Why You May Want an AV Receiver
If you've recently bought a new High definition TV, LCD or Plasma it's well worth thinking about getting an AV receiver to get the best sound quality from it. While it's great to have a TV with great picture quality it can be a little disappointing to be watching a movie and when an explosion takes place it sounds like someone banging a tin drum in a tunnel. This is where an AV receiver makes all the difference, giving you full audio quality that enhances your viewing experience.
Components
An AV Receiver comprises of three different audio components in one, an amplifier, a pre amp/ processor and an FM AM tuner. It's true that the amplifier in an AV Receiver is not as good as a high quality dedicated amplifier, but given the cost of the unit and the quality of sound they deliver, they compare well with lower end amplifiers. These receivers have become very affordable over the past couple of years and it won't cost you an arm and a leg if you want to have theatre sound quality in your home.
Amplifier
The job of an amplifier is to deliver power to your speakers and you should make sure the amplifier section of your AV receiver can deliver the power you need. Generally speaking most loudspeakers will be in the 6-8 ohm range and your AV receiver will work efficiently and deliver great sound quality. However AV receivers don't work as well with 4 ohm speakers as they need more power to function at their best so take note of the speaker's resistance (Ohms value) before buying if you are going to use them with an AV receiver.
Power
An AV receiver that is rated 100 watts per channel is more than adequate to give you an excellent home theatre experience. More power is always a good thing as it means your receiver has to do less work, and this will eliminates any sound distortion. But remember you are going to have to pay more for it, so as a rule of thumb get as much power as you can for your budget.
Listening Tests
The best way to choose what AV Receiver is best for you is to actually listen to it before you buy it. Two receivers with basically the same specification can sound completely different due to the type of components used in their manufacture. Take along a couple of CDs and compare the sound from each AV receiver you are interested in buying until you find one that delivers on a full range of sound, giving clear unmuffled, non-distorted sound at both high and low registers.
