Best AV receivers

For the full home theater experience, you need an AV receiver. A sound bar or home theater in a box (HTIB) might get you close, but a true home theater enthusiast won't settle for less than a 5.1 speaker system and component-style AV receiver.

We've focused on the best bang-for-your-buck receivers from each manufacturer, which is typically around $500. You'll generally get five-to-eight HDMI inputs, built-in networking functionality, analog video upconversion, and 3D compatibility.

While the individual reviews below are great for digging into the details of a specific receiver, also be sure to check out our extensive 2012 AV receiver comparison chart to easy see the differences between models.