At the heart of every home theater system and music system is the AVR (audio / video receiver), and to overlook the importance of the receiver when putting together your new home theater will certainly cause you a lot of heartache down the road. All of the main functions are controlled through the AVR - with the most important function being the processing of the audio signal from the source component. That means that all of the sound you hear from your speakers has first been processed by the AVR, which leaves no doubt about just how important the AVR is to a great sounding audio system.

This is why I always recommend that the start of any new audio system begins with the receiver. Some of the most important points to consider include:

• Do you need surround sound format processing for all of the latest formats? (Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD MA)
• Do you need pre-amp outputs for connecting external amplifiers?
• Do you need component or HDMI switching / pass-through?
• Do you need video upscaling, or does your DVD player already take care of that?
• How much output power (watts per channel) do you need?
• Are you planning for a 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 surround sound system?
• Will you calibrate the system by ear, or will an auto-calibrate or auto-equalizer feature help to set up your system?
• Do you need multi-zone capabilities to listen to music in more than one room?

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should give you an idea of the main topics to focus on when you are shopping for a new audio / video receiver.

I recommend reading reviews of receivers online, and also taking some time to do comparison shopping online. This is useful even if you decide to actually purchase the receiver at a local electronics store, because then you will have an idea of the various makes and models that have all of the features you are looking for - as well as an idea of the prices available online. This is very useful information to have before you encounter the salesman at the local electronics store (who will naturally do his best to convince you that you should buy one of the most expensive receivers in the store!).