For those familiar with our duo of Award-winning amplifiers, this year's What Hi-Fi? Awards will likely provide you with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
Yes, Sony's TA-AN1000 and the Marantz Cinema 30 remain the top two choices, as the 'Best home cinema amplifier under £1500' and 'Best home cinema amplifier over £1500', respectively; and while we would have loved to have replaced either, or both, of these amplifiers this year, the fact of the matter is that no competitors could beat these models.
Overall, it's been a fairly quiet year for AVRs in our testing room. Denon's AVR-X2900H (we'll touch on that later) was the only 2026 model we tested, and we finally got around to also testing the exceptional AVC-A1H, too,
Yamaha's new budget AVRs and Arcam's new Radia range haven't made it to our testing room yet, but we hope to rectify this soon. We're hoping that they could pose a threat to these unshakeable Award winners, but until then, let's take another look at our pair of reigning champions.
Sony strikes again...
The Sony earns a spot on our Awards list for the fourth consecutive year, which is both a good and bad thing. Ultimately, the Sony's sonic presentation is still hugely impressive for the money, but Sony's approach to AVRs is starting to feel a bit "bare minimum" for our liking.
This home cinema amplifier has been Sony's one and only option here in the UK since it launched in 2023, and there has since been no sign of a successor, or even any more models in the range. That said, there has also been very little in the way of competition up until this year, although Denon sought to change that with the launch of the AVR-X2900H.
While that amplifier tried with all its might to knock the Sony off the podium, we found that it ultimately leaned too hard into deep bass and a big, rich sound, while sacrificing agility and bass definition in the process.
We must commend Denon on its valiant effort; however, the Sony TA-AN1000's exceptional handling of dynamics, energetic and agile sound, and impactful, tuneful bass keep it on this list.
Now, looking forward to 2027, any chance of a new Sony AVR? We'll be waiting...
Marantz brings the class...
Moving on to the Marantz Cinema 30, this flagship AVR is enjoying its third year on our Awards list. It's held a permanent place on the rack in our home cinema testing room since we first unboxed it in 2024, and we certainly don't mind.
This AVR looks as good as it sounds: the textured finish, subtle accent lighting, and iconic Marantz porthole display hint at the luxurious and rich audio experience it goes on to provide. The Cinema 30 is bold, broad, exceptionally detailed and superbly immersive, taking any movie or song we throw at it in its stride.
While Marantz launched a few "Series 2" upgraded AV amplifiers earlier this year, the Cinema 30 wasn't included in that upgrade cycle – although we hope that Marantz is hard at work on a levelled-up model. As for now, this classy, grown-up amplifier remains the best premium option.
Now, it's a two-horse race for the Product of the Year position, which will be revealed on the 12th November at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 ceremony. Are you siding on team Sony, or is your money on the Marantz? All will be revealed in just over a week, so stay tuned...
MORE:
Find all of our 2026 What Hi-Fi? Award winners here
Check out our picks for the best AV receivers
As well as the best surround sound systems
