Yamaha offers some of the best stereo receivers on the market while also providing quality budget-friendly options for the more casual audio shopper.

When choosing the best Yamaha receiver for your home audio system, you can start by considering your budget and how many speakers you want your receiver to power. Each audio receiver “channel” provides sound output and power for one speaker. So, a classic Yamaha 2-channel stereo receiver will power a pair of speakers.

For many home audio setups, like a pair of bookshelf speakers or a pair of floor speakers, two channels is all you need. However, if you want to support many Yamaha speakers, like a surround-sound home theater system, you want at least a Yamaha 5.1-channel receiver. The 5.1 designation will support five speakers and a subwoofer, so you can have two front speakers, two rear speakers and a center-channel speaker plus the subwoofer to achieve the deepest sounds.

Finally, you will also want to consider the rest of your audio components when selecting a receiver. For instance, do you want an audio amplifier as well as a receiver?

Conveniently, many modern technologies have cut down on the number of cables required for home audio systems. A Yamaha Bluetooth receiver can connect with Bluetooth speakers as well as your phone or other device to play music with almost no wiring required at all. If you use wireless tech to stream music, however, ensure you have a quality wireless router for uninterrupted high-caliber streaming.

Even with the advent of wireless tech, hard-wired systems are still popular for their quality and reliability, For wired setups, make sure you have the necessary speaker cables and HDMI cables. To create a clean look for your home entertainment space, you may also benefit from A/V shelves.

For truly basic home audio systems, some shoppers forego a receiver and simply choose a Bluetooth-enabled Yamaha soundbar. A receiver, however, does a much more advanced job of handling multiple audio input and output options. For instance, Yamaha AV receiver models can connect to a television, gaming console, Blu-ray player and more in addition to numerous speakers.

If you need help setting up your new home stereo receiver, simply reach out to Best Buy’s professional home audio setup team, and they’ll get the job done for you.