Low-end receivers generally start at about $200 working all of the way up the pole to thousands for high-end ones. The more you spend, the more you are getting. Options you should pay interest to are number of audio and video inputs, how customizable the sound frequencies are, and how much power it outputs. There are even more options where getting into receivers than what you might originally think of. For your high-end systems, most systems have what are called separates (Click HERE for Reviews). Separates are when you have an amplifier and then have a receiver and/or tuner as a separate component. There is constantly a raging argument between audio buffs as to which produces better quality sound.

          Mentioned above was THX, Lucas Films interpretation of theater sound.  Lucas Films has their own set of standards that requires a few extra circuits to be in place on components before even getting considered to be THX-Certified. Don't be fooled though, just because the makers of Star Wars have this great prestige, it doesn't mean that it is always the best sound.

          The other option for higher-end sound is AC-3, Dolby's new Surround System. One improvement of AC-3 over Dolby Pro Logic is the separating of sounds between the front-left, center, and front-right speaker. The filtering systems have improved greatly, making it a much more definable sound format. Another plus for AC-3 is the addition of a separate channel for sub-woofers (bass). What many call the biggest improvement is the ability to produce stereo sound from the rear surrounds rather than the previous mono. To attain AC-3 sound one must have an AC-3 receiver, an input that can handle AC-3.