Receiver Feature Comparison Chart
Last Updated 6/20/2006
The chart below began as part of a pre/pro comparison chart in January or February of 2002. When I rearranged that chart in late April 2004, I removed the flagship receivers from that chart. My plan at the time was to go back and create a separate chart just for receivers (similar to the DVD player chart I made in 2002). The chart includes a few high-profile flagship receivers (Denon, Pioneer, Yamaha) and an assortment of mid-level and entry-level models as well. As with the pre/pro chart and DVD player chart, the goal here isn't to quantify performance through a feature set "laundry list." Instead, this chart offers some general insight into the capabilities of the receivers listed. Actual sonic performance is a separate issue, which I will not address here. Lastly, I gathered this information from a variety of online sources, and there may be errors and omissions.
Associated Product Links:
Home Theater Receivers |
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FEATURES |
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| Tuner | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Phono | . | . | . | . | . | x | x | x | x | x | . | . | . | . | x |
| Headphones | x | . | . | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Multi-Zone | . | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Auto Calibration | . | . | . | . | x | . | x | . | x | x | . | . | . | . | . |
| Dimensions (WxDxH, in.) | 17.2x 15.5x 5.9 |
17x 16.6x 6.4 |
17x 15.8x 7.5 |
17x 16.2x 7.5 |
17.3x 18.75x 8 |
17.1x 19.1x 8.5 |
17.1x 16.4x 6.7 |
17.1x 16.4x 6.7 |
17.1x 18.5x 8.3 |
17.1x 17.1x 6.75 |
17.7x 16.5x 6.75 |
17x 14.75x 3 |
17.3x 17.1x 6.5 |
17.3x 20.5x 7.6 |
17.1x 18.1x 6.9 |
| Weight (lbs.) | 40 | 37.5 | 54 | 55 | 68 | 64 | 37.5 | 28.6 | 66 | 34.2 | 24.25 | 9.2 | 45 | 69.3 | 40.8 |
| Manual Online | x | x | x | x | ? | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Inputs/Outputs: |
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| Audio Inputs | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Balanced Audio In | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Audio Outputs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| A/V Inputs | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| S-Video Inputs | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| A/V Outputs | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Monitor Video Out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| S-Video Outputs | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Composite/S-Vid Convert | x | . | . | . | ? | . | x | x | x | x | x | . | ? | ? | x |
| Component Video In | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Component Video Out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Upconvert to Component | x | . | x | . | x | x | x | . | x | x | . | . | . | x | x |
| DVI Inputs | 2 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| DVI Outputs | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| 5.1 Analog In | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7.1 Analog In | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Coax Digital In | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Optical Digital In | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Coax Digital Out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | . | . | . | . | 1 | . | . | . | 1 | 2 | . |
| Optical Digital Out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Pre-Amp Out | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | . | x | x | . | . | x | x | x |
| Balanced Pre-Amp Out | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| RS-232 | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | . | x | . | . | . | x | x | x |
| IEEE 1394 | . | . | . | x | x | . | . | . | x | . | . | . | . | . | . |
DSP/DAC's |
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| Dolby Digital 5.1 | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Dolby Digital EX | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Dolby Pro Logic II | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Dolby Pro Logic IIx | x | x | x | . | x | x | x | . | x | . | x | . | . | x | . |
| Dolby Headphone | x | . | . | . | . | x | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | x | . |
| DTS | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| DTS ES | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| DTS NEO:6 | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| DTS 96/24 | x | x | x | . | x | x | x | . | x | x | x | x | x | x | . |
| THX | . | . | . | x | x | x | x | . | x | x | . | . | . | . | x |
| THX Surround EX | . | . | . | x | x | x | x | . | x | x | . | . | . | . | x |
| THX Ultra | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| THX Ultra 2 | . | . | . | x | x | x | . | . | x | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| 6.1/7.1 Surround | x | x | x | x | x | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | x | x | x |
| 5.1 Stereo | x | x | x | . | . | x | x | x | . | . | . | . | x | x | . |
| 7.1 Stereo | x | x | x | . | . | x | x | . | . | . | . | . | x | x | . |
| Logic 7 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | x | x | . |
| HDCD | . | x | x | . | . | x | x | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| DAC | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 96/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 | ?/24 | 192/24 | 192/24 |
| Analog Bypass 1 | x | x | x | x | ? | x | x | x | . | x | x | . | x | x | x |
Bass Management: |
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| # of Crossovers | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | ? | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Adjustable X-Over | x | x | x | x | ? | x | x | x | x | x | x | x 2 | x | x | x |
Amp: |
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| Channels | 7 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7/2 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Watts/channel (8ohm) | 65 | 75 | 100 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 120 | 90 | 170/50 | 110 | 90 | 100 | 65 | 110 | 110 |
Price: |
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| List ($) | 900 | 1300 | 2200 | 3000 | 4500 | 4400 | 1200 | 500 | 4500 | 800 | 450 | 400 | 1000 | 2400 | 1800 |
| Street ($) | 900 | 1200 | 2100 | 2700 | 3000 | 3500 | 900 | 500 | 3900 | 750 | 400 | 355 | 950 | 2000 | 1800 |
AudioReview: |
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| Rating | 0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.67 | 5.0 | 4.35 | 4.66 | 4.57 | 4.0 | 4.79 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 3.75 | 4.75 | 0.0 |
| # of reviews | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 35 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 |