Latest news with #Onkyo
Digital Trends
18-07-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
This 50-inch TCL QD-Mini LED 4K TV is $350 off — buy it for below half-price
Best Buy is a fantastic source of TV deals, and we've found an offer that's going to be hard to refuse. The 50-inch TCL QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV, which is originally priced at $650, is on sale for a very affordable $300. We're not sure how long this bargain will stay online though, so if you want to get this TV at less than half-price, you're going to have to push forward with your purchase as soon you can. If you hesitate, you may miss out on the savings of $350! Why you should buy the 50-inch TCL QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV TCL is one of the best TV brands in the market, and TCL's QD-Mini LED technology enables amazing picture quality with 300 precisely controlled local dimming zones in the 50-inch TCL QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV. The TCL Halo Control System eliminates the halo effect, where bright parts of the screen bleed into the darker areas, while 4K Ultra HD resolution and HDR support create lifelike images that will let you appreciate your favorite shows and movies even more. The TV isn't focused on just the video though — with an Onkyo 2.1 speaker system with subwoofer, you'll experience awesome stereo sound and intense bass. The 50-inch TCL QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV is also a smart TV, powered by Google TV. The platform not only provides access to all of the popular streaming services, but also lets you use voice commands with your preference between Google Assistant, Amazon's Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. The TV also works with Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2, allowing you to stream content from your mobile devices to its 50-inch display. You can never go wrong with TCL TV deals if you're thinking about buying a new screen, though some offers are more attractive than others. This one from Best Buy is very tempting — a $350 discount for the 50-inch TCL QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV, which brings it down from $650 to only $300. We expect this bargain to draw a lot of attention, so you need to act fast before it gets taken down. Add the 50-inch TCL QM5K QD-Mini LED 4K TV to your cart and finish the checkout process immediately to be able to secure yours at less than half-price.
Tom's Guide
20-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
I just tested this stunning $2,400 stereo amp — and my music will never sound the same again
I love my stereo system. I've built it over a series of years, and added bits and bobs to make it work better and better. That means better sound quality, more features like Wi-Fi streaming and improved turntable playback, and even special stands that reduce vibrations to my components. Yet, as with all audiophiles, it always feels like something is missing. I can never sit still with my audio system, and I always want the next biggest thing. I've already sunk thousands into my system, so I'm always curious how much better things can get. The amplifier is the core of my system. So I swapped my Onkyo unit out for this $2,399 option from Cambridge Audio, the EXA100. And my goodness — I don't think anything is going to come close for quite some time. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it also really, really good? Also yes. The EXA100 brings a wonderfully big, deep sound, which retains detail. It'll drive even the largest of speakers, and brings great soundstage to the table for some excellent room-filling audio. You'll need to add in some stereo speakers, but the built-in Bluetooth connection means you can enjoy music without needing to plug in any extra devices. Before I talk about any kind of sound stuff, I need to remind you that looks are important when it comes to choosing an amplifier — at least to me. And the EXA100 looks as expensive as you'd hope for something that costs more than a Mac Studio. The EXA100 is wrapped in metal and features a simple and attractive design across the front. The volume dial is a focal point, taking up a chunk of the right side of the amp. There's a large black glass panel bisecting the front fascia that holds all the source buttons, and then there's a simple power button on the left side. It weighs a ton — or 28.2 pounds to be exact. That's a weighty thing, and it goes to show just how much incredible stuff there is in the amp. You can even just see the internals through the vents at the top. Compared to my old amp, it looks and feels like something worth six times the price. As touch controls and rubber-coated buttons become the norm when it comes to consumer audio gear, the fact that the EXA100 is covered with proper clicky buttons is wonderful. The buttons on the front are pleasingly clicky, and the power button feels lovely under the finger. But it's the clicks and clunks inside the unit that make everything feel even better. When you press a source button, there's a click as the circuit's mechanisms move into place inside the amp. It adds an air of the analog to proceedings and makes everything feel even better. Then there's the nob feel. That volume knob is not only large and in charge, but it feels excellent under the finger. Turning it to change the volume feels expensive, as you spin the metal dial around. It even moves itself when you press the volume keys on the remote... very nice. The most important part is how the Cambridge Audio EXA100 makes my stereo system sound. It's interesting that I wasn't entirely sure whether the jump in audio quality was going to be all that big. After all, as expensive as my KEF LS50 Metas might have been, my old amp was perfectly able to power them across a wide range of different genres and playback volumes. Oh, how wrong I was. I've tried out expensive amps in special playback rooms before, but there's something about it being in your own listening room that makes things very, very different. The EXA100 made my components sing, and it showed me what my speakers are truly capable of. There's a glorious warmth to playback, which complements my detail-oriented LS50 Meta speakers to a tee. Plugging in my subwoofer brought even more low-end grunt to the proceedings and rumbled the floor of the room more than my old amp could ever hope to. The EXA100 is an amp that values the warmer tone more than other options, I'm told, so there's some detail roll-off towards the top end. My speakers didn't mind too much, given they're often described as 'overly analytical' anyway. My biggest takeaway from the experience was that combining my speakers with something more expensive didn't just change the sound, it also made it... more. I could hear more bass notes, feel more cymbal crashes. The soundstage was much wider, and the experience more musical as a whole. Classical recordings like my favorite Bach pieces felt enormous. Closing my eyes, it felt like I was in front of the orchestra as they played me my own personal concert. Even my metal albums sounded better, with more edge to the distorted guitars, and extra impact to the bass notes and the drums. I already loved the sound of my HiFi, but now I love it. My old amplifier has five inputs. A phono input for record players, and then a couple more RCA plugs for other devices. The EXA100 has... a few more ways to plug things in. There's digital inputs for the built in DAC, like optical ports, Bluetooth, and HDMI eARC to plug in a TV. There's five different RCA for other devices, two XLR balanced plugs. The Subwoofer out, a trigger in and out for power state matching... there's loads. There is one thing missing — a phono pre-amp. Cambridge Audio says that's because seperate pre-amps sound better than anything it could have put inside the device, but it does still feel like a weird ommision. Thankfully, I've got a seperate unit, but it's something to remember. While it may seem like a very expensive amp, to some audiophiles, this is a 'mid-range' product. $2,400 is a lot of money — but it's also not the tens of thousands of dollars that you can spend on audio gear. I'd argue that this is the perfect sweet spot, however. Sure, those much more expensive options are going to sound mind-blowing, but then you need more expensive speakers and other components to match. The EXA100 is my new 'I want this' element to my HiFi system. I want to be able to plug in my best headphones and listen to my music, and enjoy more of the incredible sound it's capable of recreating. But then Cambridge Audio does make an even more expensive model...
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Klipsch and Onkyo Announce Partnership With Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment's Jurassic World Rebirth
UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT'S JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH ARRIVES IN THEATERS JULY 2, 2025 INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES, May 20, 2025 / / -- Premium Audio Company (PAC), a trailblazer in high-end audio solutions, proudly announces its all-new collaboration with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment's Jurassic World Rebirth. As part of this partnership, PAC's flagship brands, Klipsch and Onkyo, will be the exclusive promotional audio partners of the thrilling new chapter in the blockbuster franchise, Jurassic World Rebirth, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, which arrives in theaters on July 2, 2025. 'We're incredibly excited to debut our biggest global collaboration with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment around this thrilling new era in this iconic film franchise,' said Dave Gans, Global Vice President of Marketing at Premium Audio Company. 'Both Klipsch and Onkyo have spent nearly 80 years perfecting the art of immersive sound–engineered to put fans right in the heart of the action. Jurassic World Rebirth is the ultimate showcase of that experience.' As the July 2 release of Jurassic World Rebirth approaches, Premium Audio Company (PAC) is enhancing the home entertainment experience by providing authorized retailers with dynamic in-store promotions and engaging point-of-sale materials. These initiatives aim to create an immersive shopping environment, allowing customers to experience the powerful performance of Klipsch speakers and Onkyo electronics. Retailers will have access to co-branded content, enabling them to demonstrate how these industry-leading audio solutions bring the film's iconic roars, stomps, and chomps to life. Fans can stay updated on campaign details through Klipsch and Onkyo's social media channels. To learn more about their products or to find an authorized dealer near you, visit and About Jurassic World Rebirth A new era is born. This summer, three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded with each film surpassing $1 billion at the global box office, the enduring Jurassic series evolves in an ingenious new direction with Jurassic World Rebirth. Anchored by iconic action superstar Scarlett Johansson, Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey and two-time Oscar® winner Mahershala Ali, this action-packed new chapter sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park, inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind. Also starring acclaimed international stars Rupert Friend and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, the film is directed by dynamic visualist Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a script by original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp. Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet's ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind. Academy Award® nominee Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure the genetic material. When Zora's operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on a forbidden island that had once housed an undisclosed research facility for Jurassic Park. There, in a terrain populated by dinosaurs of vastly different species, they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that has been hidden from the world for decades. Ali is Duncan Kincaid, Zora's most trusted team member; Critics Choice and Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey (Wicked, Bridgerton) plays paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis; Emmy nominee Rupert Friend (Homeland, Obi-Wan Kenobi) appears as Big Pharma representative Martin Krebs and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer, Murder on the Orient Express) plays Reuben Delgado, the father of the shipwrecked civilian family. The cast includes Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs. Lopez) as Reuben's family. The film also features, as members of Zora and Krebs' crews, Philippine Velge (Station Eleven), Bechir Sylvain (BMF) and Ed Skrein (Deadpool). An Amblin Entertainment production, Jurassic World Rebirth is directed by BAFTA winner Edwards from a script by Koepp (War of the Worlds), based on characters created by Michael Crichton. The film is produced by Oscar® nominee Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, both longtime Jurassic franchise producers and of last summer's blockbuster, Twisters. The film is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Denis L. Stewart and Jim Spencer. # # # All rights reserved 2025. All brands and trade names are the property of their respective owners. About Universal Pictures Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios ( ). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. About Premium Audio Company Established in 2020, Premium Audio Company is the most innovative, complete, and premium audio solutions provider in consumer technology. We connect people to their passion for entertainment. Premium Audio Company includes legendary and revered brands such as Klipsch, Onkyo, Integra, Magnat, and Heco. Premium Audio Company, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX). For more information, contact: Sue Toscano | Klipsch U.S. Press Agent | 781-706-8304 | [email protected] Roberta Lewis | Onkyo-Integra-Elite-Pioneer U.S. Press Agent | 713-408-9401 | [email protected] Company Contact: Dave Gans | [email protected] Roberta Lewis Roberta Lewis & Assoc +1 713-408-9401 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Digital Trends
10-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Audio gear prices are climbing, but for how long?
Table of Contents Table of Contents A limited runway Unintended consequences Buy now or wait a long time? The trade war between the U.S. and overseas countries like China no longer poses a theoretical risk of price increases on audio gear — those higher prices are here. Bose told Digital Trends that starting Monday, May 12, it will bump the price of its flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones from $429 to $449, while its sleek SoundLink Home Bluetooth speaker will increase from $219 to $229. Bose might be the best-known audio brand so far to announce price increases for its U.S. retail customers, but it's far from the only one. Onkyo told me its new powered speakers, which it debuted at CES 2025, are each going up by $50: The GX-30ARC is now $349 per pair (previously $299), and the smaller GX-10DB is now $249 per pair (before, it was $199). Recommended Videos We don't like to raise prices, but the current tariff context requires it. Ultimate Ears' parent company, Logitech, says it has announced 'a set of targeted price increases on select products in the U.S.,' with an average increase of roughly 10% across affected devices. It pointed out that some prices remain unchanged. Each company I heard from struck an apologetic tone in its response. 'We don't like to raise prices,' Logitech said, 'but the current tariff context requires it.' 'We're doing everything we can to minimize the impact of global trade dynamics on our products,' Bose said, 'we'll be keeping price increases to a minimum and avoiding a one-size-fits-all solution.' In some cases, new products have arrived with higher prices than expected. When Soundcore released its latest wireless earbuds, the Liberty 5, at $130, it had to increase the price of the more capable Liberty 4 Pro to prevent buyers from ignoring the Liberty 5 (the Liberty 4 Pro was also $130, but is now $150). A limited runway For now, some brands are sticking to their existing prices. New York City-based boutique audio company Master & Dynamic's CEO, Jonathan Levine, told me his company has no current plans to increase prices on its family of premium wireless headphones and earbuds. Levine feels that companies should resist the urge to panic. Pointing to the current 145% tariff on Chinese-made goods as unsustainable, he hopes 'cooler heads will prevail.' There are some signs that the administration is ready to relent — at least a little. On May 9, President Trump acknowledged that the tariff should be lower, touting an 80% rate in a social media post, according to CNN. Still, 80% is too high to avoid pricing changes, and Levine acknowledged that he only had enough non-tariffed inventory to last until mid-June, at which point he may be forced to reconsider Master & Dynamic's pricing. I reached out to Apple, Sennheiser, Klipsch, and Sony to get their reactions, but none responded by the time I published this story. From what I can see so far, they've all kept prices as-is. However, early leaks suggest that Sony is going to charge up to $50 more for its as-yet-unreleased WH-1000XM6, a move that is probably tariff-influenced, given that the leaked images look a lot like the current $400 WH-1000XM5. Unintended consequences The threat of higher prices might drive a short-term buying frenzy of sorts. Levine has observed a considerable uptick in e-commerce activity in recent weeks, which he suspects is partly driven by people wanting to avoid paying more. Those who may have been on the fence about buying are now taking the plunge. For some companies, a surge in buying could provide some much-needed cash to pay the tariffs as their products hit U.S. ports of entry. For others, the economic situation has created too much uncertainty and pressure. In addition to creating and selling their own branded products, Master & Dynamic also collaborates with other companies — sometimes publicly, and sometimes in stealth mode. Levine said that one of those projects has been suspended and couldn't say when it might resume. In a rare reversal of preferential pricing, the U.S. tariffs have made it less expensive to buy these high-tech items in Canada. When Soundcore sent me its Canadian pricing for the Liberty 5, I had to double-check that there hadn't been a typo. At $140 Canadian dollars, you can buy the Liberty 5 for the equivalent of $101 USD north of the border. Buy now or wait a long time? Prices are going up. That much is obvious. But which products will be affected and by how much is harder to gauge. Buying now to save on a future increase is a logical response, but there may be another reason to avoid a wait-and-see approach. For some products, even a much lower tariff environment would still be unviable. Companies could divert excess inventory to other markets while reducing the manufacturing of new inventory. Few brands have the size needed to spin down and then spin up their factory output quickly enough to jump back in with more inventory when conditions improve. Once these products leave physical and virtual shelves, it could be a while before they return.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Best AV Receiver for 2025
If you're serious about bringing theater-like sound into your home, then an AV receiver is the best choice. It gives you much more control over how you set up and use your home theater system. It acts as a video switch between components like a streaming box or gaming console, and it decodes and amplifies audio signals so you can hear them through your speakers. The best receivers offer excellent sound quality and come equipped with 8K video, Dolby Atmos and music streaming capabilities, and they connect to your TV via HDMI cable. You can start with as little as a pair of stereo speakers and add new speakers and a subwoofer as your budget allows to get the best movie, video game, TV show or music experience. We've tested many of the big-name brands in sound, including Denon, Sony, Yamaha and more, to discover which deliver the best sound. With more than 20 years of home entertainment experience, I've personally had hands-on time with each of the models included on this list and reviewed them based on price, features, sound quality and performance. I'll update the list as more products are released in 2025. The Onkyo TX-NR6100 is our top choice because it's an excellent sounding speaker with an array of features. The TX-NR6100 is a 7 x 100-watt-per-channel receiver with Dolby Atmos support and DTS:X audio formats to support premium streaming of TV shows, movies and music. The latest video standards, namely 8K and 4K/120Hz, support the advanced gaming features found on the Xbox Series X and Sony PlayStation 5 consoles. It includes six HDMI inputs at the back, with three able to pass 8K video; the remaining three ports include HDR10 and Dolby Vision compatibility. There is a Zone 2 HDMI output as well. Other connections include five analog audio inputs, two digital audio inputs (optical and coaxial) and two USB ports. Vinyl is still in the middle of a revival and the NR6100 enables users to take advantage thanks to a dedicated phono input for turntables and record players which lack an onboard phono preamp. Streaming options include Google Cast, DTS Play-Fi, Spotify Connect, Sonos, AirPlay and Bluetooth. Being able to ask your Google Nest mini for a song and have it play automatically on your AV system is an excellent time-saver. If you have an Alexa household, it will control the Onkyo, too. See at Best Buy Onkyo's TX-RZ50 is a perfect step-up model for those looking to upgrade their home theater systems for a set of better-quality speakers or to add a turntable. Like its budget-oriented label mate, the TX-NR6100, it's stacked with features including the audiophile-level calibration called Dirac Live, as well as the best streaming suite offered in an AV receiver. On that point, being able to request songs directly from Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa is a real boon. What improvements does the $1,000 TX-RZ50 offer over the $800 TX-NR6100? Firstly, it offers double the number of 8K compatible inputs (six versus three) plus it boasts more power (120 watts versus 100 watts). It also has two-way Bluetooth for streaming as well as listening on wireless headphones. The TX-RZ50's performance was excellent whether listening to streamed music or watching a movie: I hadn't heard Dolby Atmos sound this convincing in a long time. The addition of Dirac Live adds its own complexities in setup -- please, only use the Onkyo Controller mobile app in combination with the supplied microphone -- but doing so rewards with a highly involving performance. See at Crutchfield I'm a big fan of the Yamaha RX-V6A, so I was curious to see what the step-up RX-A4A brings to the table. As it turns out, this Yamaha offers even better build quality and a huge, cinematic sound. Look through the fancy top grille and you'll see neatly packed components and a distinguished, stamped transformer. The system is capable of a beefy 110 watts per channel (stereo) and has seven HDMI ports for your connectivity needs. I tested the Yamaha A4A against the Onkyo RZ50 and the Denon X3700. The Yamaha's sound quality tended toward the cinematic rather than the musical, and it offered a big, roomy sound perfect for blockbusters or conspiracy thriller TV shows. What was surprising is that the onboard phono preamp was even better than the one on the rival Onkyo RZ50, so I can recommend the Yamaha for people who don't want a separate preamp for their turntable. The Yamaha is great as a home theater receiver but doesn't sound as good with music streaming. Still, as the Onkyo offers balanced performance across both, it's my current favorite. See at Best Buy If you're a gamer, this receiver will be able to keep up with the latest games and consoles like the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5. The Sony STR-AN1000 is a 7.2-channel Dolby Atmos receiver that offers a whole host of new features, including HDMI 2.1 (4K/120Hz) support and Sony's own 360 Reality Audio. It boasts superb connectivity with six HDMI inputs (two with 8K compatibility) and two 8K outputs. The receiver also includes support for video standards such as Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG for high-resolution gaming. As far as analog inputs, the Sony offers four, though it does lack a dedicated phono input. The Sony also has one of the most sophisticated setup routines yet, so dialing in great sound is even easier. It offers an upgraded version of its calibration routine, now called Digital Cinema Auto Calibration IX. This involves a new stereo microphone and a natty plastic stand -- where competitors' are cardboard -- and it now accommodates multiple seating positions. If you prefer to do a manual AV receiver calibration, then the system is quite powerful, as it now lets you set the height of the screen and speakers; most receivers do not let you do this. But the main reason to buy it is its outstanding performance, especially for video games. See at Amazon If you're spending under $1,000, there are four main receivers to choose from -- the Sony STR-AN1000, the Yamaha RX-V6A, the Onkyo TX-NR6100 and the Denon AVR-970H. All offer excellent performance, so the short answer about which to buy is whichever is available for the lowest price. At the moment, that is either the Denon or the Onkyo, which are both on sale for under $600 as I type this. I especially recommend the Onkyo TX-NR6100 for its combination of excellent performance and connectivity. The Onkyo offers easy setup, excellent usability, solid looks and useful features, including the best streaming suite alongside Sony. As an added plus, the Onkyo was never prone to the 4K issue that plagued early versions of the Yamaha RX-V6A. Meanwhile, the step-up Onkyo TX-RZ50 is an excellent receiver if you're looking for the next level of features and a performance bump over sub-$1,000 models. It offers an excellent, if slightly scary, calibration routine from Dirac Live and the best number of streaming features on the market. It sounds great with music and movies alike. Lastly, if it's home theater thrills you're after, the Yamaha RX-A4A offers crisp, dynamic sound and fantastic build quality for $1,300. AV receivers are notoriously complex, with reams of features and confusing technical specifications. (For example, what's 4K/120Hz anyway?) Yet, what are the things that really matter when buying a new model? I'm going to sum up the most important ones right here. With most TVs and set-top boxes supporting HDMI, you should buy a receiver that has as many of these HDMI input ports and outputs as possible. Front-mounted HDMI ports are kind of like a human appendix -- unneeded, because most users don't hot-plug HDMI devices -- making the number of rear inputs what's most important. (How else are you going to connect your Roku, Blu-ray player, Nintendo Switch and all your other devices?) The Onkyo TX-NR6100 and Denon AVR-S970H have six rear-mounted HDMI inputs, while the Yamaha RX-V6A goes one better with seven. If you want to connect two different displays -- a TV and a projector, for example -- all but the Yamaha offer a second HDMI output. You should also be sure you have an extra HDMI cable or two on hand -- these things are like the second sock of a pair as you can never find them when you need them. Most receivers in the $500-and-above price range include Dolby Atmos capability and DTS:X, but the effect these formats have on your home theater movie-watching can be subtle, or in most movies, nonexistent. In other words, don't worry about missing out on these formats by not installing a ceiling-pointing speaker or two. Mounting your rear surround speakers high on the wall will get you halfway there in terms of quality, immersive sound. Most midrange receivers have onboard Wi-Fi network connectivity for wireless music streaming via your speaker system. There are plenty of standards for wireless streaming services, but the most universal are Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay and Google Cast. If you're looking to build a multiroom system with a variety of AV systems and speakers with wireless connectivity, these are the three flavors to aim for. Onkyo and Sony are the only devices to support all three. The Denon receiver model lacks wireless streaming via Google but ups the ante to AirPlay 2 and the proprietary HEOS system. Meanwhile, Yamaha has its own MusicCast system. At CNET, I test audio equipment from compact soundbars to surround sound systems, but regardless of the device, my methodology is the same. I always compare products against one or more reference devices that offer the best performance at a similar price. When it comes to receivers I want to see how well a system performs with music and movies, as most people will want to do both. I watch test scenes from 4K Blu-ray or streamed from a 4K streaming service (Fandango at Home, for example) and evaluate aspects such as Dolby Atmos surround sound performance and dialog clarity. I also use several test music tracks and test streaming features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Systems that can perform well with both types of entertainment inevitably score the highest. Check out CNET's receiver buying guide for more about the features and things you should consider when looking for a new system. Denon AVR-A10H ($4,699): If you hear the words "home theater" and think "dedicated room with a screen and leather recliners" then the AVR-A10H is the kind of receiver you would use to would power it. It has all of the features you need including Dolby Atmos, music streaming, 4K/120Hz on all seven HDMI inputs and more. Yet, while it does sound good (I tested it powering a set of Klipsch Fortes), the Denon's 13 powered channels (@ 150W/Ch) are overkill for most living rooms. Yamaha RX-V6A ($750): This Yamaha RX-V6A offers a fresh look at AV receiver design, with its futuristic edges and simple controls, while maximizing sound quality. The Yamaha might even make you forget about visiting a cinema ever again, and it's no slouch with music, either. It offers plenty of connectivity with Wi-Fi bringing AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and Yamaha's MusicCast system for streaming from your devices. Notably, the TSR-700 is identical, and it was an exclusive model for some outlets. Find out more in CNET's Yamaha RX-V6A review. ($1,699) Denon has a reputation for quality sound and powerful amplification, and the AVR-X3800 will be able to power most systems with ease. In terms of features, the Denon has everything you need in a modern receiver including Dolby Atmos and six 8K HDMI inputs. Based on my head-to-head testing, I found that the Denon was even-handed with movies and music, but not as good as the equivalent Marantz SR6015 with music or as good at home theater as my current pick, the Onkyo RZ50. Read CNET's first take on the Denon AVR-X3800. A stereo receiver is an audio-only, two-channel amplifier that includes source switching and an AM/FM tuner -- if it lacks a tuner it's called an integrated amp. Meanwhile, an AV receiver is typically a surround sound system amplifier that enables HDMI switching and playback of audio and video. Most also include tuners onboard as well. An AV receiver is more versatile than a two-channel model because it can be used for both stereo and surround sound. You can add as many speakers to them as you have, starting at just two -- so they're pretty flexible to build out your surround sound system. Standards change all the time, but the bare minimum right now is support for HDR and Dolby Vision, and at least HDMI version 2.0 or better. All of the models above support not only 4K and HDR video but 8K support as well, even if 8K content is hard to find. Be aware that all 2020 8K-compatible receivers were prone to a bug preventing them from displaying variable refresh rate video, and from the Xbox Series X in particular. Denon, Marantz and Yamaha announced fixes for existing models, while compliant models from Yamaha RX-V6A began shipping in the summer of 2021. Denon and Marantz receivers sold after April 2021 should be 4K/120Hz compatible. Yamaha users can check for 4K compatibility here while Denon and Marantz users should check with their dealer. The TX-NR6100 is the first receiver I tested that I found to both pass 4K/120Hz and which I would also recommend to new buyers. If you have a relatively new TV you should be able to use a single cable -- an HDMI cable, to be exact -- to connect your receiver to your television. If you have an HDMI port labeled ARC/eARC on the TV you can connect that to the main HDMI ARC output of the receiver. Doing so enables you to hear onboard Netflix from your TV when you set the receiver on the "TV" input, while also enabling video to be transmitted from your other AV sources. If you have an older TV without an ARC-compliant port you will need to connect both an HDMI cable and an optical cable to the back of your TV. However, if you have a CRT or rear-projection TV which has composite or component inputs you will need a $1,000-plus receiver such as the Marantz SR6015 or Onkyo TX-RZ50. Many receivers no longer offer switching for these legacy connections. The short answer is: Yes, but only if you own an Xbox Series X and a brand-new TV. As I write this, there is a growing number of Xbox Series X games that support this optional mode -- including Halo Infinite and Fortnite, to name a couple -- but the advantages of 4K/120Hz over 60Hz are minimal as far as I've seen at this point. Future games and even video sources may make the differences clearer, and that's why you may want a receiver that's fully compatible. If you do buy an older receiver, you don't care about the Xbox Series X, you can always hook a fancy new console directly to the TV, then use eARC to get audio to the receiver.
