Advantages of having an AV Receiver
There is a before and after when putting a receiver at home. These are the main features that you will find in most of the equipment on the market:
Amplification
TVs are getting thinner. At the same time that year after year, we have had screens with higher image quality, the sound has been getting worse, since there is hardly any physical space to place good speakers.
Anyone who wants to enjoy a complete audiovisual experience at home will not settle for mediocre speakers built into the TV – however premium the product may be. In fact, the sound bars They are increasingly popular products, as they allow us to recover a large part of the sound quality that we have been losing.
However, more advanced users prefer to make their own custom speaker system. And in this field, the AV receiver is the ideal device to make amplifier.
cable management
Take a look behind your TV. Lots of wires? Well, with an AV receiver, you will also be able to solve this problem at a stroke. The receiver will be the device to which we will connect all the devices and peripherals that we will use with our television. Whether analog or digital. What will connect our receiver to the television will be only a HDMI cable.
With this, you will have killed several birds with one stone. First, you get rid of that dangerous mess of cables that we all have behind our TV. On the other hand, you will not have to change the HDMI source every time you want to change the device, but you will do it through the receiver. And on the other hand, you will have everything in one place, and managing new connections will not be as cumbersome as removing the television and connecting the devices from there.
All in one
This advantage is very much in line with the one we talked about in the previous point. With the receiver you will be able control it all with a single remoteand that’s perfect when you have several different devices.
Digital and smart features
There are many people who think that AV receivers are simply amplifiers, but they are dead wrong. Depending on the model, many receivers also allow the use of technologies such as AirPlay. This means that we will be able to send content directly from our mobile phone to our speakers through the receiver.
What should I look at before buying one?
If you are thinking of buying one of these kits, there are a number of factors to consider to find the device that best suits your needs. They are the following:
Multi-channel audio management
You will need a more complex receiver the more extensive your speaker network is. The most common receptors have systems 5.1 or 7.1, which are more than enough for most users.
Here you are free to do some research. The most interesting equipment can be configured to give sound Dolby Atmos 5.1.2, as well as have support for DTS: X Virtual. It’s a matter of planning which team we’re going to create and which receiver best suits that design we have in mind.
On the other hand, we have the audio zones. And it is that the receiver can manage the sound of several rooms simultaneously, as long as we make a correct configuration and have the appropriate peripherals to separate both installations.
Amplifier type and power
Audio can be amplified in two different ways: by transistors or valves. Tubes do a better job than transistors, but they require a lot more maintenance, which has caused most of the equipment you’ll see on the market to be transistorized.
According to the powerDon’t be fooled by the numbers. In audio, manufacturers always refer to this concept linked to the electric resistance, which is measured in Ohms. If the manufacturer does not give you data on the impedanceLook it up online so you don’t get a bad surprise once you get home.
output resolution
Receivers are not cheap equipment, so it is usually interesting to buy a model with a view to staying with us for a long time. If you have a TV with 4K resolution, it’s not a bad idea to get a receiver that 8K support. If in a few years we change our television, we will not have to spend twice buying a new set of these.
Today, most modern equipment is compatible with 8K resolution at 60 FPS Y 4K 120FPS. This, together with several HDMI 2.1 input sources – it is important to have more than one – is key when it comes to getting new equipment.
Wireless and smart features and connectivity
Don’t be left alone with HDMI connectivity. There are other functionalities that it is also interesting to have in the equipment, such as eARC or wireless options like Wifi, Bluetooth or compatibility with AirPlay 2.
Don’t just think of the receiver as just an amplifier. Some have smart features, such as playing music directly from Spotify.
receiver format
There are receivers that are designed to be very flat and can be placed on any piece of furniture, and others that are much wider. Everything will depend on space you have available at home and the leading role you want the team to have.
