Donner 5.2 Channel AV Receiver vs Denon AVR-X250BT AV Receiver

The Denon AVR-X250BT is the better receiver for most people. It decodes Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Surround, has five HDMI inputs, and its 130W-per-channel rating and Denon's long receiver track record give it more headroom and reliability. The Donner is the pick only if you need a phono input, two subwoofer outputs, or a 5.2 layout on a tight budget, and you can live without Dolby and DTS decoding. Owners of the Donner praise its input variety and gaming fit but warn about the missing surround codecs.

• Choose the Donner if you have a turntable, want two active subwoofers, and your sources send plain PCM or stereo audio you can matrix yourself.
• Choose the Denon if you watch movies or play games with Dolby or DTS soundtracks and want proper decoding plus five HDMI inputs.