Compare AV Receivers

27 ranked products · Two to 4 at a time · Updated 10 Sept 2026

Pick any two to four of the 27 ranked av receivers and read them side by side. This page opens on the board's top 3, Denon AVR-X3800H, Sony STR-AN1000 and Denon AVR-X3900H.

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AV Receivers compared side by side. Each column is one product, each row is one measure taken from the same research that built the board.
Measure	Denon Denon AVR-X3800H	Sony Sony STR-AN1000	Denon Denon AVR-X3900H	Denon Denon AVR-X4800H	Onkyo Onkyo TX-RZ50	Denon Denon AVR-X2800H	Denon Denon AVR-X1800H	Anthem Anthem MRX 1140 8K	Yamaha Yamaha RX300A	Arcam Arcam AVR31	Yamaha Yamaha RX500A	Denon Denon AVR-S980H	Onkyo Onkyo TX-NR6100	Onkyo Onkyo TX-NR7100	Onkyo Onkyo TX-RZ30	Marantz Marantz Cinema 30	Denon Denon AVR-S770H	Denon Denon AVR-A1H	Sony Sony STR-AZ7000ES	Yamaha Yamaha RX-A6A	Anthem Anthem MRX 740 8K	Marantz Marantz Cinema 70s	Marantz Marantz NR1711	Denon Denon AVR-S570BT	Arcam Arcam AVR5	Yamaha Yamaha RX-V385	Sony Sony STR-DH590
Tier	S	A	A	A	A	B	B	B	B	B	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	D	D	D	D	F	F	F	F	F
Rank on this board	1 of 27	2 of 27	3 of 27	4 of 27	5 of 27	6 of 27	7 of 27	8 of 27	9 of 27	10 of 27	11 of 27	12 of 27	13 of 27	14 of 27	15 of 27	16 of 27	17 of 27	18 of 27	19 of 27	20 of 27	21 of 27	22 of 27	23 of 27	24 of 27	25 of 27	26 of 27	27 of 27
Ladder points	982 LP	772 LP	757 LP	751 LP	686 LP	620 LP	606 LP	553 LP	523 LP	507 LP	476 LP	466 LP	460 LP	431 LP	420 LP	416 LP	370 LP	366 LP	353 LP	335 LP	274 LP	269 LP	180 LP	69 LP	41 LP	23 LP	8 LP
Our verdict	The sweet spot of the entire market: 11.4-channel processing, 9.4-channel amplification, pre-outs and full 8K HDMI 2.1 at roughly half of what the true flagships cost, out-specifying receivers that cost far more.	A mature, trouble-free mid-range Sony platform and a Tom's Guide tested pick. No red flags, no fireworks.	The newest Denon X-series, already treated by AVForums readers as the value reference the Marantz line gets compared against. Slightly unproven next to the X4800H, otherwise superb.	The most proven current-generation unit on the board: mature X-series hardware, Denon's strong reliability and firmware record, and a top slot in Tom's Guide's tested roundup. The default answer for a receiver you want to forget about for a decade.	Free Dirac Live and huge processing headroom. Held back only by the brand's historical HDMI-board reputation, which this generation has not repeated.	What Hi-Fi?'s best budget pick with the full Denon ownership pedigree behind it. The safest affordable board position.	Honest power ratings, years of field history, and a top slot in a guide literally titled around receivers you can trust. The proven budget Denon.	The audiophile's value play at the high end, with genuinely class-leading ARC room correction that out-corrects receivers costing considerably more. It ranks this low only because most buyers can get 90 percent of its strengths from the X4800H.	A genuinely good budget Atmos pick, but a 5.2-channel design that the specialists rank below the RX500A.	The worst value on the board: the audiophile-brand trap of the category, where Class G amplification and Dirac Live do not offset flagship pricing and a brand history of HDMI-board grief, and the Anthem MRX 1140 8K is the better audiophile buy.	The fresh 7.2-channel Yamaha with What Hi-Fi? attention, docked slightly for the input and power trade-offs AVForums flags.	The right brand and a strong launch reception from The Absolute Sound and CNET, but months on the market means the long-term data does not exist yet.	CNET's endorsement keeps it in carts, but an aging platform carrying its brand's HDMI-failure reputation, fixed only in later generations, is the clearest ownership trap on this board. Buy the TX-NR7100 or the Denon AVR-X2800H.	The best-equipped Onkyo and a Tom's Guide tested pick, but it predates the generation Wirecutter credits with fixing Onkyo's reliability complaints, so it takes the last pick slot on merit with an asterisk.	Sound & Vision says it outperforms its price and ecoustics calls it a clear upgrade. The best feature-per-pound story the specialists cover.	A genuine flagship with flagship build and Marantz's shared Denon support infrastructure. It loses positions to the Denon X units only because the ownership story is the same for more money.	A decent unit superseded inside its own line by the AVR-S980H. There is no ownership reason to buy the older board when the newer one costs about the same class of money.	A magnificent 15-channel monster almost nobody needs - pure overkill purchase, since an X4800H plus external amps is the rational version of the same system.	Crutchfield's "time-tested craftsmanship" flagship with a full Audio Science Review bench test behind it and custom-install build standards. Only Denon's longer mainstream field track record keeps it from first.	Yamaha's conservative engineering and class-leading hardware durability make this the quiet longevity pick, even as flashier rivals ship more features.	The Arcam-vs-Anthem cross-shop resolves toward the Arcam in the specialist and owner coverage. Outclassed at its tier.	The right answer only if you need slimline. Its compact chassis runs warm, a genuine longevity concern versus full-size rivals.	Genuinely pleasant to use thanks to HEOS, so it beats the traps below on livability, but it is a discontinued-generation product sold at current-generation prices. Buy the Cinema 70s instead.	No Dolby Atmos and none of the sibling models' feature suite. The AVR-S770H or AVR-X1800H is the correct buy at this end of the range.	Dated platform, no Dirac at a premium price, and the weakest firmware support record among major brands. Buy the Onkyo TX-RZ50 instead.	The weakest product here: pre-Atmos, pre-HDMI 2.1, and still marketed to beginners who do not know better. Any current entry-level receiver beats it.	A 2018 platform sold new in 2026 with no network features and no HDMI 2.1. Every pick above it is a better ownership proposition.
What reviewers rate	11.4-channel processing with 9.4-channel amplification Pre-outs for external amplification Full 8K HDMI 2.1 connectivity Out-specifies receivers costing considerably more	Mature mainstream Sony AVR platform Consistent firmware cadence No widespread failure narrative attached Included in Tom's Guide's tested roundup	Same Denon reliability pedigree as the X4800H Seen by AVForums readers as the value reference the pricier Marantz Cinema 50 Series 2 is compared against Denon's newest X-series flagship-per-price Audio Science Review measures its preamp section as excellent for noise and dynamic range	Mature, current-generation Denon X-series hardware with several years of field history Backed by Denon's strong long-term reliability record Long firmware support tail Listed among Tom's Guide's top tested AV receiver picks	Dirac Live included free at this price THX certification 11.2-channel processing platform that embarrasses rivals on paper Current RZ line has not repeated the old HDMI board failures	What Hi-Fi?'s best budget AV receiver pick Full Denon ownership track record behind it The default trustworthy entry point for a small home theatre Full 8K HDMI 2.1 switching at a budget position	Conservative, honest 80-watts-per-channel rating into 8 ohms across the full band Multi-year field track record Ranked first in Audiovisualkart's guide of 7.2-channel receivers you can actually trust Backed by Denon's support network	ARC room correction is genuinely class-leading Corrects rooms better than receivers costing considerably more Audiophile-grade build quality Canadian-built with 15.2 channels of processing	Brings Dolby Atmos, 4K/120 support and room correction to an approachable receiver Yamaha sound quality at the budget end Customers praise its overall performance and easy setup Audio Advice declared it changed the entry-level AV receiver game	Class G amplification Dirac Live room correction Audiophile-brand pedigree Sophisticated, high-class sound	7.2 channels create a more engrossing sound Adds networking and more playback options over the RX300A The fresh entry in a long-dormant Yamaha AVR line Featured as the step-up model in Audio Advice's 'game changing' launch video	90-watt-per-channel amplifier with enough muscle for action-packed movies and dynamic music Current features including 8K HDMI and wireless surround support Denon's fresh mainstream Dolby Atmos receiver Strong launch coverage from The Absolute Sound and CNET	Still named by CNET as the best receiver for most people Solid amplification HDMI 2.1 support Straightforward Onkyo feature set with no flagship tax	Highly flexible, with three independent zones and HDMI output for Zone 2 9.2-channel configuration with THX certification Included in Tom's Guide's tested roundup More power and channels than the TX-NR6100	Sound & Vision says it outperforms its price, with clean dialogue, detailed effects and convincing instrumentation Full set of preamp outputs and dual independent subwoofer outputs Dirac Live room correction with the full-bandwidth license included Strong paper spec: 9.2 channels and Dirac room correction	11.4-channel 8K flagship with Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced Named Best Overall AV Receiver by World Wide Stereo Shares Denon's support and firmware infrastructure Flagship-class build quality	Still carries the Denon ownership pedigree Delivers about 85% of the X2800H's performance at a lower price point More robust power supply, bi-amp capability and powered Zone 2 Owners report very good, proper hi-fi sound with effective room correction	Fifteen amplified channels in one box Reference-grade processing Genuinely impressive engineering Beautifully built in Japan	ES line built for custom-install duty cycles Longest firmware support tail in Sony's lineup Praised by Crutchfield for modern features and time-tested craftsmanship Fully bench-tested by Audio Science Review	Famously conservative and durable hardware design AVENTAGE 9.2-channel platform with ample power and top-notch processing Included among Crutchfield's top high-end receiver picks Ample power output	ARC Genesis is arguably the best bundled calibration in the business Amplifier section embarrasses most Japanese AVRs at the price Performance is real enough that the value case holds at this level	Slimline half-height option for buyers who cannot fit a full-size chassis Sound United platform support and warranty match the rest of the family	Nothing recorded	Not junk - harmless basic hardware Includes basic Audyssey MultEQ room calibration Sits at the cheap end of the Denon lineup	Still widely available through dealer shelves Brand remains active, with new Arcam AVRs announced	Very cheap entry-level pricing Simple option aimed at first-time buyers	Simple hardware can be reliable hardware Budget-class pricing
Where it falls short	Nothing recorded	Two-year warranty is the main knock against Denon and Yamaha's longer coverage Occasional early failures reported, though handled under warranty	Newer and less field-proven than the X4800H	The extra cost over the X3800H buys performance, not extra reliability	The brand's 2009-2014 HDMI board failure history still weighs on its ownership reputation	Successor X2900H has been announced, so buy at a discount, not at full price	Vietnam-assembled build is a step down from the Japanese-made models Lesser build and power than everything ranked above it	You pay a real premium for the last 10 percent of its performance Early 8K units shipped with a flawed HDMI 2.1 board that required a hardware retrofit program The retrofit saga cost the brand goodwill	5.2-channel design limits it relative to 7.2-channel rivals	Fewer processed channels than the Denon X4800H despite flagship pricing Arcam's AVR line has a long history of HDMI-board complaints among enthusiasts The Anthem MRX 1140 8K is the better-built, better-value audiophile choice An older, previous-generation design	Fewer HDMI inputs than some rivals No front pre-outs Reduced rated power Community conversation centered on the cheaper RX300A, leaving it overshadowed	Launched only months ago, so long-term ownership data does not exist yet	Aging platform from a brand associated with HDMI board failures Predates the Onkyo generation credited with fixing the reliability complaints Fewer channels and less refinement than the top six accuEQ is standard, with Dirac only via update in some regions	Predates the generation Wirecutter credits with addressing Onkyo's hardware reliability complaints Onkyo's HDMI-board failure history still weighs on buyer confidence	Audio Science Review measures its amplification as mediocre ASR's measurements conclude bluntly: "I can't recommend the Onkyo TX-RZ30" Measured amplifier performance is the problem The TX-RZ50 or X3800H are the better buys	Asks flagship money for the same long-term support story as the Denon X units Expensive, with a thick Marantz tax for sonic differences most listeners cannot pick out blind	Superseded by the newer AVR-S980H in Denon's own line Still sold while being the outdated model in its family	Almost no room uses more than seven or nine speakers The same money on a mid-range receiver plus external amps buys more real-world performance Buys the same firmware platform and room-correction options as the far cheaper X4800H, with only incremental gains Enormous heat output from fifteen channels of Class AB in one chassis	Overpriced for the real-world capability it delivers Nearly matched by far cheaper rivals Specialist reception has been far cooler than the dealer channel's marketing suggests The consensus reference points at this tier sit elsewhere	Feature set is no longer the freshest Aging Aventage platform that newer rivals out-feature for less Previous-generation Aventage design Lags the Dirac-equipped Onkyo TX-RZ30 and the fresh, better-reviewed Yamaha entry line	Outclassed at its tier by the Arcam AVR31 and the Marantz Cinema 30 Price is high; Reddit buyers agonise over Anthem's pricing Value case frays higher up the Anthem line	Half-height design means less heatsink mass and it runs warm A genuine long-term ownership concern versus full-size siblings	Nothing recorded	No Dolby Atmos Lacks the streaming and room-correction suite its siblings carry No network connection means no HEOS and no streaming Effectively no firmware update path beyond USB service updates	Ships without Dirac Live at a price where Onkyo includes it and Anthem's ARC Genesis embarrasses it Weakest firmware support record of the major brands Slow bug-fix cycles with features arriving late or never Arcam's own new-AVR announcements underline how dated the AVR5 platform is	Eight-year-old 5.1 design - buyers in 2026 are paying for 2018 technology No HDMI 2.1 No Dolby Atmos No network streaming	A 2018-era design still being sold new No network features at all No HDMI 2.1 Basic DCAC calibration
Evidence behind it	49 sources across 39 outlets	16 sources across 12 outlets	35 sources across 28 outlets	20 sources across 19 outlets	35 sources across 33 outlets	23 sources across 21 outlets	31 sources across 25 outlets	7 sources across 6 outlets	9 sources across 8 outlets	7 sources across 7 outlets	12 sources across 10 outlets	3 sources across 3 outlets	34 sources across 30 outlets	4 sources across 4 outlets	60 sources across 52 outlets	37 sources across 32 outlets	9 sources across 9 outlets	19 sources across 19 outlets	7 sources across 6 outlets	29 sources across 25 outlets	12 sources across 12 outlets	46 sources across 40 outlets	11 sources across 10 outlets	45 sources across 34 outlets	13 sources across 11 outlets	70 sources across 37 outlets	29 sources across 26 outlets
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Every column is the same research that built the board. Nothing here is a specification sheet copied from a maker. Read how we rank for what a tier and a ladder point mean.