Best Receivers For Record Player Reviews – The Ultimate Guide to Receivers for the Vinyl Renaissance

These days, the popularity of vinyl has grown so much that almost every music lover wants to have a turntable in their home. This requires choosing a good amplifier that will output analog sound to your speakers properly and qualitatively. In this article, I will try to help you choose the best receiver for a turntable, not an amplifier because this option is usually cheaper and, at the same time, more functional. But first of all, let’s understand the difference between these devices.

Our pick

Sony STR-DH190

Best receiver for record player

The STR-DH190 stereo receiver delivers quality sound from vinyl and digital music with high-quality phono input and Bluetooth connectivity. Pair with turntables including to amplify your records. Read the full review.

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Receivers for record player comparison table

Difference between an amplifier and a receiver

So, it’s pretty simple. The main function of an amplifier is to take a low-level audio signal from a source device (e.g., a CD player or smartphone, in our case, a turntable) and amplify its power to drive the speakers and play the sound. They provide clear sound without distortion and have primitive tone controls or balance adjustments.

If you want a complete system, it is better to focus on the audio receiver for the turntable. It combines an amplifier with digital signal processing, DAC, and various inputs/outputs. But make sure that your choice is a receiver with phono input, which means it has a built-in preamplifier necessary for connecting a vinyl player.

So, we can say that a receiver is a universal device designed to be used as the central hub of an audio or home theater system, depending on whether you choose a stereo or multichannel receiver.

Best receiver for record player reviews

Sony STR-DH190 – best overall

In the first place, I put the most inexpensive model, Sony STR-DH190 2018, but it will suit most of you (even for fans of fairly expensive and branded devices), my dear readers. The whole point is that at its low price, it provides good warm sound, clear sound, pretty good bass, and is compatible with speakers with impedance from 6 to 16 Ohms (this is a wide range). It is designed to connect 2 pairs of speakers for more effect. You can even connect 4-ohm speakers to it, but in this case, the receiver overheats a lot, so either keep an eye on its temperature or give up this idea.

STR-DH190 is a stereo receiver, so we are talking about music only. With a rated power of 100W (8 ohms, 1kHz, THD 1%), you can connect equipment to it via 4 analog inputs, listen to music with headphones, or use the USB port to connect external devices, but most importantly, connect a turntable via the phono input. The built-in preamplifier is pretty good quality for such an inexpensive device, and I listened to jazz, blues, and classic rock with great pleasure. I think it did an excellent job with these genres, conveying these styles’ tenderness and atmospheric nature along with pretty clear vocal detail.

Unlike the others on the list, this model doesn’t have Wi-Fi, but you can listen to streaming audio from Bluetooth (with a stand-by option). The Bluetooth performance is pretty stable and does a pretty good job of transmitting audio without giving it a metallic ringing or distortion of any other nature.

Yamaha R-N303BL – also great

Yamaha and Sony are frequent competitors, and this time, I see no reason not to rekindle the fire between them with renewed vigor. At first glance, the R-N303BL, released in 2017, surpasses the STR-DH190 in the number of options, but my subjective feeling is that Yamaha, with its famous neutral sound, is worse at handling analog audio. But you can think otherwise, can’t you?

This amplifier, suitable with its parameters for turntable, also has 100W (8 Ohms, 40Hz – 20kHz) of power, but with less distortion, THD is 0.2%. But just when I turn on the amplifier for the turntable at full volume, its crystal clarity cools down the experience when listening to vinyl, for which I prefer the warmer sound of Sony. However, fans of heavy styles, including Metal, will find this specificity invaluable. It’s just perfect for shredding, sliding, all sorts of distortion, and solos, and yet the stereo receiver holds a good bass level.

Regarding wireless connectivity, the Yamaha R-N303BL has advantages over the Sony STR-DH190. They consist of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay, which greatly simplifies the use of content streaming services. Also, the receiver supports the work of voice assistants Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. I really liked the work of MusicCast, but it took quite a while to set it up. Music is available in lossless formats: DSD 5.6 MHz, FLAC, and WAV, but with signal processing only 96 kHz/24 bit, which, for today – not much.

But also, the number of connectors is a bit more: the receiver has 6/1 analog connections, of course, phono input, headphone output, digital optical and coaxial outputs, and Ethernet. It is also designed to connect 2 pairs of speakers.

Another drawback I want to point out is the push button frequency control. This control doesn’t give you smooth equalization and sound adjustments like the Groovy controls.

Denon AVR-S760H – AV receiver

The Denon AVR-S760H is the only multi-channel phono receiver in my ranking. The model released in 2021 has 7.2 channels of amplification, but I gave it more as an example to let you know that AV receivers are also great for vinyl. Such an all-in-one solution at a very reasonable price.

The receiver has less power than the stereo models described above at 75W (8 Ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 2ch) but has a better THD of 0.08%. With it, you can watch movies with popular Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound formats in a 5.2.2 configuration.

Of course, you’d expect a multi-channel receiver to have more connectors of various types, including a 3/1 HDMI port version 2.1. With it, you can watch videos with a resolution of 8K (the maximum for today) in UHD formats. The other 3 inputs are 4K video. It’s also great with modern gaming consoles, with ALLM, VRR, and QFT functionality.

But most importantly, its built-in turntable preamplifier handles analog sound just fine. Denon devices are generally famous for their brightness and dynamism, making them extremely popular among those who appreciate analog music. It should be noted separately that you should not expect an audiophile level even from a receiver of this rank, but we are talking here, rather, about the possibility. Invite your partner on a date, light candles, and safely turn on jazz. I guarantee AVR-S760H will not let you down.

The wide wireless connectivity is also worth noting, especially compared to the stereo receivers described above. And, of course, this model has some disadvantages. Still, since I’m not talking about video or surround sound in this review, and you are interested in multi-channel receivers, perhaps you should read this review.

Denon DRA-900H – network stereo receiver/2023 model

The last receiver in my rating for record player Denon DRA-900H is a brand new model for today, released in 2023. It is a network stereo receiver, which replaced the previous generation receiver Denon DRA-800H and has already won the same love and popularity among buyers.

In the new model, as in the previous one, a discrete high-current power amplifier with a symmetrical circuit and a powerful transformer with windings made of oxygen-free copper are used. This is wonderfully reflected in its sound, as clean, dynamic, and bright as in the above-described AVR-S760H. The brand keeps the sound high; even in medium-segment models, it uses high technologies.

The receiver has a power of 100 W (8 Ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, THD 0.08%, 2ch), which exceeds the power of the multi-channel AVR-S760H. And that’s a big plus. The receiver doesn’t overheat even at high volumes and sounds as clear as many more expensive models.

Denon has increased the number of HDMI ports; now they are 6/1 and have version 2.1. So, unlike the DRA-800H, the newcomer allows you to stream 8K video (not just 4K). The rest of the connectors are about the same, including the phono input, which is the most interesting for us in this review. We should also note the gold-plated RCA connectors, the most reliable and durable of the existing ones. Just a buzz.

Denon DRA-900H has the word “network” in its name for good reason. I don’t know what it can’t do. Voice assistants of all kinds, streaming services – there are no limits, multi-channel audio HEOS, which I appreciate above all others for its quality and simplicity, easy integration, and management. The stereo receiver’s DAC also handles the Hi-Res formats FLAC, WAV, ALAC 192kHz/24-bit, and DSD Audio Streaming 2.8/5.6MHz. But it’s disappointing that for all the contrivances of modernity, Denon hasn’t updated Bluetooth with support for advanced codecs, and its performance ultimately sucks. But I won’t cry; otherwise, the stereo receiver is smart. However, it may seem complicated for some users to set up.

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