AV Receivers vs. Separates: Which One Is Better?

If you’ve ever spent any time browsing the Audioholics forums, the odds are good you’ve run into a discussion regarding the relative benefits of A/V receivers and separates. This matchup has proponents and valid arguments on both sides of the table. Long story short: we’d opine that both sides are right (and wrong).

Before we get too deep, first let’s understand the difference between receivers and separates.

• An AV receiver is a one box solution containing an AM/FM tuner, preamplifier/processor, and amplification.
  
• AV Separates divide these components out into two or more chassis, most commonly one box for the tuner and preamplifier/processor, and another for the amplification.

Yamaha’s Aventage CX-A5000 A/V processor and MX-A5000 multichannel amplifier.

Right off the bat, AV receivers have a couple big advantages: given that everything is in one box, receivers require less real estate and setup. Receivers are also substantially cheaper, partly due to fewer redundant parts, as well as simple economies of scale (the number of receivers produced annually dwarfs that of separate preamplifier/processors and amplifiers). In addition, for those looking for the latest and greatest features, the annual release cycle for AV receivers ensures that you’ll have the most current technology, at least for a little while. By contrast, many preamplifier/processors are put out by smaller companies with release cycles as long as 5-6 years, meaning it could be a while until that killer feature you’re after becomes available.

The Denon AVR-X4000, a modern receiver with all the trimmings.

AV Receivers vs Separates Debate

So what do separates bring to the party? First and foremost, power. While you’re not likely to find many A/V receivers delivering significantly more than 100W per channel into an 8 ohm load, it’s possible to find monoblock (single channel) amplifiers that can deliver 1,000W into 8 ohms. If you have 4 ohm speakers, the situation tends to favor a separate amplifier even more, as many AV receivers (particularly budget models) tend to choke driving low impedance loudspeakers at high levels. In terms of audio quality, you’ll also find some separate components offer balanced inputs/outputs for improved noise immunity, as well as fully differential circuits, which help to further reduce distortion. Beyond raw performance, there is also the matter of aesthetics, build quality, and fit and finish. As mentioned previously, separates are typically expensive; as such, a lot of manufacturers embrace the high end role, delivering elegantly machined components with top quality internals that you’re not going to find on the more pedestrian receiver.

While the above categorizes the situation fairly well, there are a few caveats worth mentioning. The first is a matter of technology. In the last couple of decades, we’ve seen a lot of change, with the introduction of Dolby Digital and DTS formats, and their evolution into high definition audio formats, i.e. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master, as well as the wide scale rollout of high definition video (including 3D and 4K pass-through). At the moment however, there’s arguably a bit of a lull in major innovations. Simply put: a preamplifier/processor with the above features isn’t likely to become obsolete in the near future. There are of course minor improvements: many AV receivers offer bells and whistles like music streaming services (i.e. Pandora, Spotify, etc), but generally speaking these are features that can be added on via a Blu-ray player or Smart TV, as opposed to major deal breakers like a lack of HDMI inputs.

Then there’s also the matter of practicality with respect to power. Realistically, many people don’t have much use for 1kW monoblock amplifiers; the amps built into a run of the mill A/V receiver might be enough. Adding a bit of fuel to the fire, a lot of midline and high end receivers offer preamplifier outputs, meaning you can still add a separate amplifier if you find yourself needing more juice down the line. Many enthusiasts utilize this option, as you get the full benefits of big power and the regular release cycle of receivers (which still tend to be cheaper than a high end preamplifier/processor). In this case, note that it’s still important to ensure that your receiver’s preamplifier outputs can effectively drive the amplifier you’re looking at (Audioholics does measure this when applicable in our A/V receiver reviews); output of 2Vrms is usually adequate to drive the majority of amplifiers to full power, though some models may require more (you’ll find the voltage needed under the amplifier’s input sensitivity specification).

Check our our article on Amplifier Voltage Gain for further details.

Rear panel of the Denon AVR-X4000 with the preamplifier outputs highlighted.

Summary

Contemplating purchasing an AV receiver against a separates setup? Both can be valid choices depending on what you’re looking for. Inexpensive, easy to set up, and requiring relatively little space, AV receivers are the popular choice. Conversely, if cost takes a back seat to power, build quality, and the best possible audio courtesy of balanced interconnects and fully differential circuitry, separates are for you. And of course for those unwilling to commit to either paradigm, there is the choice of mating an AV receiver with preamplifier outputs to a high powered separate amplifier, getting some of the perks from both worlds.

So now the question is: are you using a receiver or separates, and what do you prefer?  Please tell us in the dedicated forum link below.