I decided to upload this best stereo receiver post because there are many people out there thinking that if they don´t invest a lot of money, their gear will never sound well. I have been an audiophile long enough to be able to tell the difference and am here to tell you about it.
Also, it is fundamental to explain what a piece of gear is designed to achieve. Some companies are aiming for a younger audience with more input flexibility while others are focused on the audio quality. I included them all for you to make a wise choice.
Best stereo receiver under 500: Denon DRA-800H – Hands down, a great effort by a great brand that has everything you need and sounds great for a really affordable price tag.
Best budget pick: Yamaha R-N303BL – Unbelievably priced for packing such an exceptional array of features. Having the Yamaha MusicCast built-in is such a great pro as well.
Page Contents
Stereo Receivers Under $500
Cambridge Audio AXR100
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth
Inputs – Four analog AV inputs + dedicated Phono input for a turntable
Outputs – Dual analog outputs + subwoofer output
What we like: Horizontally cooled helps stacking. Bluetooth capability works perfectly. Dedicated phono and subwoofer outs.
Not so much: The fan is way too loud. Limited capabilities for remote speakers. No multi-room features.
This model is strictly for the audiophiles out there. Cambridge Audio did not include any kind of extras to the package. There are absolutely no add-ons to just a great sound.
I´m being serious about this, the Cambridge Audio AXR100 not only makes things easier, it also improves the overall sound quality. The Bluetooth connection works better than average and the 30 memories for the radio suit my shifting mood on a daily basis.
An extra paragraph goes to the amazing looks that Cambridge audio nailed with this model. I love the pearl gray with the minimalistic buttons and the huge volume knob.
The AUX IN located in the front panel is great when you have (as I do) one of those iPods with 160GB of memory and want to stream from it or your computer without the need to go around the back to plug and unplug from there. It is a great stereo receiver for a very good price.
The only thing I can see as a con for it is that the fan is a little too loud. We are hi-fi lovers, audiophiles and we do not like audio pollution; Cambridge audio needs to do something about it quickly.
Denon RCD-N10
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 65 watts
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth & Wi Fi Streamer
Inputs – 1 Analog input, 1 USB input, 2 digital (TV) inputs, FM coaxial, AM loop antenna and Network in.
Outputs – Headphones, stereo speakers and subwoofer
What we like: Alexa compatibility. CD player is very handy. Wi-Fi tuner. Class-D power occupies a fraction of the space.
Not so much: Only one analog input with no grounding for turntables. Not powerful enough for big rooms.
Denon is a Japanese brand that has been putting out amazing audio gear for decades. If you are an audiophile and haven´t been sleeping inside tupper ware for the last decades, you know who they are.
This is a great apparatus that is a hybrid between old and new school technology. Denon took an old format and turned it into a futuristic piece of gear. For starters, the Class-D power means that the power is completely digital and doesn´t need any kind of transformer.
This translates into a smaller, lighter enclosure. Adding to that, in the same vein, the Wi-Fi, Alexa and Bluetooth connectivity are, quite frankly, one step beyond their competition.
Now, that being said, Denon is making a strong bet to bring in the younger audiophiles presenting them with a state of the art CD player (an antique for them!) and then many virtual inputs to stream their favorite content.
Now, here is where the waters divide because A) it can´t power big speakers and B) there aren´t many analog inputs. So, in an effort to bring in the newer generations Denon might have lost some of us.
Time will tell, but not having a turntable input with a ground next to it weighs more to me in the pros and cons balance than having Class-D power and Alexa compatibility.
Denon DRA-800H
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts.
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth, Voice control, Wi-Fi music streaming
Inputs – 5x HDMI ports, 3x analog audio inputs (one with ground control), 2 digital inputs, coaxial, network, USB, Antenna, and remote control
Outputs – 4x speakers, 2x sub woofers, zones pre amp out, and HDMI ARC out.
What we like: HEOS capability. Dedicated turntable analog input with ground. Analog preamp out.
Not so much: Not so impressive audio quality. Wi-Fi connection is not strong. Auto updates can be annoying.
Now, Denon manufactures the above-mentioned smaller unit but still carries on producing some bigger devices for audiophiles with all we need. To be honest, this device has way more than I need.
The big difference between this and many other stereo receivers in the market is that it works wonders to be the brain of all activity in the house. Thanks to the five HDMI inputs and the three analog inputs I can have turntable (with dedicated ground!), cassette player and CD player plus PS4, DVD, Blu-Ray and such.
It all comes out of the same speaker set which can be up to six physical units (four speakers and two woofers). Then, utilizing HEOS, you can transmit any music to any place in the house. We did an afternoon of “curated music for studying” with my eldest daughter as I was playing vinyl records downstairs and streaming it to her room where she was studying as well. We had a blast with that.
Now, on the not-so-good side, this stereo receiver is not top-notch in terms of audio quality. This means that my ears experienced a better overall sound quality in earlier versions of the model.
Don´t get me wrong, I´m being super picky about treble and bass because I have some amazing speakers that can tell me that minimal difference. If you want it for ease of use, then it is beyond amazing. If you want it because you want to upgrade your older model and have extras, then I think it is not the best option, you are going to miss the sound quality.
Finally, even after turning them off, updates in the middle of a record are very annoying. Alexa compatibility, on the other hand, really simplifies things. With pros and cons, it is a beast of a stereo receiver.
Budget Stereo Receivers
Under $300: Yamaha R-N303BL
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts.
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth, AirPlay, Wi-Fi, and Yamaha MusicCast
Inputs – 4x analog audio inputs (one for phono with dedicated ground), optical, coaxial, network, and antenna
Outputs – Line out, and four speakers
What we like: Built-in Yamaha MusicCast. Alexa compatibility. Dedicated phono input with ground.
Not so much: Wi-Fi connection can take some time and be annoying. Bluetooth connection lags. Not compatible with AirPlay 2.
Yamaha is one of mass-produced audio gear most respected names in the market. This stereo receiver is a budget-oriented version and, for the price tag, works very well.
Personally, I love the MusicCast by Yamaha. The app is terrific, very easy to use and set up. The Wi-Fi connectivity, though, it is a different topic. Yamaha´s connection is not stable and that for streaming music is a definite must.
Same scenario repeats with Bluetooth connections which seem to lag a little. The Alexa compatibility is great but you need to buy Amazon Dot to have it.
All in all, it sounds good, has a very affordable price tag and unless you have true hi-fi speakers hooked up to it; you will never notice that thin bass response.
Under $200: Pioneer SX-10AE
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts (6 ohms), 45 watts (8 ohms)
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth
Inputs – 4x analog audio inputs, and antenna (AM & FM)
Outputs – 4x speakers, headphones, subwoofer, and line out
What we like: Bass and treble adjustments capability. Auto power off. Clean path of sound retains bass and mid frequencies.
Not so much: Lack of power. Tends to get really hot when it´s on for a long period of time. Bluetooth pairing takes a while.
This is Pioneer´s entry-level take on a stereo receiver and it is quite good for the price tag.
The first thing that hits you, though, is the lack of power. I mean, it is advertised for 100 watts but on 6 ohms; nobody owns 6 ohms speakers!
Besides, you know that the more you lower the impedance, the further away you are going from true Hi-Fi sounds. You have to turn the volume up to 40 to hear something.
That being said, it works great with CD players and turntables but not so well with Bluetooth devices. All in all, it makes a good combo for those starting out in the Hi-Fi world.
Sony STRDH190
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth
Inputs – 4x analog audio inputs + 1 dedicated PHONO input with ground, AUX, and antenna
Outputs – 4x speaker outputs, AV analog line output, and headphones
What we like: Dedicated PHONO input with dedicated ground. 30 user preset for FM radio stations. Front panel AUX in.
Not so much: Sound quality. No AM radio capabilities. Not really loud.
We all heard amazing records and our favorite music through Sony devices all our lives. Going all the way back I remember my first Ericsson cellphone with the Sony Walkman technology in it and how it blew my mind back in the day.
I was quite confident about the tried-and-true Sony sound quality but it is just not there. Sometimes price tags do mean a lot and this is one of those times. Power is not of a 100 watt RMS amplifier and the bass response is honestly thin. I was really annoyed by the fact that you can´t hear AM on it either.
On the other hand, the dedicated PHONO input with ground is great and the AUX in at the front panel to plug my iPod is cool too. Bluetooth works really well, but the overall sound quality is what you would expect of Sony even at an entry-level price.
Sherwood RX4508
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth Audio Streaming v3.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX)
Inputs – 4x analog audio inputs, dedicated PHONO input with ground, dual antenna (AM & FM)
Outputs – 2 Audio Outputs
What we like: Dedicated PHONO input with ground. AM & FM radio capability with memory presets. Remote control to handle everything.
Not so much: No subwoofer capability. No frontal AUX IN capability.
This stereo receiver is a trip to the past because of many reasons but mainly because Sherwood didn´t do anything to bring it to the present.
Choosing the block shape for the entire front panel buttons is also quite retro in a tasteless, 90s way.
The biggest disappointment to me, it was that although there are four speaker outputs, there is no dedicated subwoofer out. It is cool to have four speakers to play in different rooms, but there is technology to do it wirelessly nowadays.
Other than that, and for the price tag, it is a solution that can help you handle all your audio sources from one sole remote control. It is powerful and sounds well even with its limitations.
Yamaha R-S202BL
Watts (RMS per Channel) – 100 watts
Digital Music Features – Bluetooth
Inputs – 4x analog inputs, and FM & AM antenna
Outputs – 4x speaker outs, and headphones
What we like: The brushed looks are very handsome. 40 radio stations presets available. Dedicated input and ground for turntables.
Not so much: The Bluetooth connectivity kills the bass response. The remote works in a very limited space. No Yamaha MusicCast capability.
Yamaha is a great audio brand that created monumental pieces of high-tech, hi-fi gear at every price point. I guess if you are starting out, this stereo receiver is going to work wonders for you. With the analog inputs it has a great audio quality and you have straight bass and treble controls to accommodate any weird vinyl.
The big drawback comes from the Bluetooth section. It absolutely kills the low frequency response. This is especially important when we are talking about gear directed to audiophiles with state of the art equipment. We got the goods to make it sound amazing, so the difference is very noticeable.
That being said, if you are starting out in this path and don´t have a good set of speakers, you might not realize about the difference. I think it is a great first step that looks amazing with the minimalism and the brushed aluminum.
What can I expect from stereo receivers at this price range?
So, first things first, because one very common mistake I´ve seen countless times is demanding from budget gear high-tech features without compromising sound. The prices do vary in terms of what it can do but also in how good it does it.
When we buy a stereo receiver, it needs to accomplish two main goals:
Simplify – This is crucial: a stereo receiver has to make our life simpler. It is like a little brain to which we should be able to connect all the pieces of sound gear we have. The goal is to control as much as you can with one remote control (I don´t mean flipping vinyl records, at least not yet).
Enhance the overall sound – If it´s handy but doesn´t sound well, you´ll simply won´t use it. To give you an example: Spotify is way easier and cheaper than owning a vinyl collection. Vinyl records sound ten times better; you play the music on vinyl. With a stereo receiver it is the exact same principle, if it doesn´t enhance the audio you´ll end up taking it out of the way.
That being said, we should expect from this price range a limited assortment of capabilities in terms of virtual connectivity and digital connectivity. We can also expect good sound quality but not superb crystal clear and punchy audio.
For audiophiles, the $500 is a category your ears need to graduate from in order to spend serious money on audio gear. For those looking to simplify and enhance and don´t really walk the path of audiophiles, some of this models will blow your mind and revolutionize your life.
In sum, companies do cut somewhere and if it sounds amazing will probably not be as varied in inputs and vice versa. The one thing you do not have to ask from this category is perfection.
Last update on 2022-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
