Helpful tips for choosing a home theater receiver or stereo receiver

A home theater receiver is the central component in your entertainment system. In it is a controller that selects the source of input (CD player, DVD player, VCR, etc.) and regulates the volume. The receiver is really three components wrapped into one. It's a tuner, a preaplifier and an amplifier. You can buy these separately, but getting them all in a stereo receiver is more economical and easier to setup.

If your main interest is music then you'll be better off getting a stereo receiver. If you're wanting to set up a home theater and watch movies with surround sound, then an you'll want an AV receiver.

When it comes to surround sound, don't worry about all the options that the manufacturers throw at you. Many times it's just confusing and not really worth worrying about. Just get a home theater receiver that has Dolby Digital and DTS. That will cover most DVDs you might rent plus TV and cable stations that broadcast in surround sound.

Unlike with some components that are basically the same at all price points, a home theater or stereo receiver varies according to price. To get more power, more connections and better sound will cost more than getting fewer features. This has more to do with the offerings of a particular brand, rather than comparing brand A to brand B.

Finding the best home theater receiver for you depends on what features you want, which speakers you'll be using and the type of sound quality you want. There's no one right receiver for all applications. Rather than say one is best for you, I'd suggest you check out some reviews, think about the features you really need, start with a brand you're familiar with and keep in mind that generally the higher the price the better the quality.