In the world of inexpensive A/V receivers, the Yamaha RX-V361 is everything an entry-level AV receiver should be and then some. A total of 500 total watts (into five channels), Dolby Digital and DTS decoders built in, and component switching at this price make it hard to find much to complain about. Plus, operating this A/V receiver is made very easy with Yamaha's SCENE buttons added to the front panel and the remote.

The RX-V361 offers 100 watts in five channels, which is plenty of power for most home theaters. For movies, it offers Dolby Digital Pro Logic II and DTS digital sound/Neo:6 for digital surround sound. It also offers a total of eight DSP programs (three designed for music and five for movies) for plenty of surround sound options. Yamaha's Silent Cinema sound field imaging even makes it possible to enjoy surround sound through normal headphones.

For music lovers, this receiver is XM-ready with XM surround powered by Neural Surround. A front panel mini jack can be used to hook up portable MP3 audio players, and to make your MP3 audio files sound great, it offers Yamaha's Compressed Music Enhancer that is designed to help add highs and lows taking out of songs during compression. For those multi-channel audio fans, this receiver also offers multi-channel audio (6 channels) inputs.

The connectivity options include three HDTV compatible component inputs (one output) as well as three composite video inputs (one output). The back panel has spring clip-type speaker terminals for the center and surround channels, but there is a pair of 5-way binding post speaker terminals (which can accommodate banana plugs) for the front stereo speakers. Audio connections include two optical inputs, one digital coaxial input and several analog stereo inputs. There are some compromises to be made for the low price tag; in this case, it is lack of HDMI connectivity and an on-screen display. It should be noted that there are no S-video inputs or outputs on this receiver. If your system has sources that require S-video, you will want to bump up to the RX-V461 for $100 more. (Or better yet, Christmas is coming, just upgrade to new source electronics that offer component outputs.)

In terms of how easy it is to use, this receiver really excels. The feature that really makes this AV receiver stand out from all other brands is the SCENE settings offered by Yamaha. The receiver comes with four preset SCENE buttons (available on the front panel and the remote) that make the four most typical operating scenarios easier than ever. These four numbered settings are initially set to DVD viewing, Disc Listening, TV Viewing, and Radio Listening. To make the receiver even more user-friendly, these four settings can be customized to whatever settings you use most (XM radio, video gaming, etc.).

While it does not give you HDMI connectivity or the option to expand to 7-channel surround modes, the Yamaha RX-V361 packs in a lot of power, along with all the basic surround sound processing you need to get your home theater started at an unbelievably low price. This receiver would be a great option for anyone looking to get into home theater without spending a lot of money.

Pros: Plenty of power, MP3 Player compatible, great value
Cons: no HDMI or on-screen display, spring clip speaker terminals for center and surrounds, only 5-channel surround

Warranty
2 years