers across price points and channel counts, from compact 5.1 units to full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X models. We cover HDMI 2.1 gaming features, room correction, and streaming support, so you can match a receiver to your speaker layout and your room without paying for capabilities you will never connect.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 8.0 to 8.8 out of 10.
- Best overall:Denon AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV Receiver, 80W/Channel, 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HEOS. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.8/10.
- Also great value:Denon AVR-S970H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel AV Receiver (90W x 7), Dolby Atmos, Alexa plus HEOS. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.2/10.
- Solid build:Denon AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch AV Receiver, 8K UHD (95W x 7), HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Bluetooth. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.8/10.
- Feature-rich:Yamaha RX-A2A AVENTAGE 7.2-Channel AV Receiver, 8K HDMI, eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, MusicCast. Features score of 9/10, overall 8.8/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.Denon AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV Receiver, 80W/Channel, 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HEOS8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Denon AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch AV Receiver, 8K UHD (95W x 7), HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Bluetooth8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Yamaha RX-A2A AVENTAGE 7.2-Channel AV Receiver, 8K HDMI, eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, MusicCast8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Sony STR-AN1000 7.2ch 8K A/V Receiver, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, WiFi, Chromecast, AirPlay, HDMI 2.18.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Sony STR-AN1000 7.2ch 8K AV Receiver plus 8 Speaker Bundle with SA-CS9 Subwoofer8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Denon AVR-S970H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel AV Receiver (90W x 7), Dolby Atmos, Alexa plus HEOS8.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Yamaha RX-A2A AVENTAGE 7.2-Channel AV Receiver with NS-IW360C, 8K HDMI, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Denon's AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV receiver at 80W/Channel with 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and HEOS streaming.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 7.2 Channel layout supports a full Atmos speaker setup
- + 8K HDMI and eARC keep it ready for modern TVs and consoles
- + HEOS multi-room streaming adds music across the house
- - 80W/Channel is fine for most rooms but limited for power-hungry speakers
- - Setup menus take time for newcomers to AV receivers
#2Denon's AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch 8K UHD AV receiver at 95W x 7 with HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Bluetooth.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + 95W x 7 power drives larger speakers more comfortably
- + Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding cover all major movie formats
- + HEOS and Wi-Fi add streaming and multi-room music
- - Costs more than entry receivers with similar channel counts
- - Lots of connections and settings can overwhelm first-time users
#3Yamaha's RX-A2A AVENTAGE 7.2-Channel AV receiver with 8K HDMI, eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and MusicCast multi-room.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + MusicCast links Yamaha speakers for whole-home audio
- + eARC receives lossless audio back from smart TV apps
- + AVENTAGE build quality gives a clean, detailed sound character
- - Speakers not included, unlike the in-wall bundle version
- - Priced above similar channel receivers from Denon and Sony
#4Sony's STR-AN1000 7.2ch 8K A/V receiver with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, WiFi, Chromecast, AirPlay and HDMI 2.1.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Chromecast and AirPlay built in simplify streaming from phones
- + HDMI 2.1 support passes high frame rate console gaming
- + Sony room calibration helps tune speakers to the space
- - Fewer advanced tuning options than Denon or Yamaha step-up models
- - Speakers are sold separately, adding to the total setup cost
#5Sony's STR-AN1000 7.2ch 8K AV receiver bundled with an 8 speaker set and SA-CS9 subwoofer for a ready-made system.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 8 Speaker bundle removes guesswork about matching speakers
- + SA-CS9 subwoofer adds deep bass for movies right out of the box
- + Single purchase gets a full surround setup from one brand
- - Large system needs lots of speaker wire and placement planning
- - Bundle speakers may be outclassed later if you upgrade audio
#6Denon's AVR-S970H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel AV receiver at 90W x 7 with Dolby Atmos, Alexa and HEOS.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 90W x 7 output powers a full Atmos layout for most living rooms
- + Alexa voice control adjusts volume and inputs hands free
- + HEOS streaming brings multi-room audio at a mid-range price
- - Fewer pro-level calibration features than Denon's X series
- - Retail-focused model may lack some installer connections
#7Yamaha's RX-A2A AVENTAGE 7.2-Channel receiver bundled with NS-IW360C in-wall speakers, with 8K HDMI, Atmos and DTS:X.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + Bundled NS-IW360C in-ceiling speakers keep the room looking clean
- + AVENTAGE line is known for solid build and refined sound
- + 8K HDMI keeps the system current with new TVs
- - In-ceiling speakers require cutting a ceiling hole and fishing wire through the cavity
- - Bundle may not include every speaker needed for a full setup
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- 80W/Channel is fine for most rooms but limited for power-hungry speakers (Denon AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV Receiver,...)
- Costs more than entry receivers with similar channel counts (Denon AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch AV Receiver, 8K UHD...)
- Speakers not included, unlike the in-wall bundle version (Yamaha RX-A2A AVENTAGE 7.2-Channel AV...)
- Fewer advanced tuning options than Denon or Yamaha step-up models (Sony STR-AN1000 7.2ch 8K A/V Receiver, Dolby...)
- Large system needs lots of speaker wire and placement planning (Sony STR-AN1000 7.2ch 8K AV Receiver plus 8...)
- Fewer pro-level calibration features than Denon's X series (Denon AVR-S970H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel AV...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among av receivers?
Denon AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV Receiver, 80W/Channel, 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HEOS is our top overall pick. Denon's AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV receiver at 80W/Channel with 8K HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and HEOS streaming. It earns our score of 8.8/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Denon AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch AV Receiver, 8K UHD (95W x 7), HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Bluetooth is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Denon's AVR-X2800H 7.2 Ch 8K UHD AV receiver at 95W x 7 with HEOS, Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Bluetooth.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Home Theater Setup Hub independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
More questions readers ask
What should I look for in an AV receiver?
Enough channels for your speakers, HDMI 2.1 with eARC, support for Dolby Atmos if you want height speakers and room calibration software.
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