Yamaha RX V467‎ 5.1 Channel 180 Watt Home Theater Receiver, no remote, TESTED

If you want to experience true surround sound you're going to eventually have to step up to a true AV receiver. While you can get by with one of those all-in-one systems or simulated surround like many sound bars and televisions can get you, the real path to surround will involve picking up a dedicated receiver like the Yamaha RX-V467. It gives you advanced features like the ability to decode the latest HD audio formats that come with nearly all Blu-ray Discs, like dts Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. It also comes with a microphone, so you can use Yamaha's YPAO (pronounced "why-pow") system to automatically setup, level, and even equalize your speakers. The RX-V467 even includes the newest HDMI 1.4 feature - Audio Return Channel. Now this is pretty impressive. With a compatible display, you can actually send audio FROM the TV back to the receiver over a single HDMI cable. Overall this is an excellent receiver and a HUGE step up from the entry-level RX-V367. With real 5-way binding posts, 4 HDMI inputs, plenty of digital and analogue audio inputs and even an optional dedicated iPod dock connection, this receiver qualifies as one of the best bang for the buck products on the market.