"Receiver" and "amplifier" get used interchangeably, but they're different boxes that do different jobs, and buying the wrong one can leave you without surround sound or without a way to change inputs. Here's what each one does, which one you need, and how they work together.
A receiver is an amplifier plus a preamp (source switching and volume) plus a radio tuner in one box. A power amplifier is only the amplification stage and needs a receiver or preamp in front of it.
For surround sound, get an AV receiver. For stereo music, a stereo receiver or integrated amp. Add a separate power amp only when your AV receiver runs out of power for demanding speakers.
| Component | Amplifies | Switches sources | Surround decoding | Radio tuner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV receiver | 5 to 11+ channels | Yes, including HDMI video | Yes (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X) | Usually |
| Stereo receiver | 2 channels | Yes, audio (some add HDMI) | No | Yes |
| Integrated amplifier | 2 channels | Yes, audio | No | No |
| Power amplifier | 2 to 7+ channels | No | No | No |
The core difference: a receiver is an amplifier plus a preamp (source switching and volume) plus a tuner in one box. A power amplifier is only the amplification stage, so it needs something else in front of it to choose sources and control volume.
The heart of a home theater. It decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, switches HDMI sources like a 4K Blu-ray player and game console, runs room correction, and powers five or more speakers plus a subwoofer. If you want surround sound, this is what you need. See our AV receiver picks.
Two channels of amplification, source switching, and a radio tuner, often with Bluetooth, streaming, and a phono input for a turntable. It's the simplest hub for a music system. A few, like the Marantz Stereo 70s, add HDMI for a two-speaker TV setup. See our best stereo receivers.
A stereo receiver minus the tuner. Integrated amps often put more of their budget into the amplifier and power supply, and they range from compact boxes like the Fosi Audio BT20A Pro (about $100, with Bluetooth) to high-end audiophile components.
Pure amplification and nothing else. In a home theater, a power amp takes over some channels from an AV receiver, connected through the receiver's pre-outs. That gives demanding speakers more clean power while the receiver keeps doing the decoding and switching. Our front three channels run on an Aperion Energy Pro E3H; see all our power amplifier picks.
Yes, and it's common. Two setups we see most:
One thing not to do: don't connect a powered speaker or a second amplifier to your receiver's speaker terminals unless it's specifically designed for speaker-level input. Use line-level pre-outs or Zone 2 outputs instead.