Choosing a receiver can be daunting whether you are a first-time home buyer or an experienced shopper.
Whether you want a stereo receiver for vinyl or your home theater, there are so many factors to consider: price, features, and sound quality. How do you know which one is right for you? This guide will help you navigate the sea of receivers and find the perfect one for your needs.
The size of the room
Knowing the size of your room is an essential factor when it comes to choosing which AV receiver you need. You’ll want one that can deliver enough power, has all the channels you need for whatever media consumption needs you might have, and is also within budget constraints. For example, if you are using your receiver for a home theater, you’ll need to ensure it can output enough watts per channel. You can get away with a less powerful receiver for smaller rooms or if you’re using it for music.
Generally, you will want at least 20 watts per channel. If you have a large room, look for a receiver with 50 watts per channel or more. If you have a small room, look for a receiver with 30 watts per channel or less.
Number of channels
One of the most important features to look for when purchasing an AV receiver is its many speaker channels. Five or seven channel receivers can power up five or seven speakers each. You’ll get better sound quality depending on your home theater setup’s type and numbering system.
You may have already figured out by now that the size of your room will determine how many speakers you can work with. There is absolutely no point in putting seven sound systems into a small space. Not only would they be too loud for comfort, but all those wires and boxes also take up way more than their fair share of flooring area. If it’s an average-sized 250 sq ft home, then I recommend going with 5.1 channel surround systems – which still leaves plenty left over just waiting to shake things everywhere loudly if needed.
Power
Audio systems are often judged by their power output, which can be misleading. The human ear cannot tell the difference between outputs that differ only 2:1. Thus, you must double your amplifier’s strength before it seems like something is different to someone else listening in on an audio signal. If you have a room that is 500 square feet, you will need an amplifier rated for 1000 watts.
However, this number can be deceiving as the true wattage of your amplifier may be different than what is printed on the outside. The way to determine this is to look at your specific model’s power output and then compare it to other models.
It would help if you also kept in mind that the more powerful your amplifier is, the more heat it will produce. So if you live in a hot climate, you may want to look for an amplifier with a built-in fan.
Sound quality
When it comes to receivers, sound quality is critical. You want to ensure you get a receiver that will give you the best sound quality for your money. There are a few things to look for when trying to determine a receiver’s sound quality.
The first thing is the frequency response. The frequency response is the range of frequencies that the receiver can reproduce. The higher the frequency response, the better the sound quality.
The second thing is the signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio is the signal strength ratio to the noise level. The higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the better the sound quality.
The third thing is the THD+N. The THD+N is the total harmonic distortion plus noise. The lower the THD+N, the better the sound quality.
Features
When looking for an AV receiver, you want to ensure that it has all the features you need. One of the essential features to look for is Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos is a new surround sound technology that creates a more realistic and immersive sound experience.
Another feature you might want to look for is a 4K pass-through. It lets you connect your 4K TV to your receiver and then send the signal to your projector or TV.
You can connect your receiver to your home network by using built-in Wi-Fi. It will let you stream music or movies from your computer or mobile device.
Bluetooth connectivity lets you connect devices that have Bluetooth to your receiver. This way, you can play music without using any cords.
Price
Of course, the price is one of the most important factors to consider when looking for an AV receiver. You want to ensure you are getting a good value for your money. There are a few things to keep in mind when considering the price of a receiver.
- You get what you pay for. So the more expensive receivers will usually have a better sound quality and more features.
- You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good receiver. There are plenty of great receivers that are very affordable.
- The price is not always the most critical factor. You want to ensure that you are getting a receiver with the features and sound quality you need.
