Best AV Receiver of 2025

Yamaha RX-V6A

($600, save $150): This Yamaha RX-V6A offers a fresh look at AV receiver design, with its futuristic edges and simple controls, while maximizing sound quality. The Yamaha might even make you forget about visiting a cinema ever again, and it’s no slouch with music, either. It offers plenty of connectivity with Wi-Fi bringing AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and Yamaha’s MusicCast system for streaming from your devices. Notably, the TSR-700 is identical — it’s an exclusive model for some outlets — and you can find refurbished for $400 here at Amazon. Find out more in CNET’s Yamaha RX-V6A review. 

Marantz SR6015 ($1,499, save $1,000): The Marantz SR6015 does everything you’d expect — Dolby Atmos, music streaming, 4K/120Hz throughput — and with a good deal of aplomb. It sounds great, but it’s not as flexible as the best receivers here — for instance, you can’t watch a video source while listening to music, like the Onkyos can, and neither can you ask a Google Nest to play a song on it. The Marantz SR6015 has been replaced by the Cinema 500, but the original is currently selling out for $1,000 less than its retail price.

Denon AVR-X3800 ($1,572, save $127) Denon has long been one of the top AV receiver brands due to a reputation for quality sound and powerful amplification, and the AVR-X3800 will be able to power most systems with ease. In terms of features, the Denon has everything you need in a modern receiver including Dolby Atmos and six 8K HDMI inputs. Based on my head-to-head testing, I found that the Denon was even-handed with movies and music, but not as good as the Marantz SR6015 with music (above) or as good at home theater as my current pick, the Onkyo RZ50. Read CNET’s first take on the Denon AVR-X3800.