Getting ready to jump into the Blu-ray market? Or do you just want to find a killer holiday gift for a friend or family member? Well, before you go shopping, figure out what you should look for in a Blu-ray capable audio receiver.
Home Theater Model and Power Ratings
If you’re planning on upgrading to Blu-ray, you need to get a Blu-ray-capable receiver. The amplifier in the receiver will allow you to hear whatever you are watching or listening to in surround sound. But, what should you look for in a Blu-ray receiver? Well, there are a number of things to keep in mind as you search for the receiver best for you.
First of all, while this may not be a problem with the newer receivers, you should always go with a home theater model. This will allow you to have the full surround sound experience, especially if the Blu-ray player is going in your main room. For side rooms, the stereo model would probably work just fine. The home theater Blu-ray model will allow you to change music from your stereo into surround sound and will automatically adjust your speaker calibration for you.
Power ratings are also important. The higher the power wattage that you have, the more vibrant and comprehensive your sound output will be. Basically, your speaker sound will seem flat with lower wattage levels.
Decoding Dolby Digital and DTS
Always look for Blu-ray receivers that can decode both Dolby Digital and DTS sound, which allow you to create 5.1 surround sound. This shouldn’t be a problem with newer models as it should be standard. For more expensive systems, you can get surround sound with upwards of seven channels, which will help you get multi-dimensional sound. You should also go with a 
receiver that has high-current power since this will make your actions movies sound rich and full as opposed to dull.
If you’re planning to burn CDs or DVDs, you should buy a home theater receiver with digital audio output. You just need to make sure that it is compatible with your Blu-ray recorder’s digital input. You should also look for a receiver that has a phono input if you plan on having a turntable system hooked up. This may be harder to do since they’re not as common anymore.
Scaling and Extras
Another thing to look for is scaling. Scaling is the ability to take your older, non-Blu-ray DVDs and give them HD screen size. If you have a lot of standard DVDs, you should definitely buy a Blu-ray receiver that has this capability.
Finally, the more expensive Blu-ray receivers often come with a lot of extras like the ability to connect with your MP3 player, play satellite radio or hook up to your PC. If this is something that you’re interested in, you will have to pay for the privilege. But, if you do pay for the extras, the receiver should come with a nifty remote (possibly even a touch screen LCD screen) to control all of your devices.
Another thing to think about is total harmonic distortion, commonly known as THD. THD allows you to hear your movies or music with more true-to-life quality. The best amplifiers will come around or beneath the 0.1% mark.