Marantz knows AV receivers. The NR1510 is their answer for anyone who wants serious home theater sound without a rack-sized component dominating their living room. At roughly half the height of a standard receiver, it fits neatly into open shelving or a media console where most full-size units simply won’t go.

The NR1510 drives five channels with enough power to fill a medium-sized room with clear, detailed sound. It handles Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, so you get the full dynamic range from Blu-rays and streaming content. Six HDMI inputs, including one conveniently placed on the front panel, support 4K video and eARC for sending audio back from your TV. Wi-Fi and Amazon Alexa integration mean you can stream music and control playback without a remote.

Battery life isn’t a factor here, but you will need two AAA batteries for the remote (they’re included). The slim chassis does limit the NR1510 to 5.2 channels, so you won’t be building a 7.1 or Atmos setup. If you need a compact, capable receiver for a straightforward surround system, this is a clean, honest choice.