Top 3 AV Receivers of 2022

Most large scale AV Electronics manufactures have introduced splendid AV Receivers this year which are highly convenient to use & have future ready features. We have put together a list of the most anticipated & best performing Audio Video Receivers (AVRs) that offer world class performance and an absolute bang for your buck.

1. Marantz NR-1711 

BEST LIFESTYLE AVR

The new Marantz NR-1711 is the updated 2020 version over the previous NR-1710 with the added features like 8K 60HZ, 4K 120HZ and HDR 10+ support to name a few. This AVR is a slim and beautiful machine which offers the high quality sound Marantz is known for at half the chassis height. This receiver is an excellent option for a living room where space is a constraint and ideal for users with satellite speaker packages or highly efficient speakers as it has only 50 watts of power at 8 Ohms and full range. This would give the AVR approximately 35 watts per channel with all  channels driven.

The 7 Channel amplification lets you connect seven speakers and two subwoofers for multi channel surround which includes Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. The AVR comes equipped with the new bluetooth 4.2 version, eARC, Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, High Res support, Heos Multi Room Audio, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon music, voice assistance and also a phono input for your Vinyl players.

The system comes with audyssey multieq calibration which makes your AVR setup a breeze. The AVR also upscales HD to 8K 60Hz and is a gaming beast due to its Auto low latency and 4K 120 Hz support. Great AVR for satellite speakers and efficient bookshelf speakers. If you wish to add large front speakers to this AVR we would highly recommend external power amplification. If you're looking for more power in the same box then the new Marantz SR series is the way to go ( SR 5015 , SR 6015, SR 7015 & SR 8015).

• 8K, 4K & HDR 10+ Support.
• Excellent music performance and natural sound signature.
• Slim profile and great build quality.
• Front Channel Pre Outs for external amplification and phono input.

CONS

• Lacks power for larger or inefficient / low sensitivity speakers.
• No Auro 3D & MAX Enhanced support.
• Builtin Chromecast short is missing  which could affect android users

2. Yamaha RX-V6A 

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY AVR (BUDGET KING)

OVERVIEW

If you're a modest user who is in the market looking for an AVR that can offer you the power to drive your large floor standing speakers while offering all the latest bells and whistles then the Yamaha RX-V6A should be your go to choice this year.

This bold and beautiful machine is the new facelift from Yamaha who redesign their AVRs every decade and we must say we are huge fans of this new classic yet modern curvy look which packs a huge punch and offers a lot of convenient features. The central volume knob and the LED display coupled with the overall touch capacitive curved glass finish makes this AVR look much more premium than its price segment.

The AVR V6A comes with features like 8K 60Hz, 4K 120Hz, Dolby Height Virtualizer, eARC, HDMI 2.1, 4K Upscaling, Dolby Atmos, DTX-X, HRD 10+,  HighRes Audio Playback, Active HDMI output to run long Cable lengths, Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, MusicCast for multi room Audio, voice Assistant support, Phono Input, 100 Watts of power at 8 Ohms ith 0.06% Total Harmonic Distortion (2 Channel driven) which gives it about 70 Watts of power all channels driven, and much much more.

The one thing move about Yamaha is that their AVRs are very balanced and offer exceptional performance in both music and movies. Musiccast surround also allows one the convenience to add wireless surrounds and a wireless subwoofer to the mix. When compared to its most obvious competitor, the Denon AVR-X2700 the Yamaha RX-V6A offers more speaker terminals for zone to convenience, 5 watts more power with a lower distortion rate and a much better signal to noise ratio which assures superb sound quality.

The Japanese have also created great applications like Yamaha AVR controller and AVR setup guide to bring  even more convenience to our lives. Another great point to note when purchasing a Yamaha AVR is that they have a variety of options under the musiccast product tree all of which combine to offer a brilliant sounding and convenient multi room audio solution.

*** Kindly note: Some of the features will be available soon via a future firmware update.

PROS

• 8K, 4K 120 Hz & HDR 10+ Support.
• High-quality 384kHz/32-bit Burr-Brown DAC (PCM5102A)
• Music cast app is very user friendly and convenient.
• Front Channel Pre Outs for external amplification and phono input.
• Beautiful and Bold new Design. 
• Wireless Subwoofer and surround connectivity. 
• Clean and powerful 100W output

CONS

• 4K 120Hz & 8K support, dolby height virtualizer are all pending future updates.
• YPAO Auto calibration is disappointing for subwoofer setup.
• AVR initial manual setup may be confusing to the non tech savvy. 

3. Denon AVR-X3700H 

FEATURE LOADED & POWER PACKED AVR (Highly Recommended) 

OVERVIEW

Denon has always been a go to choice when it comes to "Home Theater" and their award winning AVR-X3600H absolutely blew our mind last year. Now we stand sincerely impressed by how the engineers at Denon topped their spectacular creation and gave us an even better product in the form of the new AVR-3700H.

So what's new is that the 2020 model supports 8K upscaling & Pass-though at 50/60Hz and also supports 4K at 120Hz. It also now can process HDR10+ and Dynamic HDR. The bluetooth version has been updated to 4.2 and for gamers auto low latency mode with variable refresh rate has been added which would make gameplay very smooth. The AVR like its predecessor powers 9 channels of speakers and we love the fact that it can process 11.2 channels of discrete surround sound. Therefore you can use this AVR for a 7.2.4 or a 5.2.4 configuration with a zone 2 (pair of speakers) in your patio or balcony.

The 11 unbalanced pre outs at the back give you the opportunity to use this AVR as an AV Processor for a dedicated home theater room setup. The AVR pumps out a massive 105 watts (8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08% 2ch Drive). All 9 channels driven the AVR should provide about 75 watts at 8 ohms which is enough to drive most speakers. Auddessy multi point auto calibration takes time to setup but does a fantastic job.

What we specifically love about Denon is its dynamic range and bass production. Movies are all about absolute silences, subtle effects, impact full dialogs and gut clenching explosions, the Denon AVR-X3700H never disappoints. 

*** Kindly note: This a 9.2 channel AVR and to be able to use 11 speakers you will have to connect an external two channel power amplifier to the pre outs of the Denon AVR-X3700H. 

PROS

• 8K 60Hz & 4K 120Hz Support.
• IMAX Enhanced and Certified 4 Ω Performance support. 
• 11.2 Channels of processing & loads of connectivity / control options. 
• Clean & Punchy sound. 

CONS

• No Auro 3D
• Music performance is average.