What is a Speaker Receiver?
An ideal home theatre system begins with an audio receiver. Not only does it amplify audio, but also can switch from DVDs to free-to-air TV, control other devices and switch channels on its own.
Wattage and impedance should both be carefully considered when choosing an AV receiver. When making your selection, try searching for models with power ratings that meet or surpass those required for your speakers’ wattages.
Multi-room music
There are several multi-room music platforms out there that enable you to enjoy your favourite tunes throughout multiple devices, all controlled via an app on your phone or voice control. If you want your tunes in your kitchen, lounge, or bedroom then all you need to connect a set of wireless speakers and control them via smartphone app or voice command is your favourite tunes!
Multi-room audio capabilities can enhance your home theater experience, whether you’re watching a movie, streaming a podcast or listening to your favourite tunes – the surround sound system will transport you right into the center of it all! Plus, many receivers include Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support for an even richer audio experience!
Some multi-room systems utilise their own mesh network, making them independent from your wifi connection. Sonos was the pioneer of such systems; today there are numerous others like Denon HEOS, Yamaha MusicCast and DTS Play-Fi to choose from. Many are compatible with standalone speakers from other brands too allowing you to easily create your own customized home music system.
When it comes to multi-room audio, it is critical that your amplifier matches the impedance of your speakers. Connecting six-ohm speakers to an eight-ohm amplifier may put more strain than it can handle and result in overheating, shut down or even burn out of the amp.
Make sure that your receiver can play back high-resolution music such as high-res streams from Spotify, Apple Music and Qobuz as well as lossless formats like FLAC and AAC.
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
DTS:X and Dolby Atmos are two of the newest surround sound formats. Both technologies share many similarities, such as treating sounds as objects rather than traditional channels and positioning them around a room using metadata – these systems accurately present a sound’s location no matter the number or configuration of speakers in your home theater setup.
Both systems provide immersive three-dimensional audio that transports you into the action, convincingly simulating what it would feel like to be sitting in a plane’s cockpit as it flies overhead or hearing gunfire whiz past your ear or experiencing an earthquake with devastating force that encompasses you in its blastwaves.
DTS:X differs significantly from Dolby Atmos in that Dolby requires upward-firing speakers for its overhead surround effects; DTS on the other hand supports different speaker configurations such as side height and rear surround without using its single overhead “voice of god” channel (sound source).
While DTS:X remains more widely popular among moviegoers, home cinema enthusiasts remain equally enthusiastic about Dolby Atmos’ capabilities. You’ll find Dolby Atmos content across most streaming services and Blu-ray discs; most new receivers also support Dolby Atmos with special receivers available from Denon and Marantz certified receivers available for this feature.
When purchasing a receiver that supports Dolby Atmos, make sure it comes equipped with built-in eARC or ultra high speed HDMI 2.1 connectors to manage data. In addition, compatible in-ceiling or in-wall speakers with wide dispersion should also be considered essential to avoid too localised sound from overhead surrounds; dedicated Dolby Atmos speakers tend to be more costly.
Wireless capabilities
Modern receivers typically feature built-in Wi-Fi that connects directly to your home network, enabling you to stream music from apps like Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer into various rooms across your house. Some also support multi-room audio systems with voice control via Google Assistant and Alexa voice assistants; it is best to test a receiver’s wireless capabilities before buying as software updates may impact it negatively in future months or years.
Your connection type has an impactful influence on sound quality. Wired connections such as banana plugs, spade connectors or bare wire connections offer higher-quality sound with minimal interference issues; wireless connections offer more convenience but may reduce sound quality as they’re often free-standing without cables obstructing their position; while more disruption-prone wireless options might reduce interference altogether.
Even if your legacy receiver doesn’t feature Bluetooth compatibility, there are still ways you can make it compatible with wireless speakers. A Bluetooth adapter that plugs into an auxiliary input of the receiver and transmits music wirelessly can do just this; some models even feature built-in amplifiers to convert existing speakers into multi-room audio systems.
Before connecting your wireless speakers to a receiver, ensure they are on the same Wi-Fi network and that both speakers and receiver are configured as “local”. Furthermore, ensure the right polarity (positive and negative) and that inputs are connected securely before verifying they are free from obstructions that might cause reflections and distortions in sound output.
Power
Speaker receivers are an essential element of home theater systems. At their core, these units take audio and video signals from sources such as cable boxes or CD players and process them for power amplifiers that drive speakers while routing video through to television or monitor screens.
When purchasing a receiver, it’s essential to pay close attention to both wattage output and impedance ratings. Wattage refers to how much electrical power an amplifier delivers to loudspeakers; impedance refers to their resistance against this power. To maximize compatibility with speakers, your receiver and speakers should have similar levels of wattage output and impedance resistance – otherwise your amplifier could become overwhelmed and overheat, eventually shutting down altogether.
Power ratings are measured using test tones and usually reported in watts per channel at eight ohms, representing the maximum output that a stereo or AV receiver is able to output without distortion; using tones that cover most of the audible frequency spectrum. A higher-rated receiver doesn’t always equal superior sound quality – other factors like total harmonic distortion (THD) and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) also play a crucial role.
Dynamic headroom, which measures the ability of receivers and amplifiers to rapidly increase their power output quickly in response to sudden musical peaks or extreme sound effects in films, should also be carefully considered when choosing receivers and amplifiers. This rating can often be found listed as decibels on product specifications sheets for receivers; it should also take into account that there’s an approximately logarithmic relationship between amplifier power output and perceived loudness – another common deception when comparing power ratings!