There’s only one reason to have a home receiver, but it’s a biggie

Upgrading your TV audio can come in many different forms. For a lot of people, it’s plugging in a soundbar, and I can’t even lie, that’s a massive difference from your TV speakers. It’s easy to just stop there if you’re looking to keep your piggy bank intact. I used to think that way, but I eventually decided I wanted surround sound, and the rest was history.

There were many different paths I could take, and that ranged from a soundbar with surround speakers, a fully wireless setup, or getting a receiver. I decided that buying a receiver was the simplest path forward, and it’s actually the way you get the best audio. I don’t think it’s really negotiable for anybody who truly cares about their audio to omit a receiver. It might seem daunting, and in many ways, it is, but once you have everything set up correctly, it’s hard not to be blown away. Receivers are still absolutely necessary for anybody looking to make the most out of their home theaters.

You need a receiver for the best sound

No shortcuts here

Receivers aren’t cheap, so believe me, I get it. However, they are a big part of whether your audio is going to sound great or not. I have three receivers plugged in currently, so I get the hype. It’s not feasible for everybody by any means, but I think getting at least one hooked up is within the realm of possibilities.

These versatile pieces of equipment handle so much, and they open up things that would be otherwise impossible. My receiver lets me plug in seven different speakers, a subwoofer, an Apple TV 4K, and 4K Blu-ray player, a Nintendo Switch 2, and an Xbox Series X with HDMI ports to spare. I don’t know any way you can get a proper surround sound system hooked up without a receiver. That’s especially the case for people who go all out and have 11 speakers hooked up. There’s just no way around it, and that’s before mentioning the fact that Dolby Atmos exists. Atmos is arguably the best audio format available today, and for the best quality, you need an audio receiver to handle it.

Even if you have a way to get that audio without a receiver, you’re still missing room correction software. I think proper room correction software like Audyssey is a vital part of any home audio setup. In the case of my Denon receiver, there’s a microphone that I have to plug into my receiver and move it to the main listening areas. The receiver will then calibrate the different speakers in an effort to make them sound the best they can. This means some will be quieter than others, but the idea is to make everything blend together, and it’s something you shouldn’t skip.

In fact, room correction software is a big factor for me when I’m buying used. I bought a used receiver from Goodwill, and since it didn’t come with a remote or a mic, I couldn’t actually use the software. It’s not a huge deal since I’m only using a stereo setup with it, but it’s something you need to be aware of. I would hate for somebody to bring home a receiver, set up a surround sound system. and then not put it through the proper calibration.

Ultimately, it’s a lot to take in, and I can’t really fault people for taking another direction. Home theater systems are very much a case of you getting what you put in. If you buy all the budget gear, then you’re going to get a budget sound. I do think that would still outperform a soundbar, so if that’s what you’re going for, you should still be happy.

You can still get good audio without one

Receivers are largely for enthusiasts

I would argue that for the vast majority of people, a simple soundbar is perfect. There are even a lot of people getting by just fine with their TV audio, so I don’t want to push anybody to drop hundreds of dollars on equipment that they won’t appreciate in the end. Unless you get a great deal, receivers are a big investment, and it grows even larger if you have to buy speakers to hook up to it.

A lot of people are looking for a nice middle ground between a high-end sound system and TV speakers. For those people, that’s where the soundbar comes into play. I can’t fault anybody for feeling that way, and it’s your money at the end of the day. My main reason to upgrade was my deep dive into the world of physical media. If I was already paying for the best picture quality possible, I figured it was worth it to improve my sound quality at the same time. I have no regrets about my setup, but it’s also very easy to see why somebody wouldn’t prioritize putting one together themselves.