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AV receiver: Frequently asked questions

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Contents

Where can I find the user manual?

You can find our user manuals at https://lu.devilaudio.com/operating-instructions It is best to use the search field. You can find other operating instructions from the manufacturer.

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What is an AV receiver?

The AV receiver is the central control unit of your speaker system and therefore also serves as the "digital control center" for your home cinema. It could therefore also be described as the heart and brain of your home theater. The "AV" in the term "AV receiver" stands for audio and video. The device receives and processes all acoustic (audio) and image (video) signals.

AV receivers are generally used in home cinemas and have multi-channel power amplifiers and corresponding sound processors, as well as D/A converters and DSP (digital sound processors). These are capable of processing several audio signals separately and outputting them to at least six speakers simultaneously (5 speakers and 1 subwoofer make a 5.1 system). For this reason, AV receivers have a correspondingly large number of power amplifiers installed, which amplify the incoming audio signals and output them to the speakers. An AV receiver is therefore also always an amplifier.

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When is an AV receiver necessary?

As soon as you want to connect passive speakers, you need a separate amplifier. If you have more than two speakers, instead of a stereo amplifier an AV receiver with the required number of channels (speaker connections) for surround sound.

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Which AV receiver is best for me?

Depending on which speakers you want to connect, how much budget you have available, how large your room is or which functions (e.g. music streaming, gaming, multiroom) you prefer, there are different recommendations.

Before you decide on an AV receiver, you should go through the following points in advance:

  • How much power do I need? (The guide value is the continuous load capacity of the speakers. Tip: Take a look at the information in the Home Cinema guide : Which AV receiver/amplifier goes with which devil home cinema system?
  • How many speakers and subwoofers do I want to connect (number of channels)? (Stereo, 5.1, 7.1, 9.2 etc.)
  • Do I need bi-wiring connections or connections for a separate listening zone?
  • Is an encoder for current sound formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X integrated and/or necessary?
  • Does the AV receiver support all desired functions such as FM radio, DAB, Internet radio, Spotify, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, WLAN, etc.?
  • Are there enough HDMI connections for my other devices?
  • HDMI standard (HDMI 2.1 or HDMI 2.2)?
  • Hi-Res support (if desired)?
  • Turntable: Is a phono input available if necessary?
  • Do I need pre-outs or line-outs for active speakers?

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Can I also listen to music with an AV receiver?

You can listen to music with your AV receiver either on all connected speakers or in stereo.

More specifically: The sound of a home theater set can be distinguished from a stereo set with an integrated amplifier purely in terms of acoustics. Nevertheless, it is also possible to listen to music in a 5.1 or 7.1 constellation via a multi-channel AV receiver, only that the sound can then theoretically be heard equally from every direction. At a concert that you watch on DVD or Blu-ray, however, this can certainly have advantages, as the musical instruments and other sounds come from exactly the direction where they are played and the subwoofer ensures crisp bass tones. However, to ensure that all speakers play music, you need to make the appropriate settings on the AV receiver. Most models use the so-called All Channel Stereo function for this. But also Dolby Pro Logic II or Upmix (stereo) can also be used for this. If you are using smaller speakers, such as micro-satellites, you must also pay attention to the crossover frequency, as the speakers themselves can reproduce the low frequency range. By setting the crossover frequency, you determine the frequencies at which the subwoofer plays along.

As soon as you set stereo playback, only the front speakers and possibly the subwoofer will play together (2.1).

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Where can I find suitable accessories?

You can find suitable accessories in our webshop. There you can buy

speaker cables, connection cables or even complete cable sets. You will also find

HDMI or wireless (Bluetooth, radio, Wi-Fi etc.) accessories and Blu-Ray players.

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How do I connect the devices to an AV receiver?

The correct connection method depends on the respective devices. You can always find detailed information on the setup itself on the manufacturer's website for your AV receiver. You can also take a look at our guide in our blog.

Speakers:

Subwoofer:

TV set:

Source devices (satellite receivers, Blu-Ray players or games consoles):

Turntable:

  • To find out the best way to connect the turntable, take a look at your devices (turntable and AV receiver) and, if necessary, their operating instructions. Does your AV receiver have a phono input? Does the turntable already have an integrated phono preamplifier? The guide in the blog will help you here: Connecting a record player

Is it possible to connect a soundbar to an AV receiver?

  • It is technically possible to connect a soundbar to an AV receiver via HDMI. However, this is not really recommended in practice, as the incoming signals are processed several times by the respective devices. The background to this is that a soundbar is basically an AV receiver and speakers in one device. Therefore, the picture and sound signals would first be processed by the soundbar and then again by the connected AV receiver. This would reduce the quality and could also lead to a delay. Picture and sound could then no longer be synchronized.

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How do I calibrate the speakers?

Your AV receiver can use a microphone to analyze the room acoustics and automatically adjust the speakers to the optimum setting. 

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Can I listen to the radio (FM, DAB+) with my AV receiver?

There are AV receivers with which you can listen to the radio via DAB+ and FM. You can find a selection here: AV receivers with radio in our webshop.

Reading tip: Detailed information about retrofitting DAB+ in the devil blog

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Can I also use Multiroom with my AV receiver?

There are AV receivers with which you can use Multiroom. You can find a selection here: AV receivers with multiroom in our webshop You can also use the filter function to filter for devices that support AirPlay 2, Amazon Music, HEOS® Built-in. You can also retrofit the function if necessary.

Reading tip: Article on the topic of multiroom in our blog

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How do I find out if my AV receiver is faulty?

To check whether there is actually a defect, use the information in the following articles:

If the device is actually defective, please note our warranty conditions. You are also welcome to contact our partner directly.

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