Week of September 19, 2004<\/p>\n
Q: Is there a “best” brand of audio receiver, like a Ferrari, Rolls Royce or Mercedes may be considered the best cars? How do the brands stack up?<\/p>\n
-Jason Stein, Dravosburg, PA<\/p>\n
A: There is an “exotic” class of high-end audio components, with prices to match. When discussing the best, though, you would not discuss receivers. To elaborate, we must break down the receiver into its component parts.<\/p>\n
The receiver has three component sections: a radio tuner, an A\/V preamplifier section, and an amplifier section.<\/p>\n
The tuner allows you to listen to AM and FM radio. Simple enough.<\/p>\n
The A\/V preamplifier section selects the audio input (VCR, DVD player, etc), creates the surround effect from information on the disc or tape, changes volume, and directs the sound to the proper speakers. In essence, it takes the incoming signals and prepares them for amplification.<\/p>\n
The amplifier takes the signal from the preamplifier and amplifies it, driving the speakers.<\/p>\n
The reason I broke down a receiver’s component parts is because for the very best performance, you get an A\/V preamplifier with a separate amplifier. This allows you to mix and match components to get exactly the features, wattage, and brand names you want. Separates are also usually built to higher electrical and mechanical standards than receivers, particularly in the amplifier section.<\/p>\n
My personal preference is separates and if you have the budget for them, I would advise going that route rather than buying an expensive receiver.<\/p>\n
That said, there is something of a pecking order in the audio world when it comes to receiver and separates brands.<\/p>\n
At the top are exotic handcrafted American separates from brands such as Krell, Mark Levinson, and Jeff Rowland. If you want to spend over $100,000 on amplifiers for your home theater, look no further! These companies also have more pedestrian offerings sold for prices in the tens of thousands of dollars. Frankly, I think spending this much is silly as you hit diminishing returns long before you get to these prices.<\/p>\n
A notch below you will find Lexicon, Anthem, Parasound Halo, and many other brands. These are very close to the performance and construction of the exotics, but at a fraction of the price. A system from these companies typically runs $7,000-$10,000.<\/p>\n
The next level is populated with companies such as NAD, Outlaw Audio, Parasound, and Rotel. These are British and American designs that are manufactured in the Far East to keep costs down. Also in this class are top-of-the-line receivers from Onkyo, Integra, Denon, and Harman\/Kardon. These components are where you will find the best performance for your dollar if you want a high-end system. You can spend between $500 or so for an entry-level NAD receiver to around $4,000 for a Rotel A\/V preamp and amplifier.<\/p>\n
The bulk of the market is in the mainstream receivers from companies such as Denon, Onkyo, and Harman\/Kardon, selling from $300 to around $1,000. Connected to a good set of speakers, these will provide outstanding performance that will fully satisfy most listeners. Two $300 standouts are Panasonic’s SA-XR50 and The Onkyo TX-SR502.<\/p>\n
On the bottom are surround receivers selling for $150 or less. Four words of advice: pay more for quality!<\/p>\n
Finally, it is important to remember that speakers have a much greater impact on sound quality than a receiver or separates. A $1,000 pair of high-quality speakers connected to a $300 receiver will sound much better than a $250 pair of speakers connected to $150,000 worth of separates. Modifying and amplifying electrical signals is much easier than converting electrical signals into sound you can hear. Buy expensive speakers before you buy expensive electronics.<\/p>\n