AV Receivers

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Steve May  |  Mar 02, 2023  |  0 comments
What better way to put this Marantz high-end home cinema amplifier through its paces than with some high-brow music. Specifically, Winter, from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (or, as I like to call it, Le quattro stagioni). The trilling of violins, beautifully elucidated by this amplifier's melodious HDAM amplification, is sublime, and I just love the way the strings are dramatically engulfed by a full orchestral storm… and heavy weapons fire.
Mark Craven  |  Oct 19, 2022  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Mark Craven samples the expansive sound – and specification – of an upper-tier nine-channel AV receiver

As part of Yamaha's flagship Aventage receiver lineup, the RX-A6A promises to put everything the storied audio brand knows about movie sound into one, feature-packed box. Priced £2,000, this is a big brooding beast of an AVR, and it has the performance to match – film and music playback is never less than enthralling. Ask me where it comes up short, and I'd have to give a shrug.

John Archer  |  Feb 17, 2022  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendDenon's entry-level X Series AV receiver is also its most advanced in terms of HDMI connectivity. Go figure, says John Archer

Thanks to problems with first-generation HDMI 2.1 ports, the last year was unusually tumultuous for the AV receiver and amplifier world. The late arrival of Denon's AVR-X1700H (sold in the UK exclusively through retailer Peter Tyson) therefore turns out to be quite handy.

Steve Withers  |  Aug 06, 2021  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Anthem has given its MRX AV receivers a long-overdue upgrade. Steve Withers takes the new seven-channel model for a spin

Anthem's range of AV processors and receivers finally get an update, and at some point in the past five years it looks like the Canadian manufacturer drew inspiration from the Scandinavians. The new models are elegant, minimalist, and a definite step up from the dated appearance of the previous generation. But are they just surface charm, or is more going on underneath?

Steve May  |  Jun 18, 2021  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Denon's entry-level X-series AV receiver is indisputably brilliant, says a smitten Steve May

'It's called driving, Marcus!' proclaims Will Smith during the opening road race sequence of Bad Boys for Life. You could also call it a perfect demonstration of this Denon receiver's ability to lift and separate high and low. After only a few seconds with this AVR, I was hooked.

Steve May  |  Apr 01, 2021  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3The affordable Marantz NR receiver could meet all your cinema and gaming needs, says Steve May

The latest in Marantz's now long-established slimline, half-height receiver range, the NR1711 is a bijou behemoth for those of us who don't require unhinged power, but do want advanced connectivity to best work with modern wired and wireless sources.

Jamie Biesemans  |  Dec 04, 2020  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendJamie Biesemans wonders if this flagship nine-channel model points the way forward for AVR design

NAD's new T 778 features a large touchscreen display, mirroring the design of its two-channel M10 and M33 amplifiers. It's a standout feature, suited to a world dominated by smartphones. But does it actually make this 9.1 AVR any better?

Mark Craven  |  Oct 07, 2020  |  0 comments
This 5.1 combi system doesn't offer much mileage from its onboard 3D audio decoding, but in other ways it offers solid value for money, reckons Mark Craven

All-in-one home cinema systems, which were the darlings of the AV market at the turn of the century, have fallen so far out of fashion that practically all manufacturers have given up on them. At first glance, you might think Onkyo's HT-S3910 is a lone holdout against the soundbar revolution, but then you clock that it lacks the integrated disc player that made all-in-one systems so convenient.

Steve May  |  Sep 30, 2020  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Whether you've got your eyes on 8K or next-gen gaming, X marks the spot, declares Steve May

Timing is everything, and with its first range of 8K-capable X Series home cinema amplifiers, Denon has seemingly got its timing just right. Not just because 8K flatpanels are slowly filtering through, but because this range is ready and able to play with the latest generation of consoles primed for 4K/120fps gaming thrills.

Steve Withers  |  Sep 02, 2020  |  0 comments
hccbestbuybadgev3Steve Withers swaps FMJ for HDA and finally turns into an object-based nutter as he immerses himself in 16 channels

Arcam's new lineup of AV models is finally here, adding three seven-channel receivers and a 16-channel processor to its High Definition Audio (HDA) range. HDA, for those who keep an eye on acronyms, replaces the outgoing, and cooler named, Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) series, bringing with it a number of changes – some more apparent than others.

Mark Craven  |  Dec 10, 2019  |  0 comments
A bargain price and some useful bonus features make Denon's entry-level seven-channel AVR hard to resist...
Mark Craven  |  Dec 06, 2019  |  0 comments
The Marantz NR1710 is the latest space-saving AVR to roll off the production line, designed, says the brand, to bring the 'Marantz sound' to living room environments where, often, a full-size receiver dare not tread. But at £600, it's pricier than some rival machines with more boisterous specs. Should you put your discs on a diet?
Steve May  |  Nov 20, 2019  |  0 comments
With a feature checklist as long as your arm, the SR6014 is the real-world star of Marantz’s 2019 
AV receiver lineup, says Steve May
Mark Craven  |  Oct 10, 2019  |  0 comments
hcc_recommendedBy now we shouldn't be astonished by the lengthy spec lists of affordable AVRs, but this Pioneer still elicits a double-take. In bang-for-buck terms, the £440 VSX-934 seems irresistible...
Jamie Biesemans  |  Sep 30, 2019  |  0 comments
Not a lot has changed with Denon's mid-market seven-channel AVR, but that doesn't take the shine off an accomplished all-rounder

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