In this case, that’s your stereo receiver. Once you know what kind of speakers you’re going to use, you need to choose an amplifier that is going to properly drive them. The speakers are the most important component in any hi-fi system, so you should pick them first.
A bigger investment means more (and better) amplification.
So what exactly is the difference between a stereo receiver that costs $150 and one that’s considerably more expensive? Let’s break it down. And the extremely high-end includes things like the McIntosh MAC7200, which costs $7,500. The Cambridge Audio AXR100 is a two-channel stereo receiver that costs $500. One of our favorites, the Yamaha R-S202BL, costs right around $150.īut that is just the baseline, and you can go a lot further if you want to splurge. Less complex than AV receivers (which require a TV in the loop and need to worry about supporting various home theater sound technologies), high quality stereo recievers can come pretty cheap. A stereo receiver is a simple but very necessary part of any audio system that includes a pair of passive speakers.