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7 Best Home Theater Receivers Under $1000 (Reviewed)

Ayaan Khan

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Curious about which one is the best receiver? Well, you should be!

AV receivers are like our stomachs. When the stomach is healthy the overall body functions properly when there is a problem with the stomach our whole body is in trouble.

In the same manner, you should pick the best AV receiver to get the best quality experience out of your home theatre system.

By searching this on the internet you are already aware of the functionality of the AV receiver.  That’s why I will not take your time and we’ll dive into the reviews themselves.

Our Top Tested & Reviewed Products At A Glance

AV Receiver	Video Quality	Audio Format	Editor's Ratings	Today's Best Deals
Denon AVR-X2700H	(8K Ultra HD)	7.2 Surround Sound	4.9 4.5/5	Check Price On Amazon
Marantz NR1711	(8K Ultra HD)	7.2 Surround Sound	4.8 4.5/5	Check Price On Amazon
Denon AVR-S750H	(4K UHD HDR & Dolby Vision)	7.2 Surround Sound	4.7 4.5/5	Check Price On Amazon

This review article is fresh, that’s why you will get the latest 8K quality capable AV receiver with Dolby Atmos audio. Glue to this article and find out which one is the best for you. Not all receivers on this list are under 1000 but few are more affordable than that.

When I first wanted to set up a home theatre, my Pro home theatre owner friend told me about the importance of the AV receiver. “He said no matter how large and how good your TV and speaker system is if your receiver is not the best your home theatre experience will be dull.”

That’s why I was so cautious about choosing the right AV receiver for my home theater.

The following reviews are based on my experience of buying receivers and testing out a few receivers at my friends’ houses.

1. Denon AVR-X2700H – Best 8K Receiver Under $1000

Denon AVR-X2700H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel (95 Watt X 7) AV Receiver 2020 Model – Built for Gaming, Music Streaming, 3D Audio & Video, Alexa + HEOS (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Detail Review Of Denon AVR-X2700H

This one comes with 8K support already and it is the best one for 8K. It is offering 8k with 8k/60 Hertz and 4K resolution with 4K/120 Hertz. 

The 8K is just for videos and it is not available for gaming. You can play games only in 4K on this receiver.

There is no widely available 8K content by now but this receiver can enhance the 4K quality of your TV to get the most out of the 4k. The 4K receivers can output 4K with 60Hz but this receiver can output with 120Hz.

The 3D audio-video experience on this receiver is amazing. We will come to the audio part letter.

As in most of the Denon AV receivers, you get Dolby Atmos height virtualization and DTS:X With enhanced IMAX capabilities only in this model.

The Dolby Atmos height virtualization is good and can give you the Dolby Atmos height of that professional’s cinema halls at your home.

But Denon is saying that the Audyssey mic can configure the sound with Dolby Atmos height virtualization for 8 people in the room and in reality this is not true. 

Upon our testing we found that you can configure the sound through the Audyssey mic only for two people on the sofa but still sound optimization according to the room is a great feature but keep in mind that it will work only for two people in one place not for 8. Maybe they upgrade the firmware of this AV receiver and after that, it may support what Denon is saying.

It has 8 HDMI ports with one for 8K support. One port that has an 8K HDMI port is capable of eARC Technology. The eARC is a more enhanced form of ARC. With eARC you can stream Dolby Vision and Dolby TrueHD within their original form, not in a compressed form, And can transfer data at a speed of 38 Mbps.

Two Antennas are included in the box for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. One antenna for FM and AM radio is also included in the box. 

The Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology are really good by Denon. You can connect multiple heos speakers around the home with the help of a HEOS app.

The gaming experience is enhanced and Auto Low latency Mode is introduced by Denon in this 2020 model by keeping Gamers in the mind. This feature will continuously adjust the latency mode automatically to prevent lagging between frames of the games.

The top material is very thin so make sure that you do not place anything on top of this AV receiver. This product can go extremely hot that’s why you should always keep it in a well-ventilated place.

With this quality of the receiver, you need the best quality projectors to go with. Read my best Short throw projectors review. Few are those that can best fit your needs.

2. Marantz NR1711 – Best For Small To Medium Size Home Cinema Room

Marantz NR1711 8K Slim 7.2 Channel Ultra HD AV Receiver (2020 Model) – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HEOS Built-in, Alexa & Smart Home Automation – 8K Videos & Multi-Room Streaming

Detail Review Of Marantz NR1711

This is another 2nd best 8K 2020 model receiver but this time it is from Marantz. 

It supports 8K with 7.2 channels of surround sound.

It is providing 7 HDMI ports. In which 6 are inputs and one is output. Only 2 HDMI ports support 8K and the rest support 4K.  But they all are Dolby Vision and HDR10+ compatible ports.

The one output HDMI port provides an eARC facility. Due to this, the TV can stream Dolby TrueHD and DTS:X pro sound in full HD without compressing it. You get full decompressed data from the TV to your receiver and hence no data is lost during the compression process.

It is advised to use an HDMI 2.1 cable for these ports. Typically HDMI 2.1 ports are capable of transferring 48 GBPS of data But these receiver HDMI ports support only 40 GBPS.  Don’t worry now there are no capable displays that can stream data at this bandwidth to the receiver. So 40 GBPS is more than enough for these modern-age displays.

Like the Denon receiver, this model also comes with HEOS technology and AUDYSSEY mic sound optimization technology.

With HEOS you can connect many speakers across your house wirelessly with the AV receiver. You can play different music in each room or the same music. You can stream music in the kitchen, bathroom,  living room, or any other place in your house.

With this app, you can stream music from Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, and many more across all these speakers connected to your house.

The setup is very easy with the AUDYSSEY mic. You have to place the mic where you want to hear the music and it will optimize the DTS virtual X and Dolby Atmos height virtualization for you at that place and by keeping the measures of the surrounding environment into account.

It provides 8K quality video with 8K/60 Hz pass-through and 4K quality with 4K/120 Hz pass-through. 

This receiver too comes with Dolby Atmos height virtualization. With this technology, you can get Dolby Atmos height without connecting overhead speakers or large floor-standing speakers and support DTS:X with DTS Virtual: X.

The gaming experience is enhanced with a variable refresh rate and auto-low latency mode. Due to these two features, you won’t experience lagging in your gameplay. Get that smooth experience.

This gaming Auto Low Latency can be affected by the projector quality as well. That’s why read my ultra short throw projectors review. Few of these projectors have a stunning throw ratio and low latency lag.

You get an FM radio Antenna and Two Antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. You get a power cable remote with two batteries. You get a user manual and speakers connectivity guide in the box.

The remote is made up of cheap plastic and lags in functionality. You have to press the buttons firmly and hold the remote straight to the receiver to function properly.

3. Denon AVR-S750H – Best 4K Receiver Under $1000

Denon AVR-S750H Receiver, 7.2 Channel (165W x 7) – 4K Ultra HD Home Theater (2019) | Music Streaming | New – eARC, 3D Dolby Surround Sound (Atmos, DTS/Virtual Height Elevation) | Alexa + HEOS

Detail Review Of Denon AVR-S750H

This is the best 4k receiver at the pass-through range of 4K per 60 Hertz. At this pass-through range, this one is the most sophisticated 4K receiver you can get.

Along with the video, it can provide Dolby Atmos with Dolby Atmos height virtualization technology and DTS:X.

With height virtualization technology you don’t need overhead speakers for the Dolby Atmos height. 

But my friend has installed 2 in-ceiling Dolby Atmos speakers and has completed the whole surround sound at the ground and the difference is truly there. The sound is amazing with the actual Dolby Atmos speakers layout.  

But if you can’t install ceiling speakers or are not comfortable with them, you can go with this receiver’s Dolby Atmos height virtualization technology.

Because of this technology, you can feel the fighter jets on the screen like it is flying over your head.

With the HEOS app, you can stream music across your house wirelessly. You can stream the same music or different music across all the speakers. You can also connect  Bluetooth headphones directly to the receiver. 

With the HEOS app, you can stream iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon music.

It has a total of 6 HDMI ports with one output. The output port is eARC compatible And all others are compatible with HDCP 2.3. And don’t worry if your display or any other device is compatible with HDCP 2.2 because these ports are HDCP 2.3 backward compatible. This means that it is not required that you should have HDCP 2.3 ports on both ends for a successful handshake. 

You can control this receiver with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Siri. You can change the volume, switch the songs or even you can switch between the inputs of the receiver by voice commands. it is truly a hands-free control for your AV receiver.

The setup is easy by following the on-screen setup guide and the Audyssey mic technology is included here. 

The HDR 4K content of gaming can be streamed on this receiver. 

You get a USB and HDMI port on the front panel too. The USB port can be used to stream HD music from any USB memory device and the HDMI port can be used to plug in any HDMI cable-compatible device like my friend connected their computer to a home theatre with this front HDMI port.

The specialized phono inputs are included to enjoy your favorite records with the best music quality.

For the best possible audio experience. You should pair the best receivers with the best speakers and the best subwoofer on the market. Click on the blue-colored words to read my reviews about them.

4. Denon AVR-X1600H – Best Entry Level For 4K

Denon AVR-X1600H 4K UHD AV Receiver, 2019 Model, 7.2 Channel, 80W Each, 3D Audio, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, 6 HDMI Inputs & 1 Output, AirPlay 2, Alexa & HEOS (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Detail Review Of Denon AVR-X1600H

This is another receiver by Denon which was manufactured in 2019 for a better gaming experience at under 1,000 price range.

This has all other standard Denon signature features with a more enhanced experience for gamers.

In the box you get a radio antenna, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennas, remote, power cable,  Audyssey mic, Audyssey mic stand for sound calibration which is made up of cardboard, and you don’t get a user manual you will have to download it from the Denon site.

The setup is quite easy; you have to follow the onscreen setup instructions. Assemble the parts of the Audyssey mic stand according to the instructions.

Place the mic with the stand in your room and it will optimize the sound of the speakers according to the environment of your theatre room.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennas will be used to connect your Bluetooth device wirelessly and can connect speakers across your house. These speakers can be controlled by the HEOS app where you can stream the same music or different music on the speakers.

You have two separate ports for the second zone speakers. You can have 5.2 surround sound in your theatre room and the second zone2 speakers, in another room. You can hear the movie sound on the 5.2 surround sound speakers and can play other music on Zone 2.

This AV receiver is having two separate ports for two subwoofers to transform your audio bass even with low frequencies.

For dual subs, you can get two affordable ones. Read my this review about the best sub under $500.

This is supporting 4K HDR and Dolby vision with 60 Hertz and Dolby Atmos with Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization and DTS:X and DTS virtually:X.

For gamers, this receiver has Auto Low Latency Mode. This mode continuously adjusts the input lag of the game to give you a nice gaming experience without any lag between the frames of the game.

It has a DSP chip that can give you top-of-the-notch video and sound processing.

It has 6 in total HDMI ports with 5 inputs and 1 output, the output is eARC supported and all HDMI cables are HDCP 3.2 compatible. 

Difference between Denon AVR-X1600H and Denon AVR-S750H Model

1. The AVR-S750H is 165W per channel powered receiver and the AVR-X1600H is 80W per channel powered receiver.
2. The AVR-X1600H is more enhanced for Gaming with ALLM mode.
3. The AVR-X1600H is equipped with a DSP chip that can give more enhanced video and sound processing.
4. The AVR-X1600H has separate ports for the zone 2 speakers.

5. Sony STR-DN1080 – Best For Beginners

Sony STR-DN1080 7.2-ch Surround Sound Home Theater AV Receiver: 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos, Bluetooth, WiFi, Google Chromecast Black

Detail Review Of Sony STR-DN1080

This receiver is capable of delivering you 4K HDR video quality With Dolby Atmos audio.

It has a total of 8 HDMI ports 6 are inputs and 2 outputs. They all are HDCP 2.2 compatible.

The setup is amazing and easy. With its top-notch calibration technology. You will have to plug in the stereo mic to the front port and walk through the on-screen graphical user interface of the receiver to calibrate the sound according to your room. The setup and calibration are simple and user-friendly.

This device is Google Home compatible with Airplay2 and built-in Google Chromecast. Due to Google Home compatibility, you can connect many speakers from room to room across your house to the AV receiver. 

You can control the volume and shuffle and switch off the music by speaking to your Google Home device without lifting a finger.

I was expecting from Sony that it should be compatible with many more Home Automation devices like Amazon Alexa. As all users are not using Google Home.

Due to the built-in Chromecast, you can stream music from Spotify, Google plays music, YouTube Music, and many more cool apps.

Sony is claiming that you can have 7-channel sound from just a 5.1 surround sound layout but this is not recommended by me. You should always go for the 7.1 surround speakers’ complete layout if you want 7.1 surround sound.

But if you need more than 10 channels, then I will suggest reading my best preamp/processor review.

But the Dolby Atmos is truly capable of giving you a 3D sound field. You will feel like the bullets on the screen are passing by your ears because of the Dolby Atmos 3D sound field implementation by this receiver.

It lags in modern technology like HDCP 2.3  and compatibility with many more Home Automation devices other than Google Home but the sound and video of this receiver are fairly good in this price range.

This receiver has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity.

6. Denon AVR-S960H – Best To Introduce Yourself To The 8K Scaling

Denon AVR-S960H 8K Ultra HD 7.2 Channel (90Watt X 7) AV Receiver 2020 Model – Built for Gaming, Music Streaming, 3D Audio & Video, Alexa + HEOS, Black (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Detail Review Of Denon AVR-S960H

This 2020 model by Denon is having many cool features like 8K video, 3D capabilities for audio and video, and audio with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Atmos height virtualizer technology.

This device can be connected with your home automation smart devices like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. A lot of features of this AV receiver can be controlled like volume up and down, music changing, and switching off with voice commands.

With its multi-room speakers’ connectivity capability, you can connect many speakers around your house and the speakers will work from room to room. Start streaming HD audio across your house from many music apps like Pandora and Spotify.

The Dolby Atmos height virtualization technology can give you Dolby Atmos height without overhead speakers or in-ceiling speakers installation. Without these speakers, it can give you Dolby Atmos height audio as same as in the professional cinema halls.

It has 8 ports for HDMI with ARC and eARC connectivity.

The top of the receiver is very thin.  This device is quiet throughout the day but can heat up quickly and can reach extremes.

The setup of all the speakers with the AV receiver is very easy. By following the on-screen guide you can know to connect which wire to which speaker.

When the speakers are connected then it is required to optimize the sound according to the environment of the room. For that, you will have to connect the included Audyssey mic. Place it where you will sit and want to hear your song correctly at that place. Now the AV receiver will automatically start outputting tone sound from each speaker to adjust the synchronization and audio quality. It is pretty amazing!

The negative thing about this receiver is that by switching the input of the HDMI it will have to shut down several times. It is a pain and it can shorten the lifespan of this product. Maybe shortly, Denon can fix this with the firmware update.

8K is good but Denon advertises that it can be 8k/60 Hz but in actual testing, it was only 8k/30 Hertz. This is disappointing because I was not expecting this from a reputable brand like Denon but still the overall quality of 8K upscaling is good if you are new to this 8K trend.

Another thing to consider to get the most out of the audio and video, you will have to get the HDMI 2.1 spec cables. These cables are capable of transmitting 8k quality of video better And these are created for the new age audio and video technology.

The built-in radio is clear and loud.

7. Sony STR-DH790 – Best For Affordable 4K

Sony STR-DH790 7.2-ch Surround Sound Home Theater AV Receiver: 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos & Bluetooth Black

Detail Review Of Sony STR-DH790

This is a very affordable AV receiver by Sony. You get the same Dolby Atmos multidimensional sound as the STR-DN1080.

You get HDR 4K quality with all three options supported like Dolby Vision, HLG, and HDR 10.

 in this model, you only get Bluetooth and no Wi-Fi.

You can connect your mobile via Bluetooth and start streaming audio from your mobile and you can also turn on the receiver by your mobile when it is on standby.

You get remote batteries, antenna, and surround sound optimization mic in the box. You also get a warranty, user manual, and product registration In the box.

You get a total of 5 HDMI ports with 4 inputs and 1 output. Along with HDMI you also get coaxial and optical connection ports.

The setup is pretty easy and you have to connect the optimization mic to the receiver and it will calibrate the sound according to your room condition.

Sony is claiming that you can get 5.2 surround sound from only two speakers’ layout but this is not recommended by me in any condition. You should always use a complete 5.2 speakers Layout to get a complete 5.2 Surround Sound.

With the help of a DSP chip, you can get crisp and sharp image quality.

The HDR quality of this AV receiver is good with a good contrast ratio that can differentiate between black and white on the screen precisely.

It is supporting banana plugs for only the left and right speakers and not for the complete surround sound.

FAQs

Helpful Resources For The FAQs To Read More

1. You can read about the Stereo and AV receiver music quality comparison here on Reddit. (Resource for the second answer)