AV
Receiver Reviews -A Guide
Audio and video receivers are designed to simplify the media
center, while enhancing the entertainment experience. They are the
intermediaries for the surrounding sound system as well as your television set,
cable/satellite programming, DVD player, computer and many other media devices.
They are the intermediaries because they act as a central hub. They separate
incoming digital A/V signals from media sources and reroute them to the
corresponding channel. In other words, audio and video receivers allow you to
have everything connected to them and, at the push of a button, are able to
switch between devices without unplugging and switching cables.You may want to check out av receiver reviews for more.
As with most electronics purchases, the key to getting the
right audio and video receiver is finding one that is suitable. There are basic
things needed no matter what but aside from those, it is your choice. For that
reason, the products reviewed are rated based on how broad and functional they
are. Audio and video receivers that are around the same price range have the
most options and capabilities that will cater to the majority of people
considering to buy one.
Together these make up the most important things to look for
on in audio and video receivers. The Pioneer VSX-1020-K, the Yamaha RX-V667 and
the Sony STR-DN1010 are great examples of such with all-around high
performance, cost efficiency and competent receiver capabilities. As with most
electronics, there is rarely a perfect device for everyone but for around the
same price there are some that are better than others for what you need them
for. Those ones will usually be ideal for the majority and are a good place to
start.
Here are the qualities and features to consider:
Performance
One of the most common measurements of audio performance is
known as Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and is an indicator of the quality of the
sound output. Theoretically the higher the SNR, the higher the quality ofsound. The frequency response too should be in a nice broad range and Total
Harmonic Distortion (THD) should be as low as possible.
I/O Ports
Here we consider the HDMI ports specifically due to their
convenience and popularity. After that, we consider the variety to accommodate
systems that are more complex. That includes component, optical, coaxial and
composite connections, as well as ports for everything, from multiple rooms to
radio ports like satellite and the good old AM/FM.
Audio Technology
When it comes to supported format technology, you want
support for everything; that way no matter what, you can get the most out of
any audio or video device. If your Blu-ray player supports Dolby Digital TrueHD
and DTS-HD but your A/V receiver does not then it does you no good. Rate the
products based on how many of these kinds of technologies they support, since
that is most certainly what you want – full variety.
Features
Other features you might want to consider are the small
extras like iPod compatibility and 1080p video up scaling. In addition, there
are warranty, product dimensions, and weight. The longer the warranty the
better and audio and video receivers that are not too bulky or heavy to not
disrupt room aesthetics wouldn’t hurt either.
