(Nov 26, 2008)
John P. Falcone
Senior Editor
If you opted for separate speakers and components, your AV receiver will serve as the hub of your entire home-theater system. Today, even entry-level receivers come with a host of features and perform surprisingly well. But sorting through all of your options can be a daunting task, so we've tried to help out by selecting our favorites, all of which deliver a good balance of features, performance, ease of use, and value in their respective classes.
One quick buying tip--if you're looking to buy a receiver with many HDMI inputs, consider buying a step-down model and pairing it up with an inexpensive HDMI switcher. You'll save money, get more HDMI inputs overall, and the switcher can easily integrate with your home theater if you have a quality universal remote.
Sony STR-DA5300ES
With six HDMI inputs, an intuitive graphical user interface, and excellent audio and video quality, the Sony STR-DA5300ES raises the bar on what to expect from a high-end AV receiver.
Price: $899.95 - $1,495.00 (check prices)
Review date: Jul 24, 2007
Excellent
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Denon AVR-3808CI
The Denon AVR-3808CI AV receiver is absolutely packed with functionality and sounds great, but you'll need to be an AV geek to unlock all its potential.
Price: $1,093.00 - $1,799.00 (check prices)
Review date: Nov 29, 2007
Excellent
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Pioneer Elite VSX-91TXH
The Pioneer Elite VSX-91TXH AV receiver delivers excellent audio quality and a host of cutting-edge features, but competing models offer even better values at this price point.
Price: $619.99 - $1,000.00 (check prices)
Review date: Oct 2, 2007
Very good
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Onkyo TX-SR606 (black)
The Onkyo TX-SR606 offers tons of functionality for the price, but subpar video processing and improved competition means it's less of a standout receiver than last year's version.
Price: $338.50 - $499.99 (check prices)
Review date: Jul 15, 2008
Very good
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