4 reasons I skip new receivers and buy used

• You can save a lot of money
• You might not need cutting-edge features
• Spare rooms are perfect for used receivers
• You want to upgrade without getting a soundbar

An audio receiver is often necessary for people who want to take their sound to the next level. Yes, you can utilize various TV ports or get a soundbar, but the only way to get true surround sound is to, well, get true surround sound. Those speakers will need something to plug into, and that means you’ll need a receiver.

Receivers come in many shapes and sizes, and you might already know that these can get quite pricey. If you need the latest features, such as Dolby Atmos and 4K HDMI support, then you can expect to spend a few hundred dollars on one, and that’s only if you shop for lower-end options. In my experience, you don’t always have to shop for new receivers. If you open the door to the used market, you can find a wide range of receivers that easily fit what you’re looking for. It has worked perfectly for me, and depending on what you’re looking for, it can work for you as well.

You can save a lot of money

Don’t break the bank

Receivers aren’t cheap if you’re buying something capable of surround sound. You can typically find a cheap stereo receiver for well under $100, and you might even be surprised by how much of a punch those can pack. However, most name-brand receivers cost a few hundred dollars. What a lot of people might not know is that you can find plenty of big names used, and you can often find them in good shape.

I picked up a 7.1 Yamaha receiver for just $15 through Goodwill Auctions. More specifically, it’s the RX-V571, a receiver that dates all the way back to 2011 and retailed for $500. This means it has its share of limitations, notably a lack of 4K HDMI support and Dolby Atmos, but that’s okay. I was able to get a perfectly good piece of technology for a low price. It’s currently powering a stereo setup in a spare bedroom, and it’s nice to have the ability to build out a true surround sound setup. I have my main Atmos setup in my living room, so this is perfect for a secondary area, and I’m glad I went with a used option.

You might not need cutting-edge features

DIfferent strokes for different folks

I love Dolby Atmos as much as the next person, but as I mentioned before, you don’t really need it for every room. If this fits what you’re looking for, you can find an older receiver for a lot cheaper that doesn’t have these features. Using Goodwill Auctions as an example again, I found that a lot of the more modern receivers with Atmos support tend to get a lot more bids than something that doesn’t.

People seem to value their modern features, and I don’t blame them. However, you can find quite the deal if you’re willing to live without them. Also, if we’re being honest, 7.1 surround sound, even without having Atmos, still sounds very good. Not having 4K support can be a bummer, but it’s not a huge issue as long as you have a 4K TV with enough HDMI ports.

Spare rooms are perfect for used receivers

You don’t need the best of the best

Coming back around for spare rooms, I don’t think it’s worth dumping a lot of money into them. My main viewing area is where the most of my tinkering happens, and I don’t put anywhere near the same level of love and care into my spare rooms. In fact, my spare room is basically filled with hand-me-downs, whether it’s an old PC, my old game consoles, and now an old receiver.

Stereo receivers don’t leave room for upgrades, so a 5.1 receiver might be better for you.

I like to thrift shop quite a bit, and if I find something cool, I tend to throw it into a spare room to mess around with. That’s exactly where I put my CRT TV, and it’s where I put my receiver that I found at Goodwill. There’s really no need to spend hundreds of dollars on something just to tuck it away in a room that doesn’t get constant use. The used market really shines in scenarios like this.

You want to upgrade without getting a soundbar

This can beat a soundbar for cheaper

Soundbars are about as convenient as it gets when it comes to upgrading TV audio. However, you can build a soundbar killer for under $100. In fact, I did exactly that with a thrifted receiver and a pair of used speakers. There’s no reason you can’t do the same. The one thing working against a receiver is that it takes up a lot of space, and it’s a lot more work to get set up than a soundbar is.

If you open the door to the used market, you can find a wide range of receivers that easily fit what you’re looking for. It has worked perfectly for me, and depending on what you’re looking for, it can work for you as well.

If you’re willing to put in the time, I think you’ll be very happy with the results. I can’t imagine going back to a soundbar after using actual speakers. Yes, you have to do some research to figure out what you need for your space, but that’s one of my favorite things about getting into a hobby. You’ll be surprised by how cheap you can go while still getting a quality product.