The Best Stereo Receivers of 2024

Get the best sound out of your audio system with these stereo receivers

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The best stereo receivers are the hub of your home entertainment setup and the core sound device you need for any home theater configuration. They're necessary for any surround sound speaker setup and the best path for integrating smart home functionality into your entertainment system.

Anyone assembling a home theater or looking to add next-level sound and immersion to their existing setup needs a great receiver to anchor the entire project.

Best Overall

Yamaha R-S202BL Stereo Receiver

YAMAHA R-S202BL Stereo Receiver

Amazon

Pros
  • Decent power output

  • Bluetooth and eco modes

  • Reasonably priced

Cons
  • A bit bulky

  • No subwoofer or surround support

Yamaha provides consumers with an excellent middle ground for stereo receivers—with enough power to drive your speaker setup and enough features to give you options—and the R-S202BL earns our top spot here because it does this all well. The best thing about the 202BL is that you get a 100W/channel stereo receiver with just enough features to feel premium at a very non-premium price without any of the flashiness that can drive the cost of your receiver way up.

To be clear, this unit is a true stereo receiver, not offering anything like surround sound outputs or HDMI pass-through. It is an amp that will power up to two pairs of passive speakers at 8 ohms for up to 100W handling. It's a good fit for a record player setup and a basic TV entertainment setup. There are 4 RCA-level inputs and 1 RCA output to extend your system to a separate receiver if you need more channels. It also has a radio receiver on board to allow for 40 stations of AM/FM tuning.

Plus, Yamaha has included two interesting wildcard features: Bluetooth connectivity for easily connecting to your wireless-enabled devices and an eco-mode that aims to save power while playing media for longer hours. Finally, while not exactly compact, the look of the unit manages to tread a fine line between substantial and sleek. In short, the thing will look pretty classy in your setup.

Best Budget

Sony STR-DH190 Stereo Receiver

Sony STRDH190 2-ch Home Stereo Receiver

Amazon

Pros
  • Reasonably priced

  • Solid input selection

  • Good power output

Cons
  • No subwoofer support

  • Bulky, heavy design

Sony’s STR-DH190 is about as barebones as you can get for a true stereo receiver and amplifier. With the requisite giant knobs on the front and the LED, text-based display, you aren’t getting anything that looks particularly futuristic. The 100W of RMS handling is also very basic, powering most speaker setups with enough volume to enjoy TV shows and music. Along with four audio inputs via RCA, there’s an additional RCA phono-specific input for connecting a record player. This feature, paired with the stereo outputs, makes this an ideal choice for record lovers. 

Sony STR-DH190

Lifewire / Jonno Hill

But, if you want some modern functionality, Bluetooth connectivity is available for playing music from your phone, tablet, or computer. The Bluetooth protocol isn’t the main focus here, so don’t expect modern codecs like aptX or anything. Instead, you’re getting a middle-of-the-road receiver that will power your speaker setup, all for a great price.

Your trade-offs come in the lack of a subwoofer, surround-sound support, and the fact that it’s about 15 pounds and pretty bulky. You must look elsewhere if you want something sleeker, louder, or more versatile. But from a features-to-price standpoint, this is a good option.

Best Control and Connectivity

Marantz NR1200 AV Receiver

Marantz NR1200 AV Receiver, 2-Channel Home Theater Amp

Amazon

Pros
  • Smart, HEOS functionality

  • Tons of I/Os including HDMI and optical

  • Great slim design and plenty of power

Cons
  • Fairly expensive

  • Possibly overkill for basic setups

Marantz is an audio brand that always provides solid performance, but in recent years they have tried to bring that classic AV handling into the modern market with the Denon smart-connected HEOS app. The NR1200 stereo receiver comes with built-in HEOS capabilities. If you have other HEOS-enabled Marantz speakers, you can set up a whole-home audio system similar to Sonos. This app also allows you to connect to all the requisite streaming services, and it even unlocks voice control through Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. The NR1200 is an intuitive, modern-feeling unit.

But it isn’t just the modern features at play that make this receiver worthwhile. The 75W of power handling for each channel means you can push a significant amount of power to your passive speaker setup. And because there are subwoofer and zone outputs, it will work as a surround-sound system and just a stereo setup.

Marantz NR1200 AV Receiver

Lifewire / Jonno Hill

There are optical ins and outs for digital audio support and HDMI inputs to use this unit as a fully controllable receiver for your whole entertainment system. And, of course, if you want to use it as a traditional stereo amp, it’ll do that well, too.

It isn’t cheap, but the versatility might make it a good bet if your specific AV needs allow you to take advantage of all the options here.

Best Low Profile

Cambridge Audio AXA35

Cambridge Audio Integrated Stereo Amplifier

Amazon

Pros
  • Beautiful, sleek design

  • Excellent, balanced audio handling

  • Great for turntable use

Cons
  • Slightly under-powered

  • Limited inputs and outputs

  • A bit pricey

Cambridge Audio has earned quite the rep for its consumer audio offering. Rather than loading up their speakers and receivers with flashy extras, they stay laser-focused on high-quality audio and impeccable design.

The AXA35 isn’t the most potent receiver and certainly doesn’t offer the I/O spread of more expensive units. But it provides 35W-per-channel of truly balanced sound, a moving magnet phono input that is extra friendly for record players, and some tone-shaping controls to give an impressive audio response. In short, it’s everything you’ll need to let your stereo speakers shine. 

Of course, we’re giving it the nod here because it sits at an ultra-thin 3.3 inches tall, and at just over 12 pounds, it’s one of the sleekest units out there that still offer sizable power. The silver-gray design and stark white display give it a much more futuristic look than the tired, plain black used in most receiver systems.

At first glance, the price point might seem steep for only a few inputs and only 35W per channel of sound, but because of how well Cambridge Audio has handled that sound and because this thing looks so good, it’s worth the price for those who need something sleek and pro.

Sony STR-DH190

Lifewire / Jonno Hill

What to Look For in a Stereo Receiver

Price

Stereo receivers can cost you a pretty penny, but you don’t have to spend much to get a decent one. While higher-end offerings will hover in the $2,000 range, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can expect to spend around $500.

Connectivity

For most setups these days, you’ll want built-in Wi-Fi. Bonus points if it includes both a 2.4GHz and a 5GHz band, plus Bluetooth connectivity — this will make it easy to stream music from your favorite services like Spotify or Apple Music. Make sure there are also ample HDMI inputs.

Marantz NR1200 AV Receiver

Lifewire / Jonno Hill

Sound Quality

Most brands will tout superior sound quality, but stereo receivers don’t differ as much in this respect. This might sound counterintuitive, given that your receiver is the hub of your home audio setup, but you’re likely better off investing in high-quality speakers.

FAQ
  • How can you add Bluetooth to a stereo receiver?

    Some budget receivers don't come with native Bluetooth connectivity, but luckily, adding it is pretty simple. It just involves purchasing a wireless Bluetooth adapter. Plug it into your receiver, and you'll instantly be able to stream audio from any Bluetooth-enabled device.

  • How do you connect a subwoofer to a stereo receiver?

    You can connect a subwoofer to your new receiver through RCA or LFE cables or via the speaker output if your subwoofer features spring clips.

  • What's the best way to clean a stereo receiver?

    Receivers can be sensitive to harsh chemicals and get damaged when improperly cleaned. The best way to tidy up your receiver is to use a can of compressed air to dispel dust on the surface and in the cavities, which is especially useful if you open up the chassis. It's also advisable to occasionally remove the knobs, faceplate, or switches and clean any point of contact with contact cleaner, specially designed for cleaning electronics.

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