Buying audio for your TV is getting more expensive. For example, the Marshall Heston 120 soundbar that went on sale for $1,000 in May is now $1,300, and the company says tariffs are to blame. How, then, can we buy good quality audio without spending bucketloads? What about a budget receiver and speakers?
Denon's new AVR-S270BT AV receiver is $299 (roughly £220) at Costco and offers many of the features you need for a modern system. It has 5.1-channel surround sound, plus HDMI connectivity with 4K video and Bluetooth streaming.
The receiver may not have Dolby Atmos decoding, but it does have Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio. It has five 4K HDMI inputs with HDR passthrough, as well as HDMI ARC, so you can stream Netflix and Disney Plus from your TV or streaming device.
Add a couple of Debut 3.0 bookshelf speakers and you could have a tidy system for much less than you'd pay for a single, subwoofer-less soundbar like the Sonos Arc Ultra.
This is the latest in Denon's AVR-Sx70 receiver line and, as the last models were released in 2023, it looks like the range will be sticking around a while longer. I haven't heard the AVR-S270BT, but the company's receivers I've tested have a mellower sound that's great for music.
The Denon AVR-S270BTis also available on Denon.com for $399.
Read more: Best AV Receivers of 2025