Best Slim AV Receiver

How I picked and tested compact receivers

I was determined to find a high-quality small surround sound AV receiver and a good stereo receiver so that you can feel every tremble and sound shift while listening to music or watching movies.

To evaluate the quality of surround sound in video, I watched John Wick 3. First of all, I am a fan of this film (I think like millions of movie lovers), and secondly, this movie has a lot of action scenes, special effects, and talks. So it’s perfect for testing it out.

To check whether receivers are equally efficient with audio, I listened to tracks in different genres and from varied sources.

• Bob Marley & The Wailers – Turn Your Lights Down Low – Deezer
• Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know – SoundCloud
• Radiohead – The National Anthem – Spotify
• The Weeknd – The Hills (CD player)
• Mahler – Symphony No.2 (CD player)
• Led Zeppelin – Ramble On (CD player)
• Jacky Terrasson – Reach (CD player)
• Mark Nauseef – With Space in Mind (CD player)

My toolset for tests consists of:

• • CD player SACD 30n
  • Blu-ray player Sony UBP-X700
  • Speaker wire – AudioQuest Type-9
  • Speakers for the movie – Klipsch RP-8060FA (used 5.1)
  • Stereo speakers:
    • Klipsch RP-8060FA
    • KEF Q350
    • DALI OBERON 5
    • Klipsch RP-600M II

Best compact surround sound receivers

Marantz Cinema 70S – best overall

And the winner of this selection is the only 7-channel model of 2022 – Marantz CINEMA 70s. It replaced the Marantz NR1711 in the brand’s lineup (you’ll find it in the Discontinued Models section), but its parameters resemble its predecessor in many ways. The device’s dimensions are almost identical: 17.4 x 15.1 x 4.3 inches/43.18 x 38.1 x 10.16 centimeters.

When it comes to a narrow-body receiver, you must realize that the components inside the chassis are very close to each other, automatically creating interference and the threat of overheating. So I’m in complete solidarity with Marantz in that they’ve stated a power rating of 50 watts (8 ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz, 0.08%, 2ch, this will save you from additional ventilation, as the Cinema 70s hardly ever overheats during prolonged use. But, of course, this is the smallest power output for a 7-channel unit. With standard receivers, it is always higher.

Regarding the construction, the design of the CINEMA 70s should also be mentioned. The new line from Marantz is characterized by a very nice but completely uninformative (due to the size and dimness) LCD round shape on the body. I understand the idea, but it’s more of a decorative element than an important one. I’m also not crazy about the little round buttons on the front panel. If you have large fingers (like yours truly), you will feel like a clumsy bear with a crystal flower in your hands (okay, I’m exaggerating, but you get the point). Other than that, of course, I have no complaints about Marantz. They always pay attention to the quality and the weight of the case because the anti-resonance of the device depends on it.

As for video functions, CINEMA 70s is the absolute leader in my selection. It has the largest number of HDMI ports, version 2.1 (3 out of 6), equipped with HDCP 2.3, CES, eARC, gamer stuff, and, of course, broadcast 8K video. But the output is only 1, as are indeed all the other selection participants. Generally, it’s quite expected for a receiver to have the word “cinema” in its name.

So, we have figured out this is a universal device regarding “picture”. But you know what? It’s also completely flexible in sound. I really liked the way it broadcasts music in stereo. This applies both to vinyl (where Marantz’s warm, realistic sound is just right) and to digital sources. Apple compatibility was a pleasure. In fact, everything works at a very high level; the signal is not lost and does not sag. To avoid spreading the description on half a page, I just say that music lovers can be calm. Since I tested a lot of receivers, I can confidently say that CINEMA 70s significantly surpasses its competitors not only in this selection but also in the market in general.

Small receivers – small speakers! Given the receiver’s power capabilities, it is quite enough to have shelf speakers, and I would like to recommend a very specific pair of Klipsch RP-600M II. At any volume, they are sensitive enough to recognize and not lose nuances, highlight vocals with brightness, and provide very decent bass. I mounted them on stands by the TV and was pleasantly surprised at how they filled the space with dense, layered sound. Combined with the warmth and dynamics of the CINEMA 70s, it sounds just great, butter to the ears.

Actually, it’s left to tell about the surround sound. And let me say right away that all my enthusiastic epithets are fair if you understand exactly what the AVR under consideration is capable of. Let me repeat – this is a low-power receiver. In a 5.2.2 configuration (exactly with two subs) and in a small room (one of my studios is 220 square feet), the Cinema 70s sounds simply gorgeous. But don’t expect it to shake the air. When watching Thor: Ragnarok in Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (I tried both modes), the sound was even and balanced in every corner, and I heard every nuance: when Thor’s glass filled with beer when he was visiting Dr. Strange or when the Bifrost Bridge shattered into splinters, the receiver didn’t miss a single nuance, and the picture was synchronized perfectly. And if you’re not a fan of complicated settings, Audyssey MultEQ will automatically calibrate the system to suit most users. There’s a reason it’s considered the most optimal among the standard ones.

Sony STR-DH590

Since the 80s of the 20th century, Sony has focused on the production of audio equipment, trying to cater to the needs of avid audiophiles. Such hard work is generously rewarded by many satisfied buyers and their complimentary reviews. Anyway, I was determined to check whether their products can live up to their reputation, and I chose Sony STR-DH590 for my test. At once, it should be noted that since the cost of this model is 4 times less than the selection leader, we will talk about the budget variant of the rating, not an alternative.

Even externally, the receiver looks very simple, but do not be too strict. The model was released in 2014, which is why it is low price. Nevertheless, the STR-DH590 housing is not as high-quality as the selection leader and overheats a lot when operating at high power. That’s why the receiver goes into “Protective Mode” automatically every time the volume increases. Here’s an explanation of why Marantz immediately made its slim receiver low-powered. Buttons are pressed with a distinctive click, and the controls are a bit unstable, so I’m sure the whole thing will eventually loosen up and become annoying (if not fall off). That being said, the remote is also outdated and unsightly, like it was designed in the last century. But all this can be covered a little because you can afford to buy such a receiver every half a year. Much more important is how it sounds.

The first thing I noticed is that the unit is even smaller than Marantz CINEMA 70s, so if you have a very tight space for your receiver, it may be an ideal option. The real dimensions are 17 x 5.1 x 11.7 inches /43 x 13.3 x 30 cm. Another difference is the number of channels. While the first model can be used as the core of a 7.2-channel system with native Dolby Atmos sound, this receiver has only 5 channels.

The power output of each channel is 145 W at 6 Ohms, and the distortion doesn’t exceed 0.9%. You can use a total of 4 HDMI inputs and 1 output, 4 analog and 1 optical audio inputs, ports for connecting a game console, TV, Blue-Ray player, and headphones. This is the smallest number of HDMI ports in my selection, and all of them are for 4K video only. Plus, I couldn’t use ARC and optical channels on independent channels. All in all, everything feels dated and behind modern requirements.

Let’s just say I was impressed with the sound (both when watching a movie and listening to songs) with no echo or false tones, but only up to a certain volume level. You don’t have to rely on the data written in the spec sheet; just accept that it won’t be too loud (otherwise, it’s interference). The setup is, of course, very simple, using a calibration microphone, but for 5 channels, this is, in principle, enough. However, the volume of each individual speaker cannot be adjusted. Nevertheless, the middle speakers are impressed with the purity and clarity of sound, and the night mode further clarifies the voices. In general, for a receiver at the price of an ordinary boombox, those are just amazing results. But in the case of STR-DH590, I can’t guarantee that the system will sound the same in a few years. Here, we are dealing with the basic surround sound formats DSD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Dual Mono, and DTS-HD High-Resolution Audio. In all of them, the receiver showed itself very well; the sound was not mixed, but I can’t talk about any peculiarities of the soundstage. It’s definitely better than your TV’s sound, plus surround sound – in my opinion, it’s enough for such money.

Marantz NR1510

Marantz NR1510 appeared on the stage of AV receivers in 2019 and since then has won the hearts of cinema lovers and those users who like listening to high-quality music. It is advertised as “a receiver for a media room and a home theater”, and my plan was to check how well it copes with both tasks. This receiver may appeal to those who appreciate Marantz’s quality but don’t consider Dolby Atmos an advantage worth overpaying for. In other words, it is a cheaper alternative to the CINEMA 70s. The unit supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders, so you can enjoy high-resolution multi-channel audio playback with perfectly defined low and high frequencies.

NR1510 represents the old line, where the LCD is normally shaped (well, sorry, my readers, I’m obsessed with LCD; it’s important for me to see what’s going on). The buttons are not the most convenient and small; they are located right under the screen, and I constantly touch them. After all, this is a receiver belonging to the budget category but still from the most prestigious brand. That’s why the anti-resonance is not bad (but with its power, there is no need for a fifth leg and a double bottom). Everything is generally stable, reliable, and works perfectly; the regulators are very sensitive and quite tight, which is nice.

This model lags behind the leader of the selection in the video, as it is a 6/1 HDMI with support for 4K resolution. But they have HDCP 2.3 protection and eARC features. But I’d like to highlight how well the source switching works (a rarity for budget models). The picture is stable, intense, and saturated colors are rendered very clearly, and the picture works with the sound with exceptional synchronicity.

The manufacturer states that the NR1510 is a 5.1-channel receiver with 50 watts (at 8 ohms) and 100 watts (at 8 Ohms) per channel. I believe this is a good variant for boosting any home theater system and frankly speaking, I was astonished at how crisp audio was while I was watching the movie. It seemed that shooting and fights took place right in my studio. In fact, the only difference with CINEMA 70s is the number of channels, which makes the overall soundstage not so rich. And you don’t have upper channels, even in virtual formats.

Just like the CINEMA 70s – this receiver is versatile, and you can listen to high-quality music. The Marantz NR1510 receiver is compatible with HEOS technology, allowing you to control the unit with any HEOS-compatible device for a great listening experience. You can also save TuneIn stations to your HEOS Favorites. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi (dual-band), Bluetooth, and AirPlay, wireless connectivity is provided. This makes it more attractive than the Sony STR-DH590, as the latter only offers Bluetooth. Even though it’s a minor advantage, having a wider choice is always nice. It’s not the most important thing, but since we’re talking about pros and cons, if you decide to listen to music from a USB drive, there’s no Shuffle option for it.

Another thing I like about this model is its space-saving design. With the size of 17.3 x 14.8 x 4.1 inches/43.1 x 35.5 x 10.1 centimeters, it can be easily arranged on a shelf, a stand, etc.

Best small stereo receivers

Marantz NR1200 – best stereo

This chart is a kind of ode to the Marantz company. After all, NR1200 is already the third receiver of this brand on the list. But this time, we are talking about a 2-channel device, although it is a hybrid AVR, as it allows to broadcast 4K video (it has 5/1 HDMI ports). It should also be noted that this model is also, like the NR1711/1510 from my review, quite not young. It was released in 2019, but it is still popular among users (by the way, it is the only stereo receiver at Marantz today).

Even if I didn’t know this was a Marantz product, I would immediately grasp that because of the company’s recognizable design. It has a thick aluminum front panel with all the major controls logically arranged, so the setup process doesn’t take much time. As usual, the buttons are small, but there’s a full LCD and incredibly nice round controls of the same size that do an excellent job of finding the metric you need. Since we are again dealing with a slim receiver, the issue of heat dissipation is important. Here, we have the Eco Mode function, which reduces heat dissipation and power consumption without affecting the sound.

The size of this compact stereo receiver is identical to that of Marantz NR1711/1510 – 17.3 x 14.8 x 4.1 inches/43.1 x 35.5 x 10.1 cm. Thus, it is an excellent option for small- and medium-sized rooms. The power output of the unit is 75 watts per channel at 8 ohms and 150 watts at 6 Ohms.

This model is supplied with all the must-have digital inputs and outputs (5 HDMI inputs and one HDMI output for 4K video). Thanks to the built-in converter, the NR1200 can be used as an external DAC. Besides, you can connect 2 subwoofers. While listening to soundtracks from different sources, I got great sound every time. A built-in headphone amplifier with volume control was a pleasant surprise that allowed me to enjoy every music transition.

I used HEOS technology for instant access to Spotify Connect, Pandora, Amazon Music, and other music streaming services. Its video-sounding capabilities can’t compete with Marantz NR1711, but we can easily forgive this deficiency because this model is initially designed for music playback. Nevertheless, the NR1200 delivers pleasingly assertive high tones and smooth, well-resolved bass in a variety of genres.

Controlling is straightforward. I tried to switch modes and adjust settings using on-screen menus, a bundled remote control, and a dedicated app. Everything worked flawlessly. Unfortunately, it is impossible to change the volume of A and B speakers, but general customization can be made at the startup. However, the zone 2 pre-output can be set to variable or fixed in the GUI.

Buyer’s guide

How much power do you need

Every receiver output electrical power marked in watts. This power is like fuel for a receiver that makes it work. Of course, some receivers exceed their analogs in terms of power output. There is usually a direct dependence between the power of a receiver and its cost – more power means a higher price.

Determining how powerful a receiver you need may be very confusing. The thing is that modern manufacturers specify this parameter only for 2 channels. That seems strange and raises many questions if you plan to utilize 5 or even 7 channels. I also can’t see the point in such measurements, but that isn’t a serious issue.

In general, the majority of the latest compact home theater receivers and stereo receivers can power any audio system to satisfying volume levels. This is possible thanks to current technologies. So, while shopping around, don’t get carried away with the power output and opt for the most feature-rich receiver you can afford. Another factor to keep in mind is the space where you are going to locate a receiver. A unit with 75 watts of power is sufficient for a medium-sized room. If you need to cover a larger space, choose a 100W receiver.

Pay attention to connectivity

Talking about the number of inputs and outputs, it is impossible to name how many of them you actually need. The thing is that manufacturers constantly create new devices that you can connect to your receiver, so it would be a pity if your unit doesn’t have a free connector.

If you extend your collection of electronics on a regular basis, you’d better opt for a receiver with at least 6 HDMI ports to stay on the safe side. Average users can settle for 3 or less. I think that it is a good idea to have 1 extra input than you currently need. As practice shows, people use one receiver for 5 years on average, so you should get a device capable of pairing with all the innovative gadgets that will be released during this time interval. Though you can expand HDMI connectivity using a special switcher, this entails extra expenses.

If you plan to use a small 5.1 receiver for a gaming session, make sure it comes with HDMI 2.1. This way, you’ll be able to build a powerful gaming rig using Xbox One X/S, PlayStation, and VRR. Alternatively, you can connect all these accessories to a TV that is paired with a receiver. Those who need a receiver to diversify their cinema night, should get the one with 4K support.

While HDMI ports are important for home theater receivers, those designed to please users with stereo sound are more dependent on phono inputs. A receiver without a phono input severely restricts the possibilities of enjoying fuller audio with mesmerizing transitions.

Many modern receivers brag about built-in Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and Bluetooth. Thanks to a wireless connection, you can stream audio and video content without dealing with cords.

Discontinued models

Marantz NR1711

If you’re satisfied with having only 1 HDMI port with 8K video streaming and want to save a couple hundred bucks, check out the Marantz NR1711, a 2020 model. It’s been supplanted by the more modern Marantz CINEMA 70s, which is in first place in this review, but the difference between the two isn’t too significant. This slim receiver measures 17.3 x 14.8 x 4.1 inches/43.1 x 35.5 x 10.1 centimeters.

The device supports 8K video at 60Hz, and 4K rates can go up to 120Hz. After watching the test movie, I had only the most pleasant impressions of the sound quality. Thanks to advanced sound optimization for room acoustics, I felt as if I was running away from bad guys together with John Wick. That was incredibly atmospheric and cool!

Seven high-current discrete amplifiers deliver 70 watts per channel in a 6 Ohm sound system, and also the AV receiver can operate with an 8 ohm load with an output power of 50 watts. While calibrating speakers for audio tests, I fully relied on Audyssey MultEQ, and it worked perfectly. It was very nice of the manufacturer to equip the receiver with technologies to optimize the volume and frequency response. Those made my experience even more pleasant.

It is written on the official website that the NR1711 can be used as a streamer, and I was curious whether it is true. I listened to the audio (hi-res formats included) from computer/servers on a local network and via the USB port without any hassle. Wi-Fi connection makes it possible to stream from Deezer and other popular platforms. I also liked the operation of the HEOS wireless system, which makes the entire process of controlling audio playback easy and convenient. By the way, the Sony STR-DH590 has nothing like that, and this is a clear plus for the leader of my list.

I’ve come across some reviews in which people complained about laggy voice assistants, so I decided to test them. No problems at all. I also checked a bundled application and standard remote control. They all worked as intended.