An Immersive Home Theater Experience With 5.1 Channel Pre-Out Stereo Receivers
You want a more immersive home theater experience, so maybe you need a 5.1 channel pre-out stereo receiver. A home theater receiver routes incoming video and audio signals from your cable box, Blu-ray player, or other devices and directs the audio to your speakers. Most receivers also have built-in amplifiers to boost the processed audio signals, but a pre-out receiver allows you to match it with a more powerful amp.
What Is a 5.1 Home Theater System?
The designation 5.1 indicates a six-channel surround sound audio system that uses five full bandwidths and one low-frequency channel. It's the standard system for most home theater setups around the world.
- All 5.1 surround sound systems feature a center, a left and right, as well as two surround speakers, together with the low-frequency one designed for a subwoofer.
- It creates a well-rounded and balanced sound for the listener or centered position audience, with greater depth to the sound and a more immersive home theater experience.
- They connect to an AV receiver that features outputs, such as HDMI, to connect your stereo with HD video and audio devices, with some HDMI models also Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled.
What Is a Pre-Out?
A pre-out is an analog audio output for volume control and source selection connected to the pre-in of an external power amplifier, instead of having power amplifiers built into the AV receiver.
- A pre-out allows you to get extra channels for which the receiver doesn't have dedicated internal connections, such as to drive two-tone speakers.
- A pre-out HDMI also enables you to have more powerful amps driving your speaker system and is often a feature of high-end receivers and stereos.
What Should You Look for When Buying a Stereo Receiver?
The AV receiver that's right for you depends on the size of your space, the audio/video components you want to connect, and whether you want to stream music through built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
- When it comes to the power of your speakers, more is generally better, but most receivers have enough wattage to power entry-level speakers. For large rooms, you may need a receiver with more power to give you the clearest sound possible with minimal distortion.
- Most of the audio and video components will connect to the receiver through HDMI cables so make sure the receiver has enough inputs to connect all of your devices.
- Brands, such as Denon and Onkyo, both produce high-end stereo receivers or you can look for those that use the innovative Dolby Atmos technology.
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