Best AV Receivers Under 1000 dollars

It’s no secret that the technology market in the modern world develops very quickly. And the choice of any technical product should be approached by understanding the details and technical nuances. So if you plan to choose and buy the best AV receiver under $1000, my review is just for you.

Our pick

Denon AVR-X2700H

Best AV receiver under $1000

The new AVR-X2700H lets you build the best 4K home theater today and gives you the comfort of knowing that your AV receiver is 8K ready when you are. Read the full review.

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I will tell you what models in this price range are available on the market, their features, advantages, and disadvantages, and share my experiences. To make a better pick, just read on and trust my expert opinion.

AV receivers under $1000 comparison table

What to expect from an AV receiver under $1000

Searching for the best receiver under 1000 dollars can become a challenge, as the difference between cheaper devices and those in the top-tier category isn’t that obvious at first glance. This is especially true for beginners, so I will elaborate on these differences. The first vital thing I want to emphasize is the construction. If you shell out a decent sum, you get a receiver made of durable materials unaffected by corrosion, mold, etc. Another important peculiarity is the quality of filling. Internal components in pricey receivers are designed for flawless operation and crisp sound under heavy load. So, such a unit will serve you for many years in a row.

What I also like about receivers in this price category is the availability of extra features for more enjoyable video & audio playback. For example, some advanced devices come with additional connectors, features that make it easier to control and configure the system, etc.

Most units in this price category are optimized for a 7-channel system, which is enough for avid movie lovers. However, manufacturers have already started producing 9-channel setups without crossing the border of 1000 dollars. On the whole, you can find a remarkable receiver with all the core features and some handy add-ons without spending a fortune.

How I picked and tested AV receiver under $1000

Proper testing is a very important task to evaluate a device’s capabilities objectively. Therefore, I always approach this task very carefully and seriously. So, to evaluate the surround sound quality, I chose the film “1917”. It has everything I need: stunning special effects, dialogue, music, etc.

As for audio playback, there were many nuances to consider, so I listened to music from different sources. In addition, for my research, I gathered different artists and music genres so that the analysis would be as universal as possible:

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

I have managed to build a solid toolkit, which I use whenever I need to test new audio equipment. It consists of the following:

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

Best AV Receivers Under $1000 Review

Denon AVR-X2700H – best overall

At the time of the release of the AVR-X2700H, you could hardly find another 7.2-channel receiver with more advanced features. Of course, now the situation has changed, but this model from Denon continues to please its users and keeps leadership places in various tops.

This time I’ll cheat a little bit and start my review not with the design but with the sound. The first thing that “caught my eye” is the realistic sound, whether watching a movie or listening to audio from popular streaming platforms. It’s impossible not to notice such an expansive soundstage with a precise definition of each element.

Thanks to Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, I had an authentic, immersive sound in my studio while watching “Pearl Harbor”. It felt like the battle was taking place right in the room, and the shooting was very frightening because of how realistic it sounded. In this aspect, the receiver proved to be excellent.

Similar to Marantz SR5015, this device allows watching 8K content. The picture was as good as the sound and pleased me a lot. If you plan to use this device for streamlined gaming sessions, you are bound to be impressed by stunning imaging, reduced lag and frame tearing, and Auto Low Latency mode.

I found 8 HDMI ports on the case, so connecting audio and video sources won’t cause problems. Besides, there is a dedicated phono input for users who want to connect a turntable. As for the wireless connection, things are predictable – you have both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, the manufacturer also added AirPlay 2 for Apple fans. I also like the possibility of connecting wireless speakers using onboard HEOS technology. I can’t say it is a new feature, but its presence is another plus for this model. The best AVR under $1000 just must have it.

I tried streaming from Deezer, Spotify, and SoundCloud and am fully satisfied with all results. The sound was rhythmic and staccato, the transitions were smooth. I believe that AVR-2700H perfectly coped with its mission.

The manufacturer specified that the power output equals 95W/8 Ohms and reaches 125W/6 Ohms. That is enough for medium-sized and large rooms. My studio belongs to the first category, and the receiver entirely covered the space. As for setup, everything was simple and intuitive. Included instructions made the process smooth.

Marantz SR5015

Regarded by many as a beautiful audio piece, Marantz SR5015 is packed with numerous features for smooth playback. Moreover, this receiver supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technologies, which will make your audio experience top-notch, you can listen to audio in high quality and hear the slightest variations in tones. Another nice feature of this 7.2-channel receiver is integrated HD video processing, which will appeal to people who want to watch their favorite movies in the comfort of their homes.

Moreover, the receiver guarantees full-rate pass-through, so those looking for a device capable of outputting 4K Ultra HD movies will definitely like the unit. Other goodies aimed at avid movie lovers are SD/HD video upscaling and Pure Color sub-sampling. I took full advantage of these features while watching 1917 and was impressed by how crisp an image was.

It seemed to me that every element of the receiver was selected for providing an ultra-realistic effect while streaming videos and audio. SR5015 produces power of 100 watts per channel (8 Ohm) and 140 watts per channel (6 Ohm).

As for outputs, there are 6 HDMI inputs (seems like a nice future-proofing move) and 2 HDMI outputs. I connected all the needed equipment, and there left enough connectors for other devices. Besides, you can rely on wireless connectivity for cord-free operation. For instance, you can easily access Deezer, Tidal, Spotify, and other popular services. This makes the SR5015 similar to Denon AVR-X2700H, but the wireless connection here is faster.

I also tested management via voice assistants. That’s an absolute delight! As for HEOS technology – that is a cherry on the top. I listened to one song in one room and played another composition in the adjacent environment – nothing to complain about. High and low frequencies are well defined, while the bass is remarkable.

Yamaha RX-V6A

Those chasing top sound quality and true-to-life visuals should have a closer look at this receiver. It is designed for integration into a 7-channel setup, largely expanding the capabilities of advanced home theaters. Thanks to the support of the latest audio and video formats, you can enjoy the premieres in remarkable quality without leaving your house. The developer created a masterpiece with 8K and the newest HDMI standards support, making it a serious rival to such models as Marantz SR5014 and Denon AVR-2700H. Thanks to embedded Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos technologies, you can nicely level up your media consumption experience.

When watching the movie, I was curious about how well HDR10+ is manifested here. Astonishingly, the device processes videos on a scene-by-scene basis and also reveals scene characteristics for more accurate details. That is a feature few receivers in this price category can boast of. Yamaha also cared for gamers, offering them such perks as Quick Media Switching, Variable Refresh Rate, and Auto Low Latency Mode. I wasn’t actually interested in these features, but it is nice to know they are available on this device.

While listening to music, I tested both wired and wireless connections. They worked smoothly, and the signal was transmitted without significant drops. If you need Yamaha’s proprietary MusicCast multi-room audio technology, you’ll be pleased to know it is available here. Those owning iOS devices can make good use of the AirPlay 2 feature.

If you pair this receiver with 6 Ohm speakers, the power output is 100 watts. Another present from the manufacturer is YPAO. It offers eight different positions and chooses the most suitable one based on your current environment. It worked great for my studio. While listening to the audio, I could fully concentrate on its quality instead of devoting time to arduous setting up. I like that playback was always accurate. The balance between sonic spectrums was on point.

Denon AVR-S960H

Denon AVR-S960H is the replacement for the S950H model released last year. The main difference between the new product and its predecessor is the support for video in 8K at 60 Hz. As for 4K, the manufacturer claims a 120 Hz frame rate is already available in this unit. Among the truly “theatrical” advantages of the AVR-S960H, I should highlight support for HDR10 + and Dynamic HDR. Quick Media Switching allows joggling HDMI-connected video sources without screen flickering. Awesome features that give it a competitive edge over Sony STR-DN1080 are HLG technology and Dolby Vision.

This 7-channel receiver features HEOS proprietary remote audio access technology. With its help, I effortlessly initiated music playback from Amazon Music, Tidal, Spotify, TuneIn, and SoundCloud. I also tested Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay 2 features – they work flawlessly. The declared power output is 90W/8 Ohms and 125W/6 Ohms.

The AVR-S960H is Roon Tested, so I used an upgraded Roon music interface to learn info about an artist and a current composition. I relied on this feature while listening to MP3 audio and high-resolution audio formats: WAV, FLAC, and ALAC. Music was always soft and pure, no matter what audio I played. As for sounds in the movie, I like a distinct separation between dialogues and background noise.

If you are a first-time user or want to get good sound without manual adjustments, make use of the Audyssey audio calibration. The technology is well-designed, so it can accurately analyze your space to prevent deafening and raucous sounds.

As for wireless control, you can use all popular voice assistants. Without spinning controls on the case, you can wirelessly adjust volume, go to the next track, select the sound source, and more.

Sony STR-DH790

Sony STR-DH790 is a new inexpensive receiver model from the world-famous Japanese brand. Let’s see what this recognized leader in electronics production will offer and whether STR-DH790 will be able to surprise you with something.

I will first note that the device is relatively easy to set up and quite convenient to use. As for the model’s design, it is standard and does not stand out among the analogs.

It differs From DH590 (the previous model) with more channels, an improved version of DCAC with support for auto-phasing of speakers, support for HDMI signals of Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and DTS-ES format (Matrix 6.1/Discrete 6.1), 4K signal transmission with HDR. As a nice bonus, I should mention that DH790 can be set up as 7.1 (walls) or 5.1.2 (walls+ceiling). The output power is 145 W (6 Ohm) for 7 channels.

Now let’s see how things are with the connectors because they are a very important indicator of the receiver’s versatility. Sony STR-DH790 is equipped with 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs. They support up to 4K signal quality at 60 Hz, HLG and Dolby Vision formats, 3D, Deep Color technology, BT.2020 color space, and HDCP 2.2 data protection protocol. There is only one HDMI output (I think it is not enough). There is a USB, Bluetooth, and FM tuner. The DH790 has no analog video outputs, but there are four analog audio inputs and coaxial and optical digital audio outputs. Considering this is not a premium class, the set of ports is quite decent. By the way, it also has no support for multi-room zones and phono stage. What really upset me was the lack of Wi-Fi.

I tested the sound quality by watching battle scenes from my favorite “Troy” and “Kingdom of Heaven.” I was pretty pleased with the receiver -it was really great sounding. I fully appreciated all the benefits of the Atmos format. The clang of swords, the battle cries, and the blows of shields were as if next to me. Also, the DH790 performed well when I tested the music in Stereo, Direct, and Pure Direct modes.

Marantz NR1711 – top slim AVR under $1000

If you have limited space in your house but still want to give your speakers a totally new sounding, you can purchase Marantz NR1711. It is a tiny 7.2-channel receiver with power output of 50 watts/8 Ohms and 70 watts/6 Ohms. I was stunned when I saw this small unit but put it to the same hard test as the above-mentioned models.

The biggest astonishment was to learn that this model is capable of 8K HDMI upscaling. Even some more robust devices lack this feature. Moreover, the NR1711 supports numerous video quality boosting technologies. Colors are true-to-life, and this is important while selecting a home theater receiver.

Thanks to integrated Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, you’ll get genuine surround sound regardless of the video you are watching. If you fancy war dramas and action films, you will fall in love with this model. Moreover, the NR1711 mimics the sound produced by in-ceiling speakers, so you don’t need to add them to a setup. As for music playback, I heard a detailed sound while streaming from online platforms and with CD players attached.

If you don’t like such peaceful sound reproduction, go to the Audyssey menu and turn off the equalization of the frequency response. Then turn on the graphic equalizer and slightly tweak the sound of the entire system or each channel separately. But don’t get too carried away.

Buyer’s guide

How many channels do you need

Any modern AV receiver offers at least 5.1 surround sound with six active channels: left front, right front, central, left side, right side, and subwoofer channel. This configuration can certainly provide good sound quality – much better than what you can get from a TV or stereo amplifier with two speakers.

To get to the level of sound you’ve heard in the cinema, add more speakers to your system and upgrade to an AV receiver with 7 or more channels.

A 7.1-channel AV receiver can additionally support audio playback with two rear speakers, creating a vivid sound experience that fully embraces the viewer.

But the capabilities of a 7-channel AV receiver are not extensive enough to cover the full range of sound formats in a modern home theater. The main problem is the lack of sound from above. If you want more natural and detailed sound, your AV receiver should have more channels and support for the latest audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, etc.

How much power do you need

The more powerful the equipment, the more expensive it is, so the optimal power of the receiver should be regarded considering the size of the room in which the home theater is installed. If it’s a small room, it doesn’t matter how powerful is the receiver you buy – any receiver will do, and it guarantees great sound. But for larger spaces you’ll have to choose the equipment more carefully and, inevitably, you’ll have to pay a lot more.

Conventionally speaking, 1.5W should be available per 10.76 ft² of space. So for a room of 300 ft², you need a receiver with about 50 watts of power. Of course, the larger the room is, the more power the receiver will need.

The final sound level will depend not only on the receiver’s power but also on the sensitivity of the speaker system. I should note that the receiver will give different volumes with different speakers at the same power level.

My main recommendation is to make a power reserve: it should be greater than the speaker system’s power. This will allow you to avoid sound distortion and improve your system over time without buying a new receiver.

What else is important to know about power when choosing a receiver:

• The power of an individual channel in the receiver should not exceed the speaker’s power. If there is more power in a channel, you should not turn up the volume in the speaker to the maximum.
• The impedance of the receiver and the speakers must match. If the speaker’s impedance is less than the receiver’s, you may end up with burned-out elements. If the impedance is lower in the receiver, the sound from the speaker will be quieter than if it is properly connected.

What kinds of inputs and outputs do you need

The scope of use of the receiver is quite extensive, allowing you to connect a variety of devices to it simultaneously. After all, it is not for nothing that the receiver is the center of your entire multimedia system. Therefore, the availability of various ports in the receiver is fundamentally important, which affects its versatility and can open up to you almost limitless possibilities.

For example, HDMI is a critical connection in modern home theaters. With the help of HDMI, you often connect HD and 4K source devices, connect Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray players, different cables, or even media streamers. Typically these devices have a minimum of four HDMI inputs and at least one output. However, depending on the specific model you choose, there may be more or less of them. You should realize that the more these connectors you have, the more options your receiver has.

Also, one of the receiver’s popular options is to play audio and video information from a USB drive. Wi-Fi simplifies the receiver’s communication with the computer network, and today you can hardly do without it. And there’s also Bluetooth, which will play audio content from tablets, smartphones, and other gadgets.

As additional features, it is worth noting the Phono input for connecting a vinyl player, XLR connector, headphone output, etc. But this is not so critical, and their presence or absence depends on your purpose of using the receiver.

HDR, Dolby Atmos, and 4K video

4K video means 4,000 pixels across the width of your footage. Such video will play back in a much higher resolution than conventional formats. This allows you to fully experience the atmosphere of a movie or music video.

HDR, on the other hand, usually has an extremely wide range of colors and brightness, so it captures contrasts better.

Dolby Atmos is a next-generation technology developed by Dolby Laboratories for surround sound. This technology represents a qualitatively new stage in the development of surround sound, both in terms of recording and listening. It involves the placement of sound images in space as intended by the sound engineer. When playing such a track, the Dolby Atmos processor recreates the recorded surround sound picture in real-time, given how many speakers are used in the system. You can imagine what a cool surround sound you get as a result.

Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and streaming services

If you are looking for the best home theater receiver under 1000 dollars, you need to instantly sieve devices that lack wireless capabilities. While several years ago it seemed like redundant expenses, nowadays such technologies have actively penetrated our life and made it so much easier.

Owning a Wi-Fi-enabled device, you can easily connect it to your home network and initiate streaming from music-sharing services (Spotify, Deezer, etc.). Besides, Wi-Fi is super cool when you need to upgrade the firmware of your receiver, as it makes the process intuitive and prompt. I appreciate that many manufacturers add a dedicated app to the kit, so controlling a receiver is a breeze. Install an app on your mobile device, connect to your home network and adjust settings, queue compositions, or perform other manipulations in no time.

Bluetooth is an excellent alternative to Wi-Fi, which also allows controlling and managing your receiver without hassle. The main thing to remember is that Wi-Fi coverage is usually more extensive than what Bluetooth offers. In most cases, you need to stay in one room to set a Bluetooth connection between a receiver and your mobile device.

Apple has created its own wireless technology called AirPlay. Nowadays, you can get the newest version – AirPlay 2. If you use a device running iOS and want to transform it into a remote control for your audio receiver, you just need to connect both units to the same wireless network and enjoy your favorite melodies. The best thing is that you can use your phono for other tasks, e.g., make a phone call, search the web, write a message, without interrupting the music.

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