Soundbars are certainly an improvement over built-in TV speakers, but nothing beats a wired and calibrated surround sound system. And if you’re all about that cinematic audio, you’ll need a solid AV receiver to run the show.
AV receivers serve many functions, but the most important one is powering your home theater speakers. A receiver can also be used as a connection hub for all your AV components. That’s everything from streaming devices and Blu-ray players to game consoles. If you can connect it to your TV with an HDMI cable, it can connect to an AV receiver.
Not all receivers are created equal. For instance, some are more suited for music, while others are better for movies. This is why we’ve put together this list of the best AV receivers — to help you decide which models best suit your wants and needs.
This is a pricey option, but Marantz made sure to improve upon past AV receivers by covering otherwise empty bases from prior models. The SR8015 is equipped with an array of AV technologies to make it fit in any home theater environment. Starting with all things audio, it's got Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS:X Pro, IMAX Enhanced, Auro 3D, plus the ability to connect a turntable for some vinyl playback or to stream from the likes of Spotify, Tidal, Pandora, and via AirPlay 2 devices, among others. You also get access to Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, plus the ability to do multiroom setups through HEOS.
It's compatible with hi-res audio files and lossless formats that go up to 24-bit/192 kHz, and you can stream them to the receiver from a USB or network storage drive. The 11.2 channel system can run in 7.2.4 or 9.2.2 configurations when using all the channels. You can also keep some free-to-play music in different zones, where you get up to two extra. There are 140 watts of output per channel, so Marantz built the SR8015 to handle just about any speaker arrangement you have in mind. The Audyssey MultEQ XT32 support only helps the cause further with its room-correction technology to compensate for acoustics inside.
On the video front, the SR8015 is no less capable. It brings in 8K video at 60Hz (including upscaling) to go with 4K/120Hz, HDR (HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dynamic HDR, Dolby Vision), and HDMI-eARC that lets you pass full resolution surround sound from your TV through to the receiver. There are 8 HDMI inputs, plus 3 outputs, including useful add-ons like a Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) to accommodate gamers who need them.
There's a lot to work with here because Marantz left little to chance, and that bodes well for how long this receiver may last in the years to come.
