The best av receiver of 2017 is hands down the Marantz SR7012. This powerhouse from Marantz satisfies every home theater requirement for music and movies.

Disclaimer – I am a big Marantz fan. I love their receivers because they are well priced and they deliver much cleaner sound than their counterparts at Denon.

I think this is the best AV Receiver of 2017 because it simply is well balanced and has a combination of both form and function.

This is a really bulky receiver. The SR7012 weighs 31 lbs, much of this due to its high-quality parts such as the reference-class 32-bit AKM D/A converters that are encased in its metal frame.

Complimentary of SR7012’s nine amplifier stages, each channel provides 125W of pure Marantz power and finesse, giving users the ability to drive a full 5.1.4 home cinema setup without the need for additional external amplifiers. If you throw in an external amp, the receiver can process 11.2 channels.

The SR7012 supports Auro 3D, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X and comes loaded with tons of connection options.

Marantz SR7012 back

Marantz SR7012 back

It has a total of 8 HDMI inputs and 3 outputs. All of which support the latest 4K video standards – HDCP 2.2, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, High Dynamic Range and 21:9 video, 3D, BT.2020, Dolby Vision, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma).

In addition to all its HDMI connections, the 7012 has a ton of analog audio inputs and 4 digital inputs (2 optical and 2 coaxial).

For networking, the Marantz SR7012 has a wide array of technology. WiFi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay are all present as well as  Denon’s HEOS multi-room audio system.

Here’s an unboxing video of the receiver that shows how beautiful it looks.

Marantz SR 7012 Unboxing Video

Basically the fact that this receiver has so much horsepower, can pump out clean sound and ALSO has a lot of technical features gives it the crown for me.

The Marantz SR7012 retails for $2,199 and is available on Amazon.com as well as your local premium electronics store.