It's an incredibly confusing time to be shopping for a new AV receiver. Of course, if you're not a hardcore home theater enthusiast, it's probably always a confusing time to be shopping for an AVR, but this particular moment in time is a bit of a head-scratcher for all of us. As such, we're introducing an interim update to our buyer's guide for AV receivers from a slightly different angle than previous updates.
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- Myriad 4 2 1 – Audio Batch Processor Review 2020
Simply put, our best buying advice for new or upgrading home theater enthusiasts is that if you're thinking about buying a new AVR right now, you may be better off waiting, for reasons we'll discuss below. Or maybe not. Hopefully you'll be able to answer that question for yourself by the end.
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The number one reason why right now might not be the best time to buy a receiver is simple: HDMI 2.1, the long-promised upgrade of the perennial digital audio and video interconnect protocol, isn't just some theoretical quantum leap waiting over the horizon as it has been for the past few years; it's very nearly here. Actually, at the upper end of Denon's line, it's already here. And over the next few months (certainly by August if all goes well), you'll start to see new AVRs at every price point roll out from all of the major brands with HDMI 2.1 connectivity and all of the new features it brings along with it. And once enough of those new 2020 lineups start filling out, we'll take the Yield sign off of this buying guide once again and start making less hesitant buying recommendations across the spectrum.
Before I dig too much deeper, though, I'll once again inject my standard caveat here at the giddy-up: If you're a home theater enthusiast and a regular HomeTheaterReview.com reader, this guide is not for you. You probably already know what you're looking for in a new AVR and you're just waiting for reviews to confirm your suspicions. And we'll have those for you pretty soon. Hold tight.
Wise disk cleaner crack. As always, this guide is for the burgeoning, new, or curious home theater shopper who feels overwhelmed by options, doesn't have time to dig through all of the standalone reviews to find the right model, and probably doesn't even know what all this HDMI 2.1 business is about.
We'll start, as always, with a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure for AV shoppers, except that none of the choices is likely to result in your untimely demise.
First Question: Is now the right time to buy a receiver?
Since the advent of digital video, namely HDMI, prospective AV receiver shopper have had to struggle with the issue of whether a new purchase made today would be obsolete by this time next year. For the past few years, that's hasn't been quite as pressing a concern, but has become one once again. As a result of the pending release of HDMI 2.1, most AV manufacturers didn't fully flesh out their 2019 model lineups as fully as they've done in the past.
Since the advent of digital video, namely HDMI, prospective AV receiver shopper have had to struggle with the issue of whether a new purchase made today would be obsolete by this time next year. For the past few years, that's hasn't been quite as pressing a concern, but has become one once again. As a result of the pending release of HDMI 2.1, most AV manufacturers didn't fully flesh out their 2019 model lineups as fully as they've done in the past.
So, as we stand here approaching the mid-point of 2020, many of the most compelling AV receivers are actually 2018 models with a handful of features borrowed from the HDMI 2.1 specification tacked on. Namely, features like Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).
The full spec, though, will also include support for 10,240 × 4,320 resolution video ('10K') at refresh rates up to 120 frames per second, which your next TV and/or gaming console may support. But perhaps most importantly for video gamers, the full HDMI 2.1 spec will also support Variable Refresh Rate, one of the most intriguing new features of the next-gen video game consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
Those of you who don't dabble in video gaming may not be familiar with the concept of Variable Refresh Rate, but it's been a thing in PC gaming for a while now. Simply put, the graphics processors built into video game consoles aren't always capable of maintaining a constant refresh rate (or frame rate, if you will). When the action onscreen gets intense -- when there are more baddies to battle or more complex architecture to explore or rapid changes to the scenery overall -- the graphics processor gets bogged down a little and can't render new images as consistently.
With VRR properly implemented, and supported by every relevant device in your signal chain (console, HDMI cables, AV receiver, display), the display will be able to sync with the graphics processor and avoid problems caused by a mismatch between the TV's refresh rate and the video game console's. It's a lot more complex than that gross oversimplification would indicate, and we probably need to do an entire article soon on the workings and implications of Variable Refresh Rate. Just know that if you're a gamer looking to purchase one of the next-gen consoles, and you're pretty sure you're going to buy a new TV in the next five years or so, you likely want to go ahead and buy an AV receiver that fully supports HDMI 2.1.
If, on the other hand, you're not a gamer at all and have no intention of ever being one, the question becomes a little simpler: Do you plan on buying an 8K TV in the next few years? If so, it definitely makes sense to hang onto whatever AVR you currently have and wait for a 2020 model equipped with HDMI 2.1. If not, you may be safe buying one of our recommended AVRs below from 2018/2019. Just understand the consequences of doing so.
Second Question: How many speakers do you need?
So, let's say you've dug through the previous wall of text and you're still pretty set on buying an AV receiver before the new batch of updated models starts rolling out this summer. Read over the latest AVR reviews and you'd be led to believe that anything less than sixteen channels hardly counts as a proper home theater these days. Don't feel beholden to this notion. Even if you want to build a full-blown object-based* Dolby Atmos/DTS:X sound system with speakers on every flat surface of your listening room, you might find that -- depending on the depth of your room from back to front -- you won't necessarily hear an appreciable difference between four and six overhead speakers. Indeed, if you have a room that's not all that deep, you may also find that it isn't really worth it to go with seven speakers at ear level versus five.
So, let's say you've dug through the previous wall of text and you're still pretty set on buying an AV receiver before the new batch of updated models starts rolling out this summer. Read over the latest AVR reviews and you'd be led to believe that anything less than sixteen channels hardly counts as a proper home theater these days. Don't feel beholden to this notion. Even if you want to build a full-blown object-based* Dolby Atmos/DTS:X sound system with speakers on every flat surface of your listening room, you might find that -- depending on the depth of your room from back to front -- you won't necessarily hear an appreciable difference between four and six overhead speakers. Indeed, if you have a room that's not all that deep, you may also find that it isn't really worth it to go with seven speakers at ear level versus five.
(*For what it's worth, I'll be using 'object-based' as a shorthand for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X throughout this guide. You don't really need to understand what that means, but in case you're curious: these 3D surround sound formats rely on audio objects to position sounds in three-dimensional space. Instead of a mixer saying, 'This bullet moves from the front right speaker to the left rear surround,' he or she assigns the sound of the bullet to a virtual object that moves through 3D space. Your AV receiver or preamp then decides which speakers it should use to deliver that sound based on the layout of your speaker system.)
Atmos and DTS:X speaker setups follow the old convention of 5.1 and 7.1 channels, with the addition of an extra dot and an extra numeral: e.g., 5.1.2 would be a simple 5.1 system (five ear-level speakers and at least one subwoofer) with the addition of two height (or ceiling) speakers. 7.1.4 would be a 7.1 setup (5.1 plus two rear surrounds in most cases) plus four overhead speakers. Why didn't they go with something easier to understand, like 7.1+4? Honestly, I don't know.
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At any rate, if you add up the first numeral and the last, and you know how many channels of amplification you need, since most subwoofers have their own built-in amps. For 5.1.2, you need seven amplified channels -- the same as you'd need for a 7.1 setup. For 5.1.4 or 7.1.2, you need nine channels of amplification, and most AV receivers that are so-equipped can easily be configured for either setup.
Many such receivers also allow you to add some number of additional outboard amps to the equation if you want to expand even further. But if you're willing to pay the price, you can easily find good mass-market AV receivers with 13 channels of amplification built in -- enough for a 7.1.6-channel setup.
'But wait!' I hear you asking: 'What about 7.2.6 channels?' Yes, you'll often see receivers that use a 2 instead of a 1 in the second digit. This sometimes means that the receiver is capable of sending unique low-frequency signals to two independent subwoofers in your room, each of which can be EQ'd and delayed separately. But that's not always the case. Sometimes it just means that the receiver has two subwoofer outputs that operate as if you took a single subwoofer output and stuck a y-splitter on it. That's an important distinction that we'll touch upon later, once we start to narrow down our choices.
And hey, if you don't care about Atmos or DTS:X, that's cool, too. Not everyone needs overhead speakers. In fact, when I'm reviewing an object-based receiver, I hang temporary ceiling speakers then pull them down when I'm done. For day-to-day listening, 5.2 or 7.2 works great for me. I find the aggressive mixes of most Atmos and DTS:X movies to be kitschy and distracting.
The good news is, if you feel the same way, there are still some really solid options for simple ear-level surround sound systems, even though object-based surround dominates the discussion. Or you can simply buy one of the fancier models and ignore the outputs you don't want to use.
Or, as of late summer 2019, you can opt for a solution that's somewhere in the middle. Many offerings from this year's new slate of receivers feature a technology called Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, which applies processing to your ear-level speakers to create the illusion of overhead speakers where none exist. Make no mistake about it: this processing is subtle. In other words, it's not going to sound as if you have four in-ceiling speakers installed at precise locations overhead. But it does add a convincing height element to the mix, extending sound effects upward and overhead, just without any sort of pinpoint specificity and without any of the shifts in tonality and timbre that have plagued previous technologies that purportedly serve the same function, like DTS Virtual:X. Clarion 2 2 0. For my in-depth impressions of this virtualization technology, check out my standalone review of Marantz' SR6014 AV receiver.
Before you make any decisions about whether to go with (or forgo) a full-blown Dolby Atmos/DTS:X setup, though, you really should seek out a demo and hear the difference for yourself, since this is a very subjective consideration. It would be a shame to buy a 7.1-channel receiver now only to realize six months down the road that four overhead speakers really make your tasty bits tingle. You also may find the subtlety of Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization underwhelming, no matter how much I like it. The good news is, most AVRs that support this new height virtualization technology also feature enough amps and speaker connections to hook up a genuine object-based speaker setup.
Third Question: How many watts per channel do you need?
Figuring out how much power you need from an AV receiver is tough, partly because power ratings can be wholly misleading. You might find a great AVR that meets all of your other needs and see that it lists 200 watts per channel on the side of the box, only to read the fine print and discover that said 200 watts is only achievable if you connect a single speaker to it and play homebrewed recordings of Rainforest Pygmy chants at midnight on the summer solstice. I'm exaggerating a little, but not by much.
Figuring out how much power you need from an AV receiver is tough, partly because power ratings can be wholly misleading. You might find a great AVR that meets all of your other needs and see that it lists 200 watts per channel on the side of the box, only to read the fine print and discover that said 200 watts is only achievable if you connect a single speaker to it and play homebrewed recordings of Rainforest Pygmy chants at midnight on the summer solstice. I'm exaggerating a little, but not by much.
A more realistic example: you may find that an AV receiver that boasts 125 watts per channel on the side of the box only really delivers 55 watts of clean power per channel once you connect two speakers to it and feed it a full-frequency signal -- and even less than that by the time you connect seven or nine or however many speakers.
The bottom line is this: how much power you need really depends on how big your room is and the specific characteristics of the speakers you're installing in it. If you want to understand more about the relationship between speakers and amps, you can read my primer on the topic: How to Pick the Right Amp for Your Speakers (or Vice Versa).
Fourth Question: How many HDMI inputs do you need?
Whatever answer you come up with, add at least one to the total, just to be safe. The good news is, most AV receivers these days offer seven HDMI inputs. The bad news is, that's exactly how many HDMI inputs I need for my main media room (Roku Ultra media streamer + Control4 home automation controller + UHD Blu-ray player + Apple TV 4K (mostly just for Twitch, which Roku lacks) + Kaleidescape movie server + PlayStation 4 + Nintendo Switch), with no room to grow. Who really needs an Xbox One X anyway, though?
Ultimately, this consideration can keep otherwise great receivers out of the equation, even if you only need a simple speaker setup without a ton of power. The simple fact of the matter is that, as mentioned above, you can leave speaker outputs unused, and even drive small speakers with huge amps with no problem. But if you have more HDMI sources than you have HDMI inputs, adding an external HDMI switcher can make your AV system unnecessarily complicated to control.
Fifth Question: Do you want a fancy audiophile brand or something you can buy at Amazon or Best Buy?
You may be asking right now: 'What's the difference?' That's not an easy question to answer, but you'll often find that most of the AV receivers you'll find at your local big-box store sound remarkably similar, as long as you ignore their room correction software and assuming they deliver equal power. And I mean actual equal power, not the number on the side of the box.
Step up to an audiophile offering, though, and you'll likely find that you get better, more robust amps with more realistic power ratings, so you have a better idea of how the receiver will perform in your room. You may not get quite as many features as you will on the current crop of big-box-brand receivers, mind you, but it's up to you to decide how important those features are.
What you'll also find is that stepping up to an audiophile brand likely gets you better room correction, which is really the number one differentiator between most receivers, at least in terms of how they sound. If you want to understand the differences between the most common room correction systems, read my updated primer on the topic: Room Correction Revisited.
Sixth Question: Stop asking me questions and just tell me what to buy!
That's not a question, but I hear you.
That's not a question, but I hear you.
A lot of people will likely disagree with this advice (pop a bowl of popcorn before dipping into the comments section, because this is going to lead to some Real Housewives-level drama), but most people who want a mass-market receiver should just buy the Denon or Marantz model that checks off all the right boxes in terms of HDMI inputs, speaker outputs, amplification ratings, and price (in pretty much exactly that order of priority). The good news is, if you're shopping toward the high end of the Denon lineup, there are already two new HDMI 2.1-equipped models available now: the AVR-X4700H ($1699) and the AVR-X6700H ($2499). If either of these fits all of your criteria, you can safely buy now and have an up-to-date AVR that will last you for years.
That's not to say that other mass-market manufacturers don't make receivers with a lot of compelling features. If you're already invested in Yamaha's MusicCast multiroom streaming ecosystem, okay. A Yamaha might make more sense for you. If Sony's five-year warranty sparks joy in your heart, sure thing -- get a Sony. But remember: if you already knew those things, this guide isn't really for you.
For most people, a Denon or Marantz offers the right mix of features, performance, reliability, and -- most importantly -- ease of setup. Their setup wizard holds your hand through the entire setup process in a really intuitive way. Quiver 2 1 – the programmers notebook.
What's more, while most AV receiver manufacturers rely on their own proprietary (and often lacking) room correction systems, Denon and Marantz use Audyssey, which I didn't really dig just a few years ago, but which has developed into a very respectable room correction and auto-speaker calibration system in recent years. (Compare my original primer on room correction to the updated guide to see just how much Audyssey advanced recently.)
In case you didn't know already, Denon and Marantz are sister companies. The main differences between them these days mostly boil down to their amplification and a resulting subtle difference in sound. If you tend to use your AV receiver mostly for movies, Denon may be your better pick. If you do a lot of music listening, you might prefer Marantz's HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module) circuitry, which contributes to a sound that many people describe as more musical.
If you want an audiophile receiver, my advice used to be simple: just get an Anthem. Anthem Room Correction is one of the three best room correction systems on the market (the other two being Dirac and Trinnov, the latter of which is limited to super-expensive preamp/processors).
But we're also starting to see new AVRs from brands like NAD come out with a new implementation of Dirac that's seriously enticing. The NAD T 778, for example, is a fantastic high-end receiver. But it does ask a lot of you in terms of setup, making it less than ideal for the home theater novice.
The bigger problem, though -- with the NAD and Anthem receivers alike -- is their reliance on older HDMI 2.0b technology. Anthem has yet to make any firm commitments to a timeline for HDMI 2.1. The NAD, on the other hand, does benefit from modular construction, which means that it should be eligible for an HDMI 2.1 board upgrade at some point without having to replace the entire AVR. But there's no indication yet of how much that may cost (previous NAD HDMI upgrade boards have ranged in price from $299 to $699).
On the buying advice..
With all of that said, if you desperately need a new AV receiver right this very now and you simply cannot wait for all of the new HDMI 2.1 models to start rolling out so we can give this guide a proper 2020 update, here are our favorites as of June 2020.
With all of that said, if you desperately need a new AV receiver right this very now and you simply cannot wait for all of the new HDMI 2.1 models to start rolling out so we can give this guide a proper 2020 update, here are our favorites as of June 2020.
Our Favorites
Let's start with the simplest AV receivers and work our way up from there.
Let's start with the simplest AV receivers and work our way up from there.
- If you just need a simple 5.1 or 7.1 receiver without all the fuss and muss and 8K or next-gen gaming isn't even on your radar..
Marantz has a pair of really compelling slimline receivers that may be perfect for your needs, assuming what you need is straightforward simplicity and a chassis that's a little less obtrusive than most.If you just want five ear-level speakers, the NR1510is a 5.1-channel offering that takes up half the space of a normal AV receiver, making it a great option if big black boxes aren't your thing. The NR1710ups the channel count to 7.1, which may be enticing if your room is a little deeper and there's plenty of space between your seat and the back wall. The NR1710 also supports Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, which the NR1510 doesn't, so if you're interested in experiencing a subtler form of object-based surround sound without installing ceiling speakers or height modules, it may be the better pick. You can also upgrade the NR1710 to a true 5.1.2 object-based setup, should you decide to install overhead speakers or up-firing speaker modules.
Since you're getting so many features in such a slim package, there are potential downsides. Neither of these relies on Marantz's HDAM circuitry (so ignore what I said above about the general sonic differences between Denon and Marantz), and output is limited to 50 watts per channel. The NR1510 also only has five back-panel HDMI inputs (and one around front), so if you have a lot of HDMI sources, the NR1710 would be the better pick (it has seven HDMI inputs on the back and one up front).
The NR1710will also scale video from your HDMI-connected source devices up to 4K, whereas the NR1509 offers no video scaling. That's an important consideration, even if you don't need the two extra channels of amplification. In short, between the two I think the NR1710is the better pick for most people, even if your speaker system is limited to 5.1 and even if you don't care about Height Virtualization.
If, on the other hand, you don't mind installing a full-sized receiver, and you're looking for something cheap and reliable, I really like the $499 Denon AVR-S750H. Yes, this 7.1-channel receiver supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (in a 5.1.2-channel configuration--which, if you'll remember, means 5.1 plus two overhead speakers), but that doesn't mean you have to configure it as such. You can use it as a 7.1 or simple 5.1 receiver with no problems. If you do so, it also supports Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Its 75 watts of power per channel means that it's a better choice than either of the slimline Marantz offerings if you have a mid-sized room or less sensitive speakers, but of course it does take up more space than either of those models.
One other significant advantage over the slim Marantz models is that you can use the Audyssey MultEQ Editor App (an extra $19.99 purchase) to tweak the settings of its room correction to deliver better results in your room. With a total of six HDMI inputs (five 'round back, one up front), the AVR-S750His a little limited in terms of connectivity, but if that's enough for you, have at it. Perhaps more importantly, though, it doesn't feature video upscaling, so if you watch a lot of 720p TV channels on a 75-inch 4K TV, you might instead step up to something like Denon's $599 AVR-S950H, even if you don't need as many HDMI ports as it provides (seven 'round back, one up front).
Another slight step up would be the $799 AVR-X2600H, which adds second-zone preamplifier outputs and a step up to Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction.
- If you're willing and able to spend a little more for better performance and more flexibility but don't need 8K..
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The next significant step up is Denon's $1,099 AVR-X3600H. This 9.2- (not 9.1-) channel receiver is where you start to get into independent measuring and setup of more than one subwoofer, which usually (although not always) results in smoother, more even bass response from seat to seat in your listening room. It also includes the best form of Audyssey room correction in MultEQ XT32. If you want to go Atmos and DTS:X, the AVR-X3600H is good for a 5.2.4 or 7.2.2 setup without additional amplification. Or you can simply rely on its Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization technology.
And if for some reason you find that its 105 watts per channel of amplification isn't enough for you (if, say, you move it to a bigger room), the AVR-X3600H has 7.2-channel preamp outputs, meaning you can add your own external seven-channel amp to the equation and just use the receiver as a preamplifier. A total of eight HDMI inputs (seven around back, one up front) mean that most people will have a little bit of headroom in terms of digitalAV connectivity. Just know that this product's successor is already slated for a July 15 release date.
For the semi-equivalent Marantz offering, I really like the $999 SR5014. Unlike the aforementioned NR1509 and NR1609, this one does feature Marantz's own proprietary amp circuitry, so you'll likely find that its sound is dynamic and more musical to your ears than that of the Denon AVR-X3600H. It does offer slightly less power per channel, though, at 100 watts, and is limited to seven amplified channels, not nine.
Otherwise, their feature sets are pretty comparable: both offer Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, AirPlay 2 and HEOS multiroom streaming, along withsupport for all of the current AV standards. The Denon offers a second-zone HDMI output, which the SR5014 lacks. Also, the SR5014 lacks a feature from last year's Marantz offering at this level, the SR5013: multi-channel analog inputs. This may be important if you have an audiophile Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray player with DVD-Audio and/or SACD playback capabilities. If you want the multichannel analog inputs from last year, plus the Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization from this year, you'll need to step up to the $1,499 SR6014, which also ups the output to 110 watts per channel and the amplified channel count up to nine.
- If you need a bit more power or you just can't wait for HDMI 2.1..
I mentioned in the updated intro to this guide that the summer/autumn 2019 offerings from most AVR manufacturers weren't as fully fleshed out as in previous yearsdue to the impeding release of HDMI 2.1, which are just starting to creep out now.
As of this writing, the two AVRs with HDMI 2.1 capabilities that we can safely recommend (for now, before review samples have crossed our threshold) are the Denon AVR-X4700H ($1699) and AVR-X6700H ($2499).
The AVR-X4700H features nine channels of amplification with dynamic power rated at 125 watts per channel and can function as an 11.2-channel preamplifier if you want to bring your own amps to the party. The X4000H level is the most popular model in any given year amongst HomeTheaterReview readers, and for good reason: it may not feature the absolute max in terms of output and channel count, but it's a hell of a bargain in terms of output for the price.
The AVR-X6700H, meanwhile, features eleven amplified channels (with dymamic power rated at 140 watts per channel), meaning you don't need additional amps for a 7.2.4 setup. Connect an extra stereo amp, though, and the X6700H will be able to process up to 13.2 channels of DTS:X Pro audio via a future firmware update.
In addition, both the AVR-X4700H and AVR-X6700Hdeliver a whole host of features new to this year's lineup, including:
- 8K passthrough and upscaling.
- 4K/120Hz.
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for reduced lag, stutter, and frame tearing when gaming via next-gen consoles.
- HDR10+ pass-through capabilities.
- Quick Media Switching (QMS).
- Quick Frame Transport (QFT).
- If you want to go big and go home with Atmos and DTS:X (and can wait a bit for 8K)..
It's highly unlikely that someone looking for this sort of shopping advice would need or want anything more than the products mentioned above. But on the off-chance that you have a good reason to expand beyond four overhead speakers (maybe you have a couple of rows of seating in your media room, for example), Denon's AVR-X8500H 13.2-Channel AV Receiver is a beast of a machine. For Dolby Atmos, it can be configured for 7.2.6- or 9.2.4-channel listening, although with DTS:X material its limited to decoding of 7.1.4 or 5.1.6 channels for now. And with 150 watts per channel of output, it's plenty powerful enough for most rooms and most speaker systems. It's also eligible for upgrades down the road, although we've heard no official word yet about when an HDMI 2.1 upgrade will be available (the rumor mill has it at early 2021). You can read our review of the AVR-X8500H for a complete rundown of its features and capabilities.
- If you're interested in one of those audiophile offerings mentioned above..
I really love Anthem's current lineup of AV receivers, even if they're starting to show their age. Just to reiterate the deciding factors mentioned above: they have more robust amplification than most mass-market receivers, and their Anthem Room Correction system is absolutely aces. Could you get better results with an AV receiver equipped with Dirac room correction? Maybe. If you really understand room acoustics and know what you're doing.
If that's the case, you might instead opt for NAD's newer T 778 AV receiver, which not only boasts the latest version of Dirac, but also a beast of an amplification section, and support for Bluesound, which is in my opinion a much better wireless multiroom music system than the Play-Fi ecosystem employed by Anthem.
In either case, you have to contend with the fact that audiophile receivers rarely follow the same yearly update cycle as mass-market receivers do, so they can get a little behind in terms of features pretty quickly. Will new Anthem receivers with HDMI 2.1 come out sometime later this year? Honestly, nobody outside of Anthem knows for sure. Will the NAD T 778 get an HDMI 2.1 upgrade board in the reasonably near future? We can't be sure about that either.
But we can say for certain that the current lineup of Anthem AVRs and the new NAD do lack 7.1-channel analog inputs, so if you need those, your shopping options are a little more complicated.
If none of the above gives you concern, you may still be left wondering which specific model is right for you.
In short: The Anthem MRX 520 if you just want a 5.1- or 5.2-channel sound system and have a relatively small room.
The Anthem MRX 720 is a better choice if your room is a little bigger or you might want to up the channel count to 7.2. The MRX 720 also features 11.2-channel preamp outputs if you want to go full-blown Atmos/DTS:X and don't mind bringing your own amps to the party.
If you want the biggest, most speaker-packed all-in-one audiophile Dolby Atmos/DTS:X solution without adding amps, the MRX 1120 is where it's at. It offers 11 amplified channels and an upgraded 570-watt power supply, as compared with the 485-watt power supply of the MRX 720. If you'd like to audition any of these Anthem receivers to hear if the difference is worth it for you, you can find your nearest dealership by following this link.
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![Myriad 4 2 1 – audio batch processor review 2020 Myriad 4 2 1 – audio batch processor review 2020](https://images.wondershare.com/videoconverter/alternatives/imtoo-video-converter.jpg)
And if you want something in between the MRX 720 and MRX 1120 in terms of channel count, with a somewhat more intricate room correction system, the NAD T 778 may be right up your alley. It offers nine amplified channels, but with 11.2 channels of preamplification (if you're willing to add your own outboard amplification). The one major drawback of the NAD, though, is that even if you're fine settling for HDMI 2.0 for a while, it only features five back-panel HDMI inputs, which may or may not be enough for your home theater system. If you'd like to audition the T 778 to hear it for yourself, you can find your nearest dealership here.
Wait, I have a few more questions..
- Are you leaving anything out?
Lots of stuff. Like Auro3D(another 3D surround sound format with limited distribution). And oodles of considerations in terms of multi-zone AV distribution. And advanced control systems. And wireless music streaming. And so on.
I also left a lot unsaid in terms of HDR10, Dolby Vision, and copy protection support, because all of last year's offerings are pretty much on the same ground when it comes to all of that. Many have even stepped up the copy protection to HDCP 2.3 already.
- Why are you leaving stuff out?
Mainly to keep this article from being 50,000 words long. But also, because this isn't a guide for home theater enthusiasts, as I mentioned from the giddy-up. I'm focusing on the features and functionality that are most crucial to most normies.
- Why didn't you recommend the AV receiver that I love the most?
Because, again, if you already have an AV receiver that you love the most, this guide isn't for you.
- How much are these companies paying you to only recommend their products?
Exactly zero dollars. Although the former PR guy for Denon and Marantz did take me out to dinner last year when I was in San Diego, and it was pretty delicious. But he's not with the company anymore.
- What do you think of the new mid-engine Corvette?
![Myriad 4 2 1 – Audio Batch Processor Review Myriad 4 2 1 – Audio Batch Processor Review](https://creatornew167.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/5/5/125526800/439266447.png)
I like it. It's Zora Arkus-Duntov's lifelong dream finally realized, and I think it'll make the C8.R more competitive on the track once GT racing starts up again in earnest (although the team's withdrawal from the delayed Le Mans 2020 breaks my heart).
- Wait, what were we talking about?
I've honestly forgotten at this point.
Additional Resources
• Read Room Correction Revisitedat HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Read How to Pick the Right Amp for Your Speakers (or Vice Versa)at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• If you want more in-depth coverage of individual products, visit our AV Receiver category page.
• Read Room Correction Revisitedat HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Read How to Pick the Right Amp for Your Speakers (or Vice Versa)at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• If you want more in-depth coverage of individual products, visit our AV Receiver category page.