For those in the midst of assembling a home audio system, one component that raises a lot of questions is the pre-amplifier. After all, if you already have a powerful amplifier and quality speakers, why do you need another piece of equipment? In a high-performance AV separates setup, a pre-amplifier plays a crucial role. It's important to understand its function and what to look for when purchasing one.

Digital music formats are ubiquitous — even the staunchest vinyl supporter can admit that there's a lot of appeal to holding your entire music catalog in the palm of your hand or hosted on a server.

If you're passionate about achieving fantastic turntable sound, you're certainly not alone: The vinyl record revival is still going strong. According to a report from Nielsen, 2016 saw music enthusiasts buying 13 million new copies of releases in the format, marking 11 straight years of sales growth.

If you're in the market for an AV receiver and don’t have much experience reading back panel specifications, you may find yourself looking at a spec sheet with numbers that might seem confusing. For shoppers who don't already have a solid grounding in home audio technology, reading these specifications to find the right component for them can be a struggle. With a little guidance, choosing a home theater receiver can be a simpler process. Here are some of the questions to ask when shopping for a potential receiver.