The Slant team built an AI & it’s awesome

Find the best product instantly

4.7 star rating

What are the best A/V receivers under $400?

8

Options
Considered

79

User
Recs.

Feb 26, 2023

Last
Updated

Here’s the Deal

8 Options Considered

Best A/V receivers under $400	Price	Frequency Response	ARC
-- Onkyo TX-NR656	$349.00	20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz	Yes
-- Yamaha RX-V481BL	$399.95	20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz	Yes
-- Sony STR-DN850	$349.95	20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz	Yes
-- Yamaha RX-V379BL	$299.95	20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz	Yes
-- Denon AVR-S510BT	$279.00	20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz	No

Onkyo TX-NR656

Add Video or Image

Top Pro

Immersive sound

The receiver can play supported audio tracks with a more immersive sound than regular audio tracks. This is done through its object-based audio which can simulate a specific sound in a 3D environment inside your room. The employed features are Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Be aware that to enable DTS:X technology a firmware upgrade is necessary. See More

Top Con

Unreliable sound calibration

The receiver has AccuEQ room acoustic calibration which isn’t nearly as good as those in other receivers. The settings are unreliable. Because of this, inexperienced users might not achieve the sound that the receiver is capable of. See More

Specs

Frequency Response :20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz

Automatic calibration:Yes

Top Pro

Impressive visual clarity

The displayed image with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and BT.2020 technology seems more real with greater depth. This is because it can display a larger scope of contrast and colors when compared to an ordinary receiver. See More

Top Pro

Even sound distribution

The receiver has seven active speaker channels which provide a more immersive sound when compared to a five speaker setup. In addition, it has two subwoofers which increases the overall bass quality. The whole combination means that the sound is more evenly distributed through the room and you can have more quality options with speaker and subwoofer placements. See More

Top Pro

Can play two separate sources of audio at the same time

The receiver can control the audio for two different rooms at once. Seven speakers can remain at the main room and two additional speakers can be connected that lead to another room. But be aware that only seven speakers can be active at the same time. This means that if you want to play some music in the second room, the main room will have only five active speakers available. It has nine binding posts available to avoid constantly reconnecting the different speakers to the receiver. See More

Top Pro

Broad music playback options

There are a lot of options for music playback. With its internet connectivity it can stream music from internet radios like Spotify, Pandora and Deezer. It even has Apple’s Airplay available to stream content from Apple devices. Can connect to a Bluetooth device for music streaming and has a USB port for flash drives. This combination of features is just about everything that you would ever need for music playback. See More

Top Pro

Video connectivity quantity

The receiver has eight HDMI inputs and three of those are HDCP 2.2 compliant. Other receivers at this price range usually have around four inputs which is a rather large increase. See More

Yamaha RX-V481BL

Add Video or Image

Top Pro

Easy speaker setup

All five speaker inputs employ binding posts instead of spring clips which makes it easier to set up speakers. Binding posts provide better contact between the wire and the receiver than spring clips making it a safer choice. In addition, banana plugs can be used with binding posts to allow for very quick swapping of speaker wires. See More

Top Con

Looks cluttered

The main box is filled with buttons. While they all have a purpose, the options might seem overwhelming. To help with this, scene shortcuts are available to make switching scenes as easy as possible. See More

Specs

Frequency Response :20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz

Automatic calibration: Yes

Top Pro

Remarkable picture fidelity

It has higher picture accuracy than other receivers at this price range. To achieve this, it uses the High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology for a higher range of contrast and colors. In addition, the BT.2020 option is employed which expands the range of colors. Together, they create a much more natural and more pronounced picture. See More

Top Pro

Fantastic sound for the price

This Yamaha receiver has better sound than most of the receivers in this price range. The bass is definite and the depth of the sound is quite noteworthy. The sound as a whole has good clarity. See More

Top Pro

Extensive music playback options

There are extensive music playback options through Bluetooth, USB and Wi-Fi connectivity. See More

Top Pro

Offers control from your phone

It is possible to control the receiver through your mobile application. The MusicCast application is simple, visually pleasing, and even has several options to customize its look. See More

Sony STR-DN850

Add Video or Image

Top Con

Not future-proof

None of the HDMI ports have HDCP 2.2 support which will prevent the user from experiencing copyrighted 4K quality content. Additionally, it doesn’t employ Dolby Atmos technology which is used to create an extra immersive sound. Currently these technologies are not widespread but will probably become more prevalent as time goes on. See More

Top Pro

An increased depth of sound

Its seven speakers add more depth and detail to the sound when compared to a standard five speaker system. In addition, dual sub-woofers offer more optimal listening positions and has increased headroom. Together, the 7.2 channel configuration creates a more immersive and fuller sound for your system. See More

Specs

Frequency Response : 20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz

W x D x H (inches): 16.9 x 13 x 6.1

Top Con

Unreliable sound setup

The sound calibration can be a hit or miss. It will either perform accurately and set up your system to a good standard or widely misrepresent the sound. Not suited for people who don’t like to rely on their ears for sound modification. See More

Top Pro

Good interface

It has a simple and easy to understand interface that shows all the necessary information while still making it pleasant to look at. This can be applied to the remote as well. It isn’t cluttered with buttons but still offers the same functionality. See More

Top Pro

Access to multiple streaming services

Can access some of the regularly used streaming services through its Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections. These streaming services are Spotify, TuneIn and Apple’s Airplay. See More

Top Pro

An extra option for control

The application SongPal is being used as an another controller to manipulate the receiver. It provides the very basic options, such as, source selection, playback of music, volume settings but even includes adding different types of effects to the audio. See More

Top Pro

Additional music playback

Has a USB port at the front and Bluetooth connectivity with NFC support to give you additional music playback choices. See More

Top Pro

Supports 4K resolution

For its 5 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output it has 4K pass-through and can even upscale video to a 4K resolution. See More

Yamaha RX-V379BL

Add Video or Image

Top Pro

Simplifies the changing of settings

Has very convenient shortcut buttons that switch to your favorite source and its audio settings with a single button press. See More

Top Con

Limited music playback options

It lacks several different music playback options like the USB port, music streaming and Bluetooth. Although there is Bluetooth connectivity, it is only used for wireless speakers and not as an additional input. See More

Specs

Frequency Response :20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz

Built-in Decoders :DSD decoder, DTS 96/24, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Express, DTS Neo:6, DTS decoder, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital

Top Pro

Improves its sound based on the area and equipment

With Yamaha Parametric Acoustic Optimizer (YPAO) it can automatically adjust its audio settings. The included microphone picks up the unique sounds your room emits when it plays a specific sound and fine-tunes the settings accordingly. See More

Top Con

Uses lesser quality connectors

Three out of five speakers use spring clips which are not as convenient as a binding post and can cause problems when paired with a thicker gauge wire. Can also lead to wire fraying. See More

Top Pro

Can imitate surround sound

With Virtual Cinema Front it can imitate surround sound even when all five speakers are placed in the front. While it is useful, be aware that it can’t fully replace a proper placement of speakers. See More

Top Con

Primarily entry level

With its limited features it seems like it’s primarily an entry level receiver which won’t suffice if you would choose to expand your home theater. See More

Top Pro

Partially future-proofed

One of the 4 HDMI inputs is HDCP 2.2 compatible which is able to play copyrighted 4K resolution content. See More

Denon AVR-S510BT

Add Video or Image

Top Pro

More options with dual subwoofers

Dual subwoofers can offer more choices for fine-tuning your system. It provides an optimal sound at multiple different listening positions and give the user options for different subwoofer placements. See More

Top Con

No internet connection

The lack of Wi-Fi and Ethernet cable is a notable drawback if you tend to listen to your music using any of the streaming services. See More

Specs

Frequency Response :20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz

Automatic calibration: No

Top Pro

Easy to set up

Is quite easy to set up, even if it’s your first receiver. By following the instructions it will help you connect all the required parts to make it usable. See More

Top Con

An extra cable is needed to receive sound from TV

The lack of Audio Return Channel (ARC) means that you’ll need an optical cable to connect your TV’s audio channel back into the receiver. Without it you will receive no sound from the TV. See More

Top Pro

Has enough HDMI inputs

In total it has 5 HDMI inputs, which is reasonable for the price. Three of those are HDCP 2.2 compatible to future proof your home theater. See More

Top Con

Employs lower quality connectors

Spring clips are being used to connect the speakers. The whole system is too delicate and can eventually lead to wire fraying. This also means that banana plugs are not available for use. See More

Top Pro

Can create shortcuts for your favorite settings

Can use four quick select buttons to switch to your most used sources and audio settings. It greatly simplifies the experience by bypassing multiple selection screens to arrive to your favorite settings. See More

Top Pro

Creates an optimal sound through calibration

Offers a way of calibrating its settings specifically for your setup. It only lasts a couple of minutes and adjusts them to your room and speakers. See More

Top Pro

Different options for music playback

A USB port, which is located at the front, is a convenient way of listening to your music. Also, Bluetooth connectivity with A2DP profile is available, to support streaming of music from other devices through Bluetooth. See More

Top Pro

Another source of control

A dedicated control app is available on Google Play and the App store. The functions of Denon 500 Series Remote include on/off switch, volume up/down or mute and source selection. See More

Pioneer VSX-530-K

Add Video or Image

Top Con

No network

Lack of network options means that there are no streaming applications specifically set up for music playback. See More

Top Pro

Additional playback options

Even though it doesn’t have internet connectivity and the music streaming services that come with it, a flash drive or Bluetooth is a great, convenient way to replace internet radios for music playback. See More

Specs

Frequency Response : 20 - 20000 kHz, at 1 kHz

Automatic calibration:Yes

Top Con

Achieving a great sound can be difficult

Doesn’t seem to be designed for newcomers because of its lack of automatic sound calibration. The user is expected to know what are the ingredients for a good sound and how to manually achieve them. It might take some effort before you can enjoy the sound on your system. See More

Top Pro

Low price

The solid basics coupled with the low price make it a receiver with a great value. See More

Top Con

Uses an inferior method to connect speakers

For three of its speakers it uses spring clips which are an inferior way of connecting speakers to a receiver. With spring clips the wires are likely to have a tiny contact area which can result in poor performance. Binding posts are available for the two main speakers. See More

Top Pro

Can support future copyrighted content

Has 4 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output which are HDCP 2.2 compliant to support future copyrighted content in full 4K resolution. See More

Denon AVR-X1300W

Add Video or Image

Top Pro

Powerful, articulate and detailed sound

Its ability to paint room-filling sonic landscapes makes it easy to lose yourself in the movie. Accurate effects placement, fast, fluid steering between channels, and bell-like clarity across the entire frequency range – this is an AV receiver punching above its price tag. See More

Top Con

No coaxial digital inputs

Top Pro

Amazing Music Streaming

Full wireless connectivity is provided by both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with dual antennas to ensure robust signal transmission and reception and you can stream your favorite music through AirPlay or from Spotify Connect or local network storage drives. See More

Yamaha TSR-7810

Add Video or Image

Built By the Slant team

Find the best product instantly.

4.7 star rating

Try it now - it's free

Vetted.ai illustration