If you’re looking for a home theater receiver that packs in features, but doesn’t cost too much, Yamaha has a new model for you. The RX-V373 carries an MSRP of only $299, yet it’s got a nice list of highlights for music and movies.

That list starts with a front USB slot to connect your iPod or iWhatever or an external hard drive. Then there’s the automatic calibration system Yamaha calls YPAO. With YPAO, you hook up a microphone and let the receive send out test tones to set up the receiver for your room.

If you think a 4K TV or projector may be in your future, the RX-V373 offers 4K video pass through on the HDMI pipeline (it includes 4 HDMI inputs and 1 output). It also of course supports 3D and Audio Return Channel (so the streaming audio from your smart TV can be played back on your receiver.

For audio processing, the RX-V373 offers decoding of Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio.

What you don’t get for that $299 is 7.1 or higher channel support. This is a 5.1 system (100W per channel with 192 kHz/24-bit Burr Brown DACs for all channels), which honestly is what most people use in their living rooms and basic home theaters.

Grant Clauser - Technology and Web Editor, Electronic House

Grant Clauser has been covering home electronics for more than 10 years with editorial roles in several consumer and trade magazines. He's done ISF-level damage to hundreds of reviewed products and has had audio training from Home Acoustics Alliance and Sencore. He's also the author of the book The Trouble with Rivers. Follow him on Twitter @geclauser.