What is an AV receiver?
An AV receiver (or receiver) is an independent device that can receive signals from sources and send them to the right devices.
The amplifier has an integrated amplifier through which the connected speakers are controlled. For an optimal home cinema experience, it is, therefore, better to have a separate device.
Good sound costs good money
The A/V receiver is the backbone of a set intended for listening to hi-fi music or watching movies at home. It provides flexibility and scalability that soundbars do not offer. And it can work with the surround sound system to 5.1 (5 speakers and a subwoofer), 7.1 or even 7.2 (7 speakers and 2 subwoofers). This is due to the presence of a powerful amplifier unit from high-quality components, the presence of a DAC, and a whole list of decoders (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, DTS HD и DTS: X, etc.).
And also devices with only two channels, due to the same features and high-quality components, will produce excellent sound, and if you compare a good entry-level device, such as the best stereo receiver under $500 with a soundbar that has the same purpose, the difference in sound quality will have huge differences in favor of the receiver.
Great image can’t be cheap
Support for 4K resolution has become ubiquitous in modern receivers due to the increasing spread of this technology and the increased number of films on BlueRay.
At the same time, for full playback of 4K content, the receiver must be equipped with the latest generation HDMI connectors and HDCP media content protection technology.
In addition, the price is affected by the support of technologies with the help of which all modern films were shot – Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG.
Other technologies
As part of this topic, you also need to consider the add-ons that the receiver offers you. This is for example support for Spotify Connect, Bluetooth, or even Apple AirPlay.
There are also proprietary technologies, such as built-in speaker calibration, receiver setup wizard, or remote control.
Funds were invested in the development of all this, which could not but affect the final price of the receiver.