Head-to-head · Best AV Receivers Under $1000

Denon AVR-X2800H vs Sony STR-AN1000

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Denon AVR-X2800H comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about Home-theater buyers who want the most polished, fuss-free all-rounder for a small-to-medium room with next-gen console support. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best AV Receivers Under $1000

Denon AVR-X2800H

4.6

$1,299as of Jun 7

The AVR-X2800H is the safest all-rounder under $1000, pairing Denon's mature, open sound with a complete modern feature set. What Hi-Fi handed it a full five stars and Empire four, both praising precise Atmos imaging and an authoritative, well-spread soundstage. Three HDMI 2.1 ports cover 8K and 4K/120Hz gaming, and Audyssey MultEQ XT makes calibration painless. The only real catch is that 8K is limited to half the inputs.

Strengths

— Rich, spacious, well-balanced sound that reviewers say outclasses its predecessor and most rivals at the price
— Three HDMI 2.1 inputs handle 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz with VRR and ALLM for next-gen consoles
— Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction is genuinely effective and beginner-friendly via the on-screen Setup Assistant

Watch-outs

— 8K support is limited to three of the six HDMI inputs, not all of them
— Street price has crept up over its predecessor and can flirt with the $1000 ceiling
— 95W per channel is adequate but not class-leading for large, demanding rooms

$1,299 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best AV Receivers Under $1000

Sony STR-AN1000

4.3

$948as of Jun 7

The STR-AN1000 is the spatial-audio specialist: its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping conjures height and width from a standard speaker set, and reviewers loved the result. What Hi-Fi gave it a full five stars, StereoNET called it "muscular and dynamic," and Tom's Guide praised its "smooth sonic steerage of objects." The trade-offs are bloated bass without parametric EQ and a slightly thinner connectivity set, which keep it just behind the all-rounders.

Strengths

— 360 Spatial Sound Mapping creates convincing height and width without ceiling speakers
— Crisp, precise, punchy sound that reviewers say balances detail and drama
— Sounds bigger and more authoritative than its modest power spec implies

Watch-outs

— Bass can sound bloated and there is no parametric EQ to tame it
— Only two of the HDMI inputs are 8K-capable
— Connectivity and input count trail some rivals at the price

$948 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Denon AVR-X2800H

Steps above the Denon AVR-S970H with stronger amplification, Audyssey MultEQ XT (versus the S970H's lighter MultEQ) and a more refined, open presentation. It lacks the Dirac Live upgrade path and the THX modes of the Onkyo TX-NR6100, but reviewers consistently rate its out-of-the-box sound and ease of setup higher than the Yamaha RX-V6A and the Sony STR-AN1000.

Sony STR-AN1000

Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Mapping is a feature none of the rivals here offer, conjuring height and width without ceiling speakers in a way the Denon AVR-X2800H, Onkyo TX-NR6100 and Yamaha RX-V6A all rely on physical layouts to achieve. The trade-off is bass control: with no parametric EQ it trails the Audyssey MultEQ XT calibration of the Denon AVR-X2800H, and it offers fewer eight-K HDMI inputs than the Yamaha RX-V6A.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Denon AVR-X2800H	Sony STR-AN1000
Channels	7.2	7.2
Power	95W per channel (8 ohm, 0.08% THD, 2ch driven)	100W per channel (6 ohm, 1kHz, 1ch driven)
HDMI	6 in / 2 out (3 inputs 8K-capable)	6 in / 2 out (2 inputs 8K-capable)
Video	8K/60Hz, 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+	8K/60Hz, 4K/120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10
Audio Formats	Dolby Atmos, DTS:X	Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, 360 Spatial Sound Mapping
Room Correction	Audyssey MultEQ XT	D.C.A.C. IX auto calibration
Streaming	HEOS, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Chromecast, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Sonos, Bluetooth
eARC	Yes	—
Expansion	—	Wireless SA-RS5 rears, SA-SW subwoofers

← See the full ranking of best av receivers under $1000