Best Av Receiver Under 1500

Denon AVRX4300H - feel every moment of a film

Denon is a long-established brand that rarely disappoints customers nowadays, so choosing Denon you can at least be sure that guarantee will work well for the next few years. This model is especially good if you are a cinema lover and wish to experience the same in your own house. There are much more to tell about Denon AVRX4300H, so let’s have a look at a full range of Denon AVRX4300H specs below.

Design

There are two wheels by sides separated by the big screen with a command panel in the middle. The wheel on the left (just above the power button) is a source input select, the one on the right is for volume. The central area is dedicated to the control panel and the screen where the chosen mode is shown up. Overall though, this designer solution is modern and fit most interiors I am aware of, including my own. There are several inputs in the front which make the life slightly easier as there is no need to turn the receiver around if you want to plug the USB device, for example, or connect your phone to this av receiver. You can also request an information or status of your receiver just by pressing related buttons on the front panel. At the back, there are places for HDMI inputs and outputs at the top, speakers of different zones, monitor, subwoofer and different gaming systems connections.

Features

If you want to listen to your playlist and your songs are all mixed up and have different recording formats, don’t worry anymore - Denon AVRX4300H recognizes every audio format apart from AIFF, so until your playlist is not in AIFF, you are safe for now. Same with built-in decoders - AVRX4300H will be more than happy to enhance movie sound of the film for you, but not if it uses DTS:X decoding. There are no problems at all with other DTS and Dolby, but if you are a fan of DTS:X only, that’s not a receiver for you. I need to warn you in advance that great sound means lots of power, so don’t be surprised when you see 0.5W in standby mode. This receiver has a three-zone compatibility which means you will have a longer set up to come through, however later you can enjoy all the benefits of this feature. The receiver also can be controlled remotely via your smartphone, so if you forgot where the remote is, just do the needed within the app on your smartphone.

Performance

You can use Denon AVRX4300H in many ways. For radio lovers, there are 40 preset AM/FM stations available for you to listen to. For cinema lovers, there are much more to tell. The receiver has an HDMI pass-through up to 4K and 3D pass-through for fast video conversion, a three-zone capability to replicate the cinema effect, bi-amplifying and pure direct mode to ensure the delivery of every piece of sound to you. The receiver can turn itself off if not in use, so if you’ve gone and forgotten about it, it shouldn’t be a problem at all. It has a sleep timer as well, so if you love to go to bed while watching a film, this is a useful function to have a look at.

Sound Quality

It is a 9.2 channel receiver which has a digital sound processing and supports Dolby Surround sound effects. Audio D/A conversion happens at 32bit / 192kHz rate so you can be sure you get a clear sound with no delays. Denon AVRX4300H can be truly proud of its 0.05 % total harmonic distortion and 102 dB signal-to-noise ratio – you can hear the difference as there are no disturbances in the sound especially in three-zone mode. The sound itself is quite loud (what would you expect from 125W per channel?) so the dialogues are heard even at low volume (20-30).

Connectivity

If you’ve been looking for an av receiver with more than 2 HDMI outputs, you’ve found the one - Denon AVRX4300H has 3 HDMI outputs so you will have a chance to connect something you’ve always wanted but haven’t got a chance. Apart from it, there are 2 AV inputs, 2 optical and coaxial digital inputs, 8 HDMI inputs, 2 subwoofer outputs, USB-port, and a phone port. Talking about wireless connection methods, there are Bluetooth and WiFi so you can connect your wireless speakers or a phone or even earphones and enjoy the 3D sound in the room next door. For someone who likes more traditional ways of Internet connection, there are two ports available – one for IEEE 802.3 and the other one for IEEE 802.3u.

Setup

Denon AVRX4300H is quite easy for setting up due to microphone auto calibration option available. The only little thing to be aware of, for the best performance, while doing the settings for three zones or Audyssey, when measuring second, third and so on positions, position the calibration microphone within 60 cm of the first measurement position (main listening position). Another tip is if you want to hear the bass even at a low volume, switch Dynamic EQ in the menu to “On” and this will correct the frequency in the way you want.

Conclusion

Overall, Denon AVRX4300H is a great receiver that you will enjoy for the next few years for sure. Personally, I like to use it as a home cinema receiver and not to be so picky in terms of quantity of AM/FM stations installed, however, I am more than sure that it will be as superb for the rest things as well. For me, the receiver with 3 HDMI outputs and tree-zone compatibility and Bluetooth support should be a must have in every house, so you will not regret buying it. Hope this Denon AVRX4300H review helped you to find out more about this receiver so now you can make your own judgment on what to do.

The Denon AVR-X1100W is a 7.2 channel receiver that brings immersive surround sound to your home theater system with its advanced audio processing capabilities. It features high quality digital-to-analog conversion for superior fidelity and Dolby Atmos support, allowing you to enjoy object based 3D audio in up to 5.1.4 or 7.1 configurations when paired with the right speaker setup. The unit also supports 4K video passthrough so all of your modern media can be enjoyed on compatible displays without any loss of resolution or color depth due to scalers and processors inside the unit itself as well as FireConnect™ multiroom wireless technology which allows you stream music from various sources throughout your house using multiple products including other receivers, powered speakers, network players etc., making it perfect for large scale systems where convenience is key.

The Onkyo TX-RZ740 AV Receiver is a high end entertainment system that offers excellent features at an affordable price. It packs in seven channels of amplification, producing up to 140W per channel with low distortion levels for powerful and clear sound quality. Dolby Atmos provides immersive surround sound while HDCP 2.2 compatibility ensures the latest 4K UHD content can be viewed without issue on compatible displays. An advanced 32 bit DSP processor supports multi-room audio setups with dual subwoofer outputs to allow users to set up speakers throughout their home or office easily while Music Optimizer technology helps improve the clarity of compressed music files so you get great sounding tunes no matter what format they’re stored in. With multiple connection options including four HDMI inputs, two digital optical ports and Bluetooth connectivity it's easy to hook this receiver up however suits your needs best - making it perfect for setting up any type of listening environment from hi fi stereo systems right through 5:1 movie theatre rooms

Denon AVR-S500BT: 4K Receiver With Bluetooth

The present model from Denon is a 5.2-channel receiver that has 140W per channel. The Denon AVR-S500BT specs focus on providing basic features for better video quality and improved audio listening experience, like 4K video support and AM/FM tuner.

Design

Generally, the receiver looks sleek and modern. It has quite a standard size of 13 x 10.4 x 13 inches and weighs 17 pounds. Since the Denon AVR-S500BT doesn’t feature multi-zone, there are not too many controls on its body. This way, it does look minimalist even without a flip-down panel. It features a source select knob and a knob to control the volume level, and four dedicated buttons to quickly select the needed input source which I find very convenient. The display is quite simple, with white text on a black background with blue highlight. On the front panel of the unit, you can also find 3 ports: USB, headphones jack, and setup mic. The USB port is capable of decoding MP3, WMA, WAV formats but not AIFF.

Features

The Denon AVR-S500BT AV receiver supports 4K Ultra HD and 4:4:4 Pure Color video pass-through. It also works with TVs that support the 3D format. The Compressed Audio Restorer improves sound quality of MP3 and other digital music files. The HDMI standby pass-through gives the opportunity to switch HDMI without powering up the unit. The provided remote control is multifunctional and offers dedicated source buttons. The ECO mode contributes to the reduction of power consumption.

Performance

Despite being the receiver from the budget segment, this model from Denon works well. Both video and audio performance of this unit are quite satisfying, however, they may seem lackluster in comparison with some other similar receivers.

Sound Quality

In this Denon AVR-S500BT review, I would like to say that this receiver from Denon provides a volumetric, three-dimensional sound for a cinematic experience. It supports DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD decoding. Plus, you can play high-resolution FLAC files from connected USB memory devices (up to 24-bit/96 kHz).

Connectivity

The rear panel of the unit offers a small number of connectivity options. You can find there 5 HDMI (ver.2.0) inputs and 1 output. You will also get composite video switching (2 in, 1 out), digital audio inputs (2 optical and 1 coaxial), 2 analog inputs, 2 outputs for subwoofers, and outputs for 5 speakers (front L/R, center, surround L/R).

Note that the Denon AVR-S500BT stereo receiver doesn’t offer phono input, so to connect a vinyl player to the receiver you will need to add a phono preamp.

The Bluetooth connectivity is provided for a wireless connection.

Setup

The Denon Setup Assistant with an intuitive on-screen guide makes it simple to connect your acoustic system to the receiver. With the color-coded speaker terminals, even the newbies will not get confused when hooking up the receiver to the speaker system. The AVR-S500BT also goes with a microphone to calibrate your sound system, ensuring that your subs and speakers are properly tuned.Conclusion

Conclusion

The AVR-S500BT is a simple unit without bells and whistles that is offered for a budget-friendly price, and accordingly offers a minimal set of connectors. However, you will still be able to connect the satellite box, Blu-ray player, gaming console, and other sources to this receiver. The built-in Bluetooth technology turns out to be a pleasant addiction for listening to music from apps using your smartphone or tablet. It does offer some important features to provide high-quality video and audio and can be a decent addition to a home theater.

The Onkyo TX-RZ840 Smart AV Receiver is a top of the line product that provides users with outstanding sound quality. It features nine channels, each providing 140 watts for an impressive total output power of 1260 watts. This makes it ideal for larger home theater systems and multi-room audio setups alike. The receiver also has support for Dolby Atmos®, DTS:X™ 3D surround sound formats as well as 4K/60Hz pass through along with HDCP 2.2 compliance to ensure high definition video playback from streaming services or Blu-ray players without issue. In addition, the integrated Wi-Fi connection allows you to stream music directly from your mobile device or tablet, while Bluetooth® connectivity lets you easily pair wireless devices like headphones and speakers quickly and hassle free. All this combined makes the Onkyo TX-RZ840 one of most powerful receivers on sale today!

Yamaha RX-A760: 7.2-Channel Receiver with Dolby Support

Thinking of top-quality audio electronics, Yamaha is one of the first brands that come to my mind. The Yamaha Aventage RX-A760 is an affordable model to cover a wide range of functions most users would like to have in their receivers. It’s supplemented with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, a 7.2-channel surround sound, Alexa compatibility, AirPlay support, and more.

Design

The design is kept simple, without any outstanding features. The unit stands on five feet (the central one serves for vibration damping) and weighs more than 20 pounds, making it hard to move the receiver from place to place. The information on the LCD screen is clearly visible even when you sit far from it. It's easy to start using the item since all the buttons and inputs on the front panel are legibly labeled. With the antenna up, the unit measures 17 x 6 x 15 inches.

Features

The receiver supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD technologies for the best-in-class audio and video reproduction, as well as HDR10 and 4K UHD formats. The unique Cinema DSP 3D and Virtual Surround Back Speaker modes can make up for an absence of the surround back speakers.

Thanks to the MusicCast support, you can wirelessly connect the audio equipment from the other rooms to the receiver. You can conveniently control this feature via the Yamaha AV Controller app on your smartphone.

The superior color transmission is achieved thanks to the Rec.2020 compatibility and the X.v.Color support that offers an extended color gamut.

Since the RX-A760 is a network receiver, it's also capable of automatic firmware updates.

The internet radio is also available on this receiver.

Just like all the receivers from Yamaha's Aventage series, this one also features the bi-amplifying capability that allows improving the way your speakers sound, as well as increase their peak volume.

In terms of energy-saving features, the receiver offers Eco mode and auto power-off functionality.I recommend getting acquainted with the Yamaha RX-A760 manual before proceeding to the setup process: this model has so many options for both audio and video improvement!

I recommend getting acquainted with the Yamaha RX-A760 manual before proceeding to the setup process: this model has so many options for both audio and video improvement!

Performance

I hooked up the unit to my Dolby Atmos-enabled Samsung speakers and got the fantastic surround sound effect. Besides, it's also possible to enjoy the three-dimensional sound reproduction using this receiver even without the Atmos supported speakers. I also consider the RX-A760 a nice choice for a home theater setup: it upscales visual content to 4K-quality, empowering the speakers to deliver an excellent sound.

Sound Quality

Testing the receiver for this Yamaha RX-A760 review, I was definitely satisfied with its ability to improve the overall sound quality. It enhances the low-frequency reproduction separately, so the receiver did the job the best way possible after being connected to my old subwoofer. This model also has a dedicated mode for making the compressed audio sound clearer.

Adjusting the intensity of the dialog reproduction automatically is possible thanks to the Adaptive DRC feature. It really helped me hear the movie's conversations clearly without cranking up the volume. With the numerous sound adjustment possibilities provided, I was able to fine-tune the soundstage to my personal preferences. You also can activate the Pure Direct mode that allows getting the cleanest sound possible.

For those who enjoy watching action movies, this receiver will ensure a well-balanced and stable sound. It won't be deafening during the explosions or too quiet when the characters speak softly.

The unit supports all the most popular high-res audio codecs (FLAC, WAV, Apple Lossless, etc.).

Connectivity

I didn't experience any issues when connecting the receiver to Bluetooth. However, Wi-Fi may randomly disconnect for no reason. The Yamaha RX-A760 also has six HDMI inputs, a phono input for a vinyl record player, etc. The wired connection to the home network can be performed using commercially-available STP network cable (CAT-5 or higher straight cable).

The receiver also offers an HDMI ARC functionality that can be manually enabled/disabled.

Setup

Connecting your appliances (speakers, TV, etc.) to the receiver won't be problematic since all the ports are labeled. You can also use the wireless protocol to pair mobile devices as well.

The YPAO system facilitates the setup process, calibrating an audio configuration depending on the acoustics.

Conclusion

This Yamaha Aventage RX-A760 review proves the fact that this high-performance receiver can make any home theater better. Although it has issues with the Wi-Fi connection, it's still able to provide a noticeable improvement for the UHD TV and the old speaker setup.

Sony STR-ZA1100ES: AV Receiver with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Support

If you are looking for a high-quality Dolby Atmos receiver, the Sony STR-ZA1100ES will be a good fit. Featuring 7 built-in 100W channels, the device is able to drive most speakers with ease.

Design

All the controls (except for the on/off button and a volume control knob) are hidden under the removable cover that allows the device to look neat and minimalist. The Sony STR-ZA1100ES front panel cover can be taken off easily since it's magnetic. The display is wide and easy to read. The receiver's body has a black brush metal finish. Weighing 27.1 pounds, the unit stands out for its solid construction and robust design.

This model deserves to get 10 out of 10 for the design.

Features

The STR-ZA1100ES is the second model from Sony's ES series. Another model, the STRZA2100ES is basically the same but a bit less powerful.

The unit comes with a 4K HDR support and a 4K upscaling feature. It also supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decodings. Moreover, being an IMAX-enhanced model allows getting a truly cinematic experience.

Inside, the receiver has a high-purity amplifier that is able to deliver a high-resolution sound. Plus, the glass-epoxy circuit reduces the internal vibrations and, as a result, decreases the distortion level.

The Sony STR-ZA1100ES box is equipped with FM wire and AM loop antennas, which make it a top model for radio lovers. A multi-zone feature allows the receiver to send the signal to the audio systems located in different rooms.

Although the receiver comes with its own remote, it can actually be connected to the third-party remotes allowing for great flexibility.

The receiver isn't overcomplicated, featuring everything a music lover needs at the same time. So, I rate the receiver at 9/10 in this category.

Performance

The 7-channel receiver performs extremely well in stereo, direct, and surround sound modes.

You can easily configure the mode settings via web browser on your PC or laptop. The receiver is easy to control even without a remote: all the important control buttons can be found on the unit itself, so you can choose the mode via a dedicated button on the front panel.

For the overall performance, I'll give a 10/10.

Sound Quality

According to the Sony STR-ZA1100ES specs, this model comes toe to toe with the receivers that cost much more. Featuring the phantom rear speaker and in-ceiling speaker modes, the unit is capable of improving the overall sound reproduction of your acoustic system by giving the impression you're having more speakers. The Dolby Atmos support provides an incredible cinema-like & object-based surround sound.

The sound features are impressive. So, I rate it at 10/10 here.

Connectivity

The receiver includes 5 HDMI ports (all of them are 4K-compliant), 2 HDMI outputs, 4 analog audio inputs, 2 optical inputs, and digital coaxial input. If you want to connect it to your old equipment, there are also 2 component video inputs and 2 composite ones.

Sadly, there is no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.

The connectivity options get an 8/10.

Setup

The receiver has an auto-setup feature, offering two ways to run it: through the receiver's built-in display or using your smartphone or PC. The on-screen setup will guide you through the entire installation process.

There is also Sony's proprietary room correction feature to help you configure the unit that automatically balances the sound basing on the speakers' placement and room acoustics.

The setup is as easy as you expect from the Sony receiver. Thus, the installation process gets a 10/10.

Conclusion

Summing up this Sony STR-ZA1100ES review, I can say that this model offers a great upgrade for your acoustic or home theater setup. Its 4K/HDR pass-through and 4K upscaling options are excellent, and the impressive sound improvement features allow enjoying the high-fidelity sound.