The Difference Between AV Receivers and AV Processors and How to Choose Them

        The Difference Between AV Receivers and AV Processors and How to Choose Them

If you're new to home theaters, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. Simply acquiring the right equipment is a challenge. Before deciding on the right equipment for you, you might also need to understand some industry terminology. Through online searches, you may hear terms like receiver, amplifier, or preamplifier, and wonder if you need them in your home theater. Understanding their functions will help you decide whether you need any of them. AV processors and AV receivers (also known as AV amplifiers) are the most common devices in home theaters, but what are their functions?

What is an AV receiver?

As the name suggests, a receiver receives audio/video signals from source equipment and sends them to their respective output devices. It controls and drives your home theater system through a built-in amplifier.

They are usually reasonably priced and designed not for hard-to-drive "big eater" speakers or to fill a large space in a home theater. Products priced below €1000 (approximately 7200 RMB) and considered entry-level AV receivers are the most typical. These provide users with a simple and cost-effective way to control and switch various audio/video inputs. They typically have multiple HDMI inputs, as well as digital/analog inputs for connecting other source equipment, and include streaming services such as AirPlay or Spotify Connect.

This allows users to easily share audio/video sources. They often also come with additional zone functionality, such as Zone 2, to connect extra/redundant amplifiers and speakers, for example, to build an outdoor audio system or drive a pair of Hi-Fi speakers in another room.

AV receivers are simple all-in-one solutions, but they also have their drawbacks: • They typically lack the adjustment and calibration options you see on high-end AV receivers and AV processors; • The power output and performance of the built-in amplifier limit your choice of speakers and room usage (unsuitable for large spaces).

What is an AV processor?

A preamplifier/AV processor is the brain of all mid-to-high-end home theater systems. They are similar to AV receivers in that they provide source switching and decoding for various surround sound formats, audio/video processing, and volume control. Unlike AV receivers, preamplifiers/AV processors don't have built-in amplification capabilities; they are specifically designed as the "brain" of the system. This means they typically have more processing power available, including additional channels and flexible adjustment and calibration options. They are also more expensive because they must include higher-quality components to improve performance. Some more advanced AV processors also allow for software upgrades and hardware updates to keep up with the latest surround sound technologies. In fact, Trinnov excels in this area with its Altitude platform. This platform is arguably the most flexible and upgradeable AV processor platform ever designed.

The Altitude 32, released in 2014, was the first AV processor capable of decoding up to 32 channels.

What's the difference between an AV receiver and an AV processor?

By definition, the main differences between AV receivers and AV processors lie in cost and power amplification. But instead of asking what the differences are, let's try to explain which one is right for you. In most cases, the decision between an AV processor and an AV receiver depends on factors such as budget and your performance requirements for your home theater. Let's review these factors in more detail.

Budget There are some very high-end AV receivers on the market. If you're on a budget, an AV receiver will likely end up being your choice. In most cases, an AV receiver is significantly cheaper than a more specialized AV processor. Furthermore, it's designed as a single unit, capable of handling multiple tasks at once. If you don't plan to upgrade your system to newer technology or higher performance in the foreseeable future, an AV receiver will likely meet your needs perfectly.

Features

As mentioned earlier, an AV processor offers significantly higher performance compared to an AV receiver. It may perform fewer tasks, but it does them better than the corresponding tasks of an AV receiver.

Here are the areas where an AV processor performs better on average:

* Audio performance (better signal-to-noise ratio, less distortion, etc.);

* Decoding and rendering (more discrete channel decoding, greater flexibility, etc.);

* Audio processing (advanced room correction, sophisticated bass management, etc.);

On the other hand, here are where AV receivers typically win:

* Multi-room functionality (even if used infrequently);

* Streaming options (Spotify Connect, AirPlay, etc.);

* Minimal rack space required (it has a built-in amplifier, so no external power amplifier is needed);

* When using an AV receiver, you typically trade budget and features for performance and upgradeability.

Performance

As with high-end Hi-Fi systems, most users prefer to use separate, dedicated components to maximize system performance. In a home theater, matching the amplifier to the speakers and room characteristics is absolutely essential if you want the highest performance. With an AV receiver, your choice of power amplifier is limited, and their output power may be insufficient for large rooms, low-impedance/hard-to-drive speakers, or subwoofers. Therefore, you can achieve this by choosing separate preamplifiers and power amplifiers. For example, Trinnov designed the Amplitude power amplifier for optimal gain matching with the Altitude AV processor series. Anyone who has experienced the Altitude AV processor + Amplitude power amplifier combination will confirm its benefits in noise suppression.

Conclusion

When comparing AV receivers and AV processors, the main difference lies in their basic functionality. Therefore, the decision to buy an AV receiver or AV processor for your home theater depends on your needs and expectations. If your expectations are not high and you don't care about pursuing the latest technology, then an AV receiver is a viable option. However, when looking for the best performance for a custom-installed private cinema system, an AV processor remains the optimal solution, offering superior performance and flexibility.