http://www.techradar.com/news/best-av-receiver-2017-which-home-cinema-av-receiver-should-you-buy

If you want to really want to bring home the sound of movies, then you’ll need an AV receiver. Partnered with a suitable complement of loudspeakers, nothing else comes close to recreating the visceral excitement of a summer blockbuster, or an atmospheric chiller. 

Of course, AVRs offer rather more than big audio these days. They’re a hub for all your home entertainment needs, an intelligent switcher for TV set top boxes and games consoles, Blu-ray players and music streamers.