While everyone talks about “work from home” and robust home networks as the “new normal,” a nice multichannel home theater should not be overlooked. 

While people working from home are discovering the limitations of their home networks, they are also discovering in many cases that their “so-called” home theater or home-entertainment systems are not exactly up-to-snuff either. 

Following the pandemic glut of content and shelter-in-place viewings, there was a lot of content to expose the weaknesses of peoples’ AV systems.  

AV Receivers Remain the Foundation of Modern Home Entertainment

The method of content delivery may have shifted from VHS, DVD and Blu-ray, to streaming media, but regardless of that content, once it arrives at the home, it is still necessary to have a quality multichannel AV receiver to help power the home theater, and choosing a state-of-the-art, modern AV receiver can be a difficult choice. 

Today’s AV receivers reflect the changes in the home entertainment market. As home theaters evolve to adopt formats such as immersive audio, 4K, HDR, 8K and 120Hz video refresh rates, it’s important for AV receivers to be able to reliably handle these technologies. 

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Serving as the catalyst to make the playback of these technologies happen is of course HDMI. 

Equipment manufacturers that include display and projector companies, cable manufacturers, and AV receiver companies are in the midst of working with the HDMI organization to solidify what will be required as part of the next-generation HDMI 2.1 specification. This new protocol will have an enormous impact on future product development. 

In the meantime, until HDMI 2.1 is completely rolled out manufacturers are working diligently to maximize their existing hardware to enable consumers to enjoy the latest entertainment formats in the same way they would if they could go to their local cinema complexes. 

Here are 12 multichannel AV receivers from some of the biggest names in consumer electronics to provide immersive audio, 4K and HDR compatibility, and a plethora of other options all at reasonable price points for your home theater system.

Anthem AV MRX 720

Anthem’s $2,500 MRX 720 is an 11.2 receiver that provides Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HDMI 2.0a and HDR while also providing an amplification rating of 140 watts per channel. The MRX 720 also offers IP control, RS-232 and multiple control system drivers for use in custom install projects.

Arcam AVR31

The AVR31 is a high-power, multichannel home theater receiver that come with native 16-channel decoding of immersive audio from Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D and 7 channels of Class G amplification. The AVR31 also comes ready with Dirac Live Bass Control for an extra added punch in the sound.

AudioControl Concert XR-6

The IMAX Enhanced Concert XR-6 delivers 100 watts per channel, along with Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D, and DTS:X. The 4K, HDR compatible receiver also provides Dirac room equalization.

Denon AVR-X4700H

The new $1,700 AVR-X4700H offers all of the modern immersive audio formats, as well as voice control options via platforms such as Alexa and Google Home, and Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room equalization.

Integra DRX 5.3

The IMAX Enhanced and THX Select certified DRX 5.3 provides options such as Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer; it provides configurations up to 7.2.4, and it provides secondary zone options.

Lexicon RV-6

With Class A/B amplification, Dirac room EQ, 4K and Dolby Vision HDR compatibility, the RV-6 provides a host of integrator- and user-friendly options. The RV-6 also comes with Logic7 immersion as well as Ethernet, RS232 and IR control.

Marantz Cinema 50

Clocking in at an MSRP of $2,500, the Marantz Cinema 50 is a 9.4 channel home theater receiver with 110-watt-per-channel amplification, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced and Auro 3D, 8K Ultra HD, and HEOS® Built-in streaming.

McIntosh MAC7200

Though this list focuses primarily on immersive audio and surround sound, there are times when stereo audio is the best solution. The MAC7200 is a stereo receiver rated to produce 200 watts per channel. The MAC7200 offers a total of 14 inputs, and options to support the latest digital formats.

NAD T758 V3i

The T758 incorporates Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound, DTS:X immersive audio; MQA compatibility to playback high-resolution audio files, and 4K video compatibility. The conservatively rated amplifier section delivers 60 watts of power simultaneously to all channels driven, and NAD supports the receiver with its MDC platform for future upgrades.

Onkyo TX-RZ840

The $1,200 TX-RZ840 is an IMAX Enhanced certified receiver that provides streaming audio such as Spotify and Pandora; the DTS:X immersive audio format, Apple AirPlay 2, the DTS Play-Fi wireless whole-house audio platform, and 4K with HDR compatibility.

Sony STR-ZA5000ES

The $2,200 9.2-channel ZA5000ES from Sony incorporates Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio processing; DCAC room equalization, 4K and HDR compatibility that includes the dynamic Dolby Vision HDR format, and an 8-port Gigabit network switch to support networked device connections such as Apple TVs and PlayStation 4 gaming systems.

Yamaha Aventage RX-A1080

The RX-A1080 is a competitively priced receiver that’s a go-to product for many integrators. The receiver provides Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio, Yamaha’s MusicCAST wireless whole-house audio platform, and its Surround:AI proprietary surround sound processing that enhances immersive Audio. The RX-A1080 also provides 4K and HDR compatibility.

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