AV RECEIVERS

Once you decide to get serious about your home cinema, you are going to need a top-quality, well-specified receiver. Here's our pick of the best...

The home cinema amplifier is the brains and power of any home cinema system and will ensure your TV and movies sound emphatic, detailed and dynamic - and, most importantly, genuinely give you that immersive, cinematic experience.

The most crucial thing to consider when buying an AVR is matching it to the size of your surround system and deciding whether to allow for expansion in the future. Plenty of AV receivers now include Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for adding even more sound channels, with the addition of height channel speakers. Sometimes, these channels can also be deployed as a second zone.

The number of HDMI inputs you need is another important factor. Most AVRs come with a glut of HDMI inputs that can pass through 4K (and even 8K) and HDR video. Still, it's worth thinking about whether you will benefit from the next-gen gaming specs of HDMI 2.1 or if you will be using your home cinema primarily for film and TV, in which case, cheaper HDMI 2.0 ports will suffice.

Setting up an AVR yourself can be daunting, but many companies include a microphone and step-by-step guide to the optimisation process. Others go even further, where your AVR can be enhanced by third party calibration software for more in-depth tweaking. Whether you get your AVR installed by a professional or go it alone, make sure that you are comfortable with the interface's user-friendliness.

Modern AVRs have become true home entertainment hubs and can bring a host of features such as Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, multi-room streaming and DAB to your system, making it truly versatile and multi-functional. But most of all, the best AV receivers deliver brilliant, room-filling sound.

Here then is our pick of the very best, all tried, tested and star-rated in our dedicated testing rooms. From entry-level AVRs to feature-packed AV beasts, there is sure to be something here that is right for you and your home cinema.