We’ve given away a handful of receivers over the years through contests. And we have plenty of articles on the blog focused on reviewing, advising, and educating on receivers. Yet, even as an editor familiar with this content, I still don’t know enough about what something like the Sony STR-AN1000 receiver, which we’re giving away, actually does. So, do you, like me, wonder what a receiver is and why you should have one in your home theatre set up? Then, read on to learn what one can do for you and enter for a chance to win!

What’s a receiver?

A receiver is a device that manages and transmits audio and video signals to connected devices. It both receives and sends signals through devices connected as inputs and outputs. For example, a receiver can efficiently facilitate 7.2 channel surround sound audio by receiving audio from a movie or a song (from your TV or record player) and sending it to the 7 connected speakers and 2 connected subwoofers in your audio system.

Before the early 2000s, receivers were certainly more common in home theatre setups. But then the technological landscape changed. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi actually became commonly used methods of wireless transmission. Portable speakers and streaming media from the world wide web meant that consumers didn’t have to have an old-fashioned bulky box with a mess of wires coming out of it in their living rooms. High quality sound bars, TVs with decent standalone audio, tablets, phones, and headphones are so convenient for watching and listening to media that we don’t really see the need for a product that centralizes these devices for us. So why does your home theatre need a receiver?

Modern receivers are designed for modern technology

You may think a receiver is an old-fashioned thing to have but, now that we have endless devices to enjoy media with, they’re more relevant than ever. For instance, the Sony STR-AN1000 is a modern receiver that supports Chromecast, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, and Spotify Connect so you can wireless play all your media no matter what device it’s on. It has six HDMI inputs so you can connect a TV, projector, or gaming console as well as your audio peripherals and enjoy low latency HD video from any input you choose. Two of the inputs will even upscale video from 4K to 8K and will support native 8K video when Ultra HD becomes more commonplace. In other words, the receiver futureproofs for you!

Jason, our resident film and audio expert, reviewed the STR-AN1000 and found that it could easily handle challenging music while still delivering nuance and volume. It will also support a full 7.2 speaker set up, and additional wireless speakers too, so you can enjoy cinema-worthy audio. With these excellent features (and you can read the full review to find out even more!) you can be assured that your media set up is in good hands. With more and more devices becoming part of our daily world, receivers are designed for managing a growing network so that you can enjoy audio and video in excellent quality and with more convenience.

How to enter

Entering this contest is easy and you can enter in two different ways.

  1. In a comment below, tell us one reason why you’d want to add a receiver to your home entertainment set up.
  2. In a comment below Jason’s review of the Sony STR-AN1000 receiver, tell us two of its features you believe provide the most value for you.

What you can win

At the end of this contest we will randomly select one winner from all eligible entries. The winner will receive the Sony STR-AN1000 receiver that was used for a review on the blog.

This contest runs from May 31st to June 14th.

Remember, you can enter this contest in two different ways. Receivers can take the experience of home entertainment to movie theatre levels so make sure to share this contest with anyone you think would enjoy some elevated media in their life.

Good luck!

Sony Receiver Contest Rules and Regulations

Mahima Bhagwat
Mahima is an editor at Best Buy Canada. She likes to watch sci-fi, supernatural, horror, and comedy TV shows and movies, and plays video games in her free time. When not avidly consuming content, she pursues her passion for storytelling by editing books and short stories, specializing in speculative fiction.

619 COMMENTS

  1. My TV speakers are good, but no comparison to what this Sony Receiver is capable of. And sound matters !

  2. I’m still using my TV’s built-in speakers, so a receiver and external speakers would be a huge upgrade.

  3. I’d like a receiver to centralize cable management, simplify audio / video enhancements and get a more immersive experience.

  4. I want to add a receiver to my home entertainment set up to give me more flexibility, add inputs, 8K switching, along with big power and impact!

  5. I want to add a (new) receiver to my setup because the one I have is quite outdated and I want to get new speakers. I can’t use the new speakers I want with this old receiver.

  6. Would be great to add a receiver to my home entertainment set so I can wireless play all media from any of my devices.

  7. I want to add this Sony receiver to my home entertainment centre so I could have movie theatre like Dolby Atmos sound.

  8. It would allow me to play all types of media on my home theatre system. This would make life easier and give me so many options.

  9. My current entertainment set up is quite outdated (2011) so a receiver that is compatible with wireless capabilities and 4K images would mean a huge improvement in overall quality of what I watch and play i addition to ease of use

  10. Would be great to add a receiver to my home entertainment set so I can wireless play all media from any of my devices.

  11. Been dying to get my hands on one of these for a while.
    The video upscale to 4k would be amazing. Then I could upgrade my tv to match it and the family would love it.

    Do lots of movie nights so this would be ideal to step up quality!

  12. I would love to win one of these because I want to convert our playroom into a theatre/music room

  13. There are three reasons why I’d love to add this receiver to my setup. It simplifies connectivity, because all my devices would connect to it, ensuring that the video and sound format is always used from the source. It would also allow a full Dolby Atmos setup with height channels for a totally immersive experience. And lastly, Sony receivers are known to be the best among their class for sound quality. It’s been a while since Sony released a receiver and this one has all the latest features you could want to be future proofed for the upcoming years.

  14. I want to add this Sony receiver to my home entertainment centre so I could have movie theatre like Dolby Atmos sound.

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