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Switching  Another
primary function that a home theater receiver performs is switching of all audio and video
source equipment in a home
audio or home theater system. A receiver takes all of the source signals
from audio and video source equipment
(e.g., DVD-Video/Audio player, SACD player, CD player, VCR, digital
satellite or cable set-top box, HDTV receivers, personal video recorders like TiVo and ReplayTV) and performs all the
necessary switching and thus allows you to choose the source from which you
want to listen or watch. The
picture shows the typical rear panel of an receiver and its
array of input and output jacks.
Switching
for Audio Signals For audio, the
receiver accepts audio signals in two forms: analog and digital. Analog
Audio Inputs. Analog audio signals are ready to be amplified and
usually come as a stereo pair (left
and right) using RCA-type connections. There should be many sets of
these stereo analog audio inputs as most source equipment is stereo (e.g., VCR,
tape deck). Many newer A/V receivers will also have one or more sets
of 5.1-channel analog audio inputs
(or 6.1-channel or 7.1-channel) to accommodate multi-channel inputs from a DVD-Audio player, multi-channel
Super Audio CD player,
or a DVD-Video player with built-in Dolby Digital or DTS decoding.
These are analog audio connections just like the stereo pair, except they
come in sets of six connections for the six discrete 5.1-channel (or seven
connections for 6.1-channel, and eight for 7.1-channel). 
stereo analog audio input
5.1-channel analog audio input
Editor's
Note: At the present, DVD-Audio and multi-channel SACD players can only be
connected using the analog 5.1-channel inputs. No digital audio
inputs are allowed due to unresolved copyright protection
issues. If you want to hook up a DVD-Audio player and a SACD
player, you'll need two sets of 5.1-channel analog audio inputs. The alternative
is
to buy a "universal" DVD-Audio/SACD player (like the Apex
AD-7701 or the Pioneer Elite DV-47A). Hopefully in the near future,
a digital connection like IEEE-1394 "Firewire" can be
used. Until then, some high-end manufacturers like Denon have
started to implement proprietary digital audio connections between a DVD-Audio
player like the Denon DVD-9000 and receiver like the Denon AVR-5803. Turntables
(i.e., record players) should be connected using the dedicated analog phono input
jack. While it looks like any other stereo analog input jack, the
phono analog audio input signal is very small in voltage (a few milliVolts
versus a tenth of a Volt for line-level signals of other analog audio inputs) so the receiver
needs to pre-amplify the phono audio signal with a phono stage. Not all receivers have a pair of phono
input jacks, so pay particular attention to phono inputs if you plan to hook up a
turntable.  Digital Audio
Inputs. When
connecting digital sources like DVD-Video players and CD players, you can
use the digital audio connection. This allows the player to
pass the "raw" digital audio signal for decoding by the
receiver. The digital audio connection is better,
as the digital audio signal is less subject to degradation and
interference than the analog counterpart. There are two types of
digital audio connection: optical and
coaxial. The optical digital audio connection is more common (used in DVD and CD players) and uses laser (light) pulses to transmit data in a fiber optic cable (a.k.a. "Toslink"
cable). In contrast, the coaxial digital audio connection
uses a
modulated radio frequency (RF) signal and a specialized cable, though
it looks like an RCA-type interconnect. Coaxial digital audio output
is common with DVD players, but not with CD players. There is no clear industry agreement as to which
connection is the better digital
audio connection. Some say that the coaxial connection has
higher frequency response and therefore movie soundtracks seem
"warmer". We have not yet seen any proof that the
claim is true. Currently, we use the optical digital audio
connection in our home theater system.
Switching
for Video Signals  Video connectivity
is what differentiates an audio/video (A/V) receiver (or home theater
receiver) from a traditional stereo receiver (which only handles two
channels audio and no video). There are three types of video connections for
consumer-grade electronics: composite video
(most common),
S-Video (better picture
quality), and component video
(best picture quality).
Most A/V receivers will have composite input jacks for all types of video
sources. But for higher quality video sources like DVD-Video and
Super-VHS, moderately-priced A/V receivers
will have S-Video input jacks.
In this age of progressive
scan DVD-Video and high-definition TV (HDTV) signals, the component video
connection offers the best picture quality and color fidelity. It supports high definition picture resolutions (e.g., 1080i)
and is required for progressive scan video.
Most receivers that provide component video switching can pass a
progressive scan DVD-Video signal (480p) just fine. But if you do
plan to use your A/V receiver for switching high-definition component
video sources, then you must get a receiver that can pass
high-definition component video picture without degradation. This
requires the receiver to pass video signal up to 50 MHz without
degradation. State-of-the-art receivers can pass video signals up to
100 MHz without degradation. With any video connection, the
receiver's job is to simply switch among video sources and pass the signal
with minimal degradation. In almost all cases,
the receiver doesn't perform any processing on the video signals. One thing to
keep in mind is that most receivers do not convert between different types
of video connections. For example, the composite video signal cannot
be converted to the S-Video or component video signals. Each type of
video connection is interconnected by a separate video circuit.
When
More Is Better In terms of connectivity
and switching, the more types and the more sets of audio and video inputs
will lend to greater overall system flexibility. Make sure you have
enough input and output jacks to support your system today, as well as
accommodate the system of your dreams in the future. If you're building a high
performance
system, look for gold-plated input/output jacks since they are corrosion
resistant and make better electrical
connection.
Multi-Zone
Switching Mid-priced receivers will have
multi-zone/multi-room switching capability. Basically, this allows you
to watch or listen to one source (e.g., DVD-Video player) in your home theater
room, while sending another source (e.g., CD player) to a bedroom.
Some receivers will have a set of analog audio outputs which you can connect
to a power amplifier or another receiver to drive the second set of
loudspeakers. A few receivers will allow you to use the built-in power
amplifier circuitry to drive the second zone loudspeakers. While most
receivers only provide audio for the second zone, few receivers will provide
video for the second zone. Some receivers come with a second remote
control for controlling the second zone functions of the receiver.
Pre-Amplifier
Audio Outputs  Most better receivers will include
a set of 5.1-channel pre-amplifier audio output. For receivers with
Extended Surround sound processing, these outputs can 6.1-channel or
7.1-channel. These outputs are used when you want to bypass the
receiver's amplification
stage and use a
separate external power amplifier. In this setup, the receiver is
used as a pre-amplifier or an A/V controller.
Receivers
should have enough audio and video inputs and outputs.
Receivers should have at least one set of
5.1-channel analog audio input
and one set of 5.1-channel analog audio outputs.
Component
video switching should pass high-bandwidth
HDTV signals
without degradation.
AM/FM
Stereo Tuner Lastly,
the receiver serves as an AM/FM stereo radio tuner for your home audio system. With modern quartz-locked digital tuning, most
receivers perform this function quite well. If you live in a fringe area, far way
from your favorite radio stations' transmitters, look for the tuner's sensitivity
rating (also called usable sensitivity). Lower sensitivity numbers indicate better reception for distant
radio stations. In contrast, if you live in a city with many radio
stations, look for the adjacent-station selectivity specification. Higher selectivity numbers indicate that the tuner can
better reject noise and interference from adjacent radio stations.
Unfortunately , the adjacent-station selectivity specification is omitted from
many manufacturer specifications. *
* * Now
that we've covered the basic functions of a receiver, here are some
other
things to look for in a receiver as well as other considerations during
the selection and auditioning processes. User
Interface Since a receiver provides so many
different functions in a home audio or home theater system, the user interface
is critical in achieving ease-of-use. A good user interface can make the
home theater experience an enjoyable experience, while a poor user interface
can render frustration. User interfaces are frequently overlooked by
both manufacturers and consumers. The user interface should make the
initial set-up of the system and everyday use as effortless as
possible. And since the home theater system serves as an entertainment center for the whole family, it should be easy enough for
everyone in the family to use, not just the home theater enthusiast of the
family. On-Screen Display (OSD).
Since home theater receivers provide video switching, manufacturers have
created on-screen displays using the TV output for displaying menus.
Selections are made using the remote control's cursor control and enter
buttons. On-screen displays make the set-up and configuration process much more intuitive and easier to
navigate. Remote Control
Design. A properly designed remote control can make a
world of difference. For everyday use, it serves as the primary user interface. A good remote control should be ergonomic (easy to hold
and to operate). It should fit well in your hand and has buttons
that are clearly marked, logically grouped, and easy to press. If you like to watch movies in a
dark room (like us), a remote control with illuminated or glow-in-the-dark
buttons is considered a must-have. Universal
and Learning Remote Controls. To ease the clutter of
numerous remote controls on your coffee table, some remote control units
that come with receivers can also control other components like DVD players,
VCRs, and TVs. Some can even be set to control components from other
manufacturers. These universal remote controls have
pre-programmed infrared codes for operating components made by major
manufacturers. Taking the universal
remote control concept one step further, some manufacturers include a learning
remote control, which can learn the remote control code of any device.
To program the learning remote, you will need the other remote. If the infrared codes
are not pre-programmed, programming a learning remote can be a very time consuming
process. Macro
Capability. To make the system easier for other family members to
operate, some of the better remote controls provide a macro capability,
where a series of button presses can be programmed to execute with a single button press.
For example, a macro button can be programmed to do the following sequence: turn on the TV, turn on the
receiver, turn on the DVD player, select the right video source for the TV,
select the right source for the receiver, and command the DVD player to start
playing. 2-Way Remote Control.
Some receivers have 2-way remote controls with an LCD display. In these
designs, the receiver can send status and song title information to the 2-way
remote for display on the LCD display. This is a nice feature in that
you can read the song titles from the display on your hand, without squinting
to read them from the LED display on the faceplate across the room. Volume
Control. A volume control knob usually has markings around the knob as
a reference. Other volume controls have LED digital readouts in
decibels. The latter is more useful in a dark home theater environment,
where it would be difficult to see markings in the dark or across the room. Construction
& Build Quality If
you're more interested in buying a good performing receiver than in just
finding the cheapest one available, you'll want to give some thought to
the construction and build quality of a receiver. Receivers with solid
construction and build quality will sound better and last longer than inferior
models that are built to specific price points. Gold
Plated Input/Output Jacks. Better receivers will use gold-plated
input and output jacks to resist corrosion and to establish a better
electrical connection. Multi-Way Speaker Binding Posts. Better
receivers will employ five-way binding posts to accommodate all the possible
loudspeaker wire connections, from spade lugs, to banana plugs, to pins, to
bare wire. Mid-level receivers will use binding
posts that allow banana plugs, pins, and bare wire. Budget receivers will only have spring
clips that accommodate pins or bare wire.  Cooling Fins. Look through
ventilation holes on the top
plate of the receiver and check out the cooling fins. Larger cooling
fins will allow the receiver to efficiently dissipate heat through
convection. A cooler running receiver will perform better and last longer. Large cooling fins should be sturdily built
to resist
vibration which can degrade sound quality.
Cooling Fans.
Some receivers will employ cooling fans like those in a computer to
remove heat. These types of receivers don't need cooling fins
as large as non-fan models, but make sure the fan noise is low enough that it
won't intrude in your enjoyment of movies and music during quiet passages. Weight. Quality
components like power transformers
and a well-built chassis that resists acoustic vibrations lend themselves to the
weight of the receiver. So in general, a receiver's weight is still a good
indication of a receiver's build quality. Good receivers can weigh 20
pounds or more. The best receivers can weigh up to 60-something pounds!
While the better receivers do weigh more, the receiver's weight alone does not
guarantee top notch performance. Upgradeability
& "Future Proofing": protecting your investment With
the new surround sound formats and new high
resolution, multi-channel audio formats coming out in the recent years, you may
be wondering if your new receiver will be obsolete if new formats come along
in a few years? That's a legitimate and real-world concern for
home theater receiver buyers these days. So how do you ensure that what you buy
today won't go obsolete in a few years (especially if you're spending upwards of
$1,000 for a new receiver)? A number of receiver
manufacturers have attempted to make their gear "future-proof"
by designing the product with a flexible architecture. These
"future-proof" features are often found in higher-quality receivers in the
$1,500+ range: Software
Upgradeability. The best receivers feature a RS-232 serial port
(like that in the back of your computer) as a means of performing software
upgrades to the programmable processing chips inside these receivers.
Software upgrades allow the chips to decode new surround sound formats and
post-processing functions. Onkyo,
Denon, Sony ES are some manufacturers that take advantage of this
approach. Onkyo is one manufacturer that has actually provided a
consumer installable software upgrade kit ($50) for DTS-ES discrete 6.1 and
Dolby Pro Logic II decoding. You simply hook up a serial connector
cable from the receiver to your desktop or laptop computer, load the upgrade
CD-ROM into your computer, and follow the instructions on your computer
screen. Hardware
Upgradeability. There are two foreseeable hardware upgrades for receivers, the IEEE-1394 ("Firewire",
also known as Sony's i.Link) and DB-25 multi-channel
audio connector. The IEEE-1394 "FireWire" is the digital
connection of the future for all things audio or video. It has a
bandwidth of 400 Mbps, far greater than the maximum of 10 Mbps data rate
for DVD, and the 20-35 Mbps data rate for HDTV. Not only will
the IEEE-1394 provide connectivity for all digital audio and video components,
it will support the concept of "plug and play". For the
few receivers that are designed from the beginning to support the IEEE-1394
Firewire upgrade (e.g., Denon), it is expected to be serviced by the
factory or a factory-authorized service center. The upgrade involves
installing a new circuit board with a IEEE-1394 Firewire jack on the rear
panel. If you look carefully at these hardware upgradeable
receivers, you can notice a small panel on the back with screws, ready to
be replaced by one with a IEEE-1394 Firewire jack. Alternatives to
a Receiver If you are a serious home theater enthusiast or
a high-end audiophile, you should consider separate components instead of
a single-unit A/V receiver. Separates, as it's sometimes called,
refer to a system of separate components: a surround sound processor/pre-amplifier/controller and a
multi-channel power amplifier. The advantages of separates are: (1)
flexibility in choosing a component that will perform the surround sound
processing and another component that will serve as the power amplifier,
and (2) potentially much better sonic performance due to better isolation
of signals and use of high-end audiophile quality parts. The
downside is high cost and extra space required for two chassis. It costs more for two separate chassis,
even if the parts were identical. It also costs more to connect the
two separate components, and these two chassis now take more space than a
single receiver chassis. But usually, separates are high-end in
construction and make use of top quality parts in comparison to their receiver
counterparts. For most
"everyday consumers", not only receivers will provide better
than "good enough" sound quality, but receivers are generally
more within reach of most "everyday consumers". Separates,
with its positive and negatives, are more suitable for the very serious
high-end enthusiasts and audiophiles with generous budgets. Comparing
Receivers Establish A Budget.
With so many receivers on the market, and prices spread over a wide range
from a few hundred dollars to over four grand, you'll want to do a feature
comparison to narrow down your choices. But first, establish your
budget. Make sure your significant other is comfortable with
it. We don't recommend buying a home theater receiver for less than
$400 (MSRP). There are too many compromises in sound quality and
performance. The sweet spot for receivers is between $400 and
$750. Here, you'll find the best value with good performance.
Better performing receivers cost in the range of $800 to $1,500.
These are meant for serious home theater and audio enthusiasts. Top
notch receivers can be had in the $2,000-$4,300 range and are meant for
audiophiles with the means ($). Narrow Your
Choices. In comparing features, look for the host of surround
sound decoding features, amplification
specifications (remember to watch out for specsmanship),
and the number of audio and video inputs and outputs. If you plan to enjoy DVD-Audio
or SACD, don't forget to
look for at least one set of 5.1-channel
analog audio inputs. Even if you don't, it offers flexibility that
you may use later. Forget about DSP modes
or simulated soundfields. They don't add
real value. Consider a THX-certified
receiver only if you've got a receiver budget of at least $1000. Don't
forget about the warrantee. Don't consider any receiver with
less than a one-year warrantee. Watch out for warrantees with separate
periods for labor and parts (e.g., "1-year parts and 90-day
labor"). Labor can be a significant amount should your receiver
require service after the labor portion expires. Better-built receivers
will come with a two-year warrantee. Sony ES, the "Elevated
Standard" up-market version of Sony, makes receivers and other
audio/video components with an outstanding 5-year warrantee (for U.S.
residents). Auditioning
Receivers Specifications, however, do not tell the whole
story about a receiver's sound quality. While you can compare receivers based on specifications
alone to narrow down your list of candidate receivers, the final tests should be a
listening audition. Here are some tips for auditioning receivers in retailer showrooms:
-
Choose the loudspeakers for your audition
carefully. Ideally, you should audition receivers with the same
loudspeakers you have at home. But of course, this is frequently not
possible. So the next best thing would be to audition them with
similar or equivalent speakers, those that are made by the same manufacturer, or have the same general design or
layout, or the same nominal impedance rating, or even in the same
price range. Even if the showroom has the exact same
loudspeakers as you have at home, the sound in the showroom will be
somewhat different
from what you'll hear at home, since the room acoustics play a large
part in what we actually hear. Whatever you do, audition
different receivers with the same set of loudspeakers. The idea is to
minimize differences in any comparison test.
-
Use the same source equipment.
Likewise, use the same CD player or DVD player when
auditioning different receivers. Again, to minimize variations
in what you're hearing.
-
Bring your own selections of audio CDs and DVDs.
It helps to bring along a few of your favorite music audio CDs and
DVD movies to conduct listening tests. Don't count on the retailer to have
audition material to your liking. With familiar material, you're
more likely to pick out subtle differences in sound quality between
receivers.
-
Pick up the remote control and use it.
Make sure you're happy with the remote
control. It's a critical part of the user
interface.
Where To Buy and Find the
Best Deals? Finally, before you
fork out any money, consider the following: Home
Audition. Make sure your local retailer or online dealer allows for a 30-day return
policy. While you can learn a lot about a product during in-store
auditions, there's nothing like getting the product home and hooking it up to your
source components and loudspeakers system and hearing it in your home's unique acoustic
environment. Often times, it will sound different than the
in-store audition. Sometimes, the result may not be what you
expected, so you'll want the peace of mind of having 30 days to make a
final evaluation of the product in your home. Waiting
for Model Year-End Clearances and Closeouts. Manufacturers introduce
new receiver models every year. And with each new generation comes more
features, or power, or slightly lower pricing. While one way to save
some money is to wait for the model year-end clearances and closeout sales,
you still have to be careful and ask yourself these questions: Does the
new model offer added features that you could use in the near future?
Will the new model's price be lower than the older model and hence negating
the "savings" of buying a clearance model? Our general rule of
thumb is if there is not a new feature that you want, a discount of 10% or
better is a reasonably good value for a receiver on clearance or closeout. Buying
at a Local Retailer. If you're shopping for a receiver from a
local specialty consumer electronics store or a department store, make sure
that the receiver you want to audition is properly setup, preferably in an
audition or listening room. Make sure you're getting the honest, unbiased help and
guidance that you deserve. Otherwise, consider buying online to save
yourself some money. Make sure your local retailer allows for a 30-day return
policy to allow for a home audition. Buying
Online. If you're interested in
buying your receiver online, make sure the online dealer has a 30-day
return policy with no re-stocking fees to allow for a home
audition. May we suggest that
you consider hifi.com,
OneCall.com, JandR.com,
GoodGuys.com,
BestBuy.com,
Buy.com,
Amazon.com,
and SonyStyle.com.
In particular, these online dealers are notable:
If you choose to buy from one of these online dealers, please
start your purchase by clicking through our links above or from this
page so we may receive a small commission to help support this site.
Thanks very much!
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