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The receiver is what gives you the entertainment in the house. It enables you to enhance your audio sources and organize them as DVD players or cable satellite devices. It would be best to connect the speaker to the receiver for audio and television sound.

We now go into the types of receivers to understand precisely which one is right for you. But if you are in a hurry, skip to What to Look for When Buying a Home Theater Receiver directly to get the receiver buying cheatsheet.

Types of Receivers

Stereo and A/V are the two basic types of receivers.

What are Stereo Receivers?

Stereo Receivers are devices that allow you to receive audio and video signals from separate sources (such as a turntable, Blu-Ray player, or cable box), amplify them, and send the audio to your speakers. Receivers also function as switchers for the same equipment.

A stereo receiver’s preamplifier may output audio signals to an external amplifier with greater power, even though a stereo receiver has its own amplifier to drive the speakers.

Stereo receivers are built to operate two speakers simultaneously, typically in multiple locations. Today’s stereo receivers will frequently include XM or Sirius satellite radio capability and HD radio tuners, in addition to conventional AM/FM tuners primarily for audio devices.

Essential stereo Receiver features

Let’s take Pioneer SX-10AE Home Audio Stereo Receiver for our illustration. Most stereo receivers will have these features.

AM/FM tuner with presets

Radio still is one of the best ways to listen to music. That’s why most stereo receivers have built-in AM/FM tuners. Tune your favourite radio stations and store them in presets so you can quickly access what you want to listen to.

Pioneer SX-10AE Home Audio Stereo Receiver features 40 stations on the receiver’s presets — enough for even the most demanding listener. Auxiliary input connects your iPhone, iPad, iPod or any MP3 player so that you can enjoy your favourite tunes on the go.

Auto Standby

The receiver will automatically switch to standby mode after 2 hours of inactivity.

Headphone Jack

For private listening, the receiver features a front-panel headphone jack. You can also add a headphone amplifier (such as Pioneer’s PH-10) for even better sound quality from your headphones.

So, what are Stereo Receivers used for

A receiver comprises a power amplifier (which provides the power to drive your speakers), a preamplifier (for selecting sources, adjusting volume, and sometimes changing tone), and a radio tuner. A receiver combines all of these and makes it more affordable. Not only this, it requires fewer wires and takes up less shelf space.

Stereo receivers can be used in many different situations, such as:

Home theatres and home entertainment systems
A second system for background listening
A primary or secondary system for an apartment or smaller house

Some car stereos have built-in receivers

Two primary kinds of purchasers who might be interested in a stereo receiver are those who want to listen to vinyl records and those who wish to enjoy greater sound quality than an all-in-one wireless speaker can provide.

What are A/V receivers?

A/V receivers, also known as audio/video receivers, are a type of home theatre receiver that combines an audio amplifier and an audio/video switcher. An A/V receiver has inputs for all of the user’s audio and video sources, such as a cable TV box, CD player or Blu-ray, and digital media hub (Apple TV, Roku, etc.). The video output from the receiver goes to the television via HDMI, while its various audio outputs connect to speakers and a subwoofer using stranded wire. Most AV receivers contain at least five channels of amplification to drive your surround sound speaker system.

Essential A/V Receiver features

Having a suitable AV receiver for your home theatre is as important as choosing the right car for yourself. Let’s take the YAMAHA RX-V4A 5.2-Channel AV Receiver for our example this time around.

It has what you need to build a complete entertainment system, including four HDMI inputs (and one HDMI Out), which allow you to connect your game console, streaming media player, HD antenna, or satellite TV receiver.

One of the most important features in AV receivers is to support what’s called “legacy” surround sound formats, which are found in many older movies and DVDs. The Yamaha RX-V4A 5.2-Channel Home Theatre Receiver supports Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos surrounds out of the box to give you rich, full sound for your older movies.

Headphone Output

Connect your headphones to the receiver and enjoy high quality, low noise sound even in loud environments. This is what makes it possible for you to enjoy what you’re watching without disturbing others.

Auto Power On

This feature turns on the receiver automatically when it senses an audio signal. For example, the receiver will turn on when it hears what’s playing on your TV.

Enhanced Gaming Functionality

The receiver boasts of features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Media Switching (QMS), and Quick Frame Transport (QFT) that are what every gamer wants. These technologies all contribute to what makes the gaming experience great, which is what you should be looking for in a receiver if you’re into that sort of thing.

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2

For music, use Wi-Fi to link MusicCast multi-room audio, Bluetooth to play through headphones, and AirPlay 2 to play from iOS devices.

What to Look for When Buying a Home Theater Receiver

If you’re in a rush to get the ideal gadget for yourself, be sure not to overlook this list.

#1. Identify the component you’ll be connecting to the receiver.

#2. Ensure that the receiver supports what you plan to connect to it and what formats it will be using.
#3. Look for receivers with HDCP 2.2 support. This is the next generation of the 4K era, and your current 4K TV or AV receiver from last year may not be able to receive/pass all future 4K content. So it’s a good idea to get a receiver that supports this technology.
#4. Ensure that the receiver has what you need in terms of speaker set up, including 5.1-channel surround sound, a streaming music service etc.

#5. Choose a Receiver with Dolby Atmos to give you the surround-sound experience; It’s everywhere, from the biggest commercial cinemas to home theatre systems, and it’s now on mobile phones and tablets as well.
#6. Opt for Wireless Surround Speakers feature to utilize the same AV receiver with a MusicCast 50 or two MusicCast 20 wireless rear speakers to create a 5.1-channel home theatre.
#7. Look for Voice controls with Alexa or Google Assistant devices or Siri via AirPlay 2

#8 Pay attention to your connections. Look out for a minimum of four HDMI inputs for connecting a cable box, a Blu-Ray player, and an additional plug-in for future expansion. If you add AppleTV to this mix, you should already employ four. Do you intend on connecting to turntables in the future?

Make sure there’s enough room

Receiver size often exceeds your expectations. A receiver that uses 5-11 amps must dissipate air heat so that 6″ above the ceiling can provide ventilation. The cooler the electronic components remain, the longer they’re useful.

The AV receiver is generally bigger than a stereo receiver, so it’s usually recommended to give it 20 inches of depth.

One thing is certain: Modern receivers are significantly larger and heavier than the earliest ones. Placing this one in a tiny glass table will not work — you want solid material.

Make sure your AV receiver is ready for your TV

You’ll need specific components in your new receiver that are compatible with TVs manufactured in the last year, as well as later TVs and computer video equipment like the Apple TV, Roku & Xbox.

4K has become the most widely used, most reliable and highest resolution video for consumers at home.

The 4K pictures are highly detailed and free of dots or lines, which we’ve previously seen on traditional television sets or even larger 4K TV displays. With screen costs plummeting, this is a significant factor.

Choose the Correct Channel

A/V receivers let you choose from a variety of Dolby and DTS settings. It would help if you first decided whether you want DTS support and how many speakers you wish to employ for your surround-sound system.

5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 surrounds are the most popular channel configurations, each of which is named for the number of channels available. A “subwoofer” channel is represented by a “. 1”.

5.1 (five speakers + subwoofer)- A 5.1 surround-sound system has left, centre, and right front speakers. It also includes left and right surround speakers. This format will be supported by Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, and DTS 5.1.
6.1 (six speakers + subwoofer)- A 6.1 configuration adds a rear channel to a 5.1 setup (six speakers + subs). This format is used by Dolby Digital EX, which splits the one extra channel into left and right rear speakers.
7.1 (seven speakers + subwoofer) Dolby Pro Logic IIx has separate rear right and left channels.

Summing Up

So, now do you understand what are receivers used for? Receivers are what help you get surround sound from all your various devices.

They are what make it possible for you to enjoy what you’re watching without disturbing others. What they do depends on what features they possess, what components they fit, what form factor they come in, what resolution they support and what technologies are included.

More Questions You might Have…

Are stereo receivers necessary?

A receiver is usually required for standard speakers, but it is not needed for active Soundbars with wireless or satellite speakers.

Does Dolby Atmos make a difference?

The main difference between Dolby Atmos and other surround sound is the usage of channels. Dolby Atmos accomplishes this by eliminating the channels and assigning sound objects to a specific location. As a result, if a sound is heard in the upper right corner of the space, it will have spatial precision rather than being confined to the right speaker.

Explain stereo vs Dolby atmos.

The main difference between a standard stereo system and Dolby Atmos is that stereo speakers panning the sound from left to right as it passes by the character cannot produce airborne sounds, whereas a Dolby Atmos system can. You don’t need many speaker outputs because any capable soundbar can mimic this overhead noise as long as it’s set up correctly.

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What are Receivers Used for?