The pre-out count decides whether a receiver can ever hand a channel to an external amplifier. We read the published figure for all 16 receivers in the database. 12 publish usable main-zone pre-outs, 2 publish none, and 2 do not publish the figure at all.
Last verified: 8 August 2026
Why this is the number to check
Amplified channels tell you what the receiver drives today. Pre-out channels tell you what you can still do with it in three years, when the speakers change or the room does. A receiver with full pre-outs can hand every channel to an outboard amplifier and become a processor. A receiver with none can never do it, at any price, and the specification line that says so is written in a way that is easy to misread — one manufacturer publishes “Multichannel Pre-out: Yes (0.2)” for a receiver with zero main-zone pre-out channels.
The full reading of that spec line is in The receiver spec that decides whether you can ever upgrade.
Receivers that publish main-zone pre-outs
| # | Receiver | Main-zone pre-outs | Amplified ch. | Processing ch. | 4-ohm rating | Price | Source | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denon AVR-A1H | 17 | 15 | 15 | not published | $7,199 | source | Check price |
| 2 | Marantz AV 10 (processor, no amplification) | 17 | 0 | 15 | not published | $8,000 | source | Check price |
| 3 | Denon AVR-X3800H | 11 | 9 | 11 | not published | $1,799 | source | Check price |
| 4 | Denon AVR-X4800H | 11 | 9 | 11 | not published | $2,799 | source | Check price |
| 5 | Marantz CINEMA 50 | 11 | 9 | 11 | not published | $2,800 | source | Check price |
| 6 | Marantz CINEMA 40 | 11 | 9 | 11 | not published | $3,800 | source | Check price |
| 7 | Yamaha RX-A6A | 11 | 9 | 11 | not published | not published | source | Check price |
| 8 | Marantz CINEMA 70s | 7 | 7 | 7 | not published | $1,300 | source | Check price |
| 9 | Marantz CINEMA 60 | 7 | 7 | 7 | not published | $1,800 | source | Check price |
| 10 | Yamaha RX-A4A | 7 | 7 | 7 | not published | not published | source | Check price |
| 11 | Denon AVR-X1800H | 2 | 7 | 7 | not published | $849 | source | Check price |
| 12 | Yamaha RX-V6A | 2 | 7 | 7 | not published | not published | source | Check price |
Receivers that publish no main-zone pre-outs
These cannot pass a main-zone channel to an external amplifier. That is not a fault, but it is a ceiling, and it is worth knowing before rather than after.
| Receiver | Main-zone pre-outs | What is published | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denon AVR-X2800H | 0 | Denon publishes “Multichannel Pre-out Yes (0.2)” — the (0.2) means ZERO main-zone pre-out channels and 2 subwoofer outputs. Bi-amp is assignable but reassigns internal amps. Zone 2 pre-out feeds Zone 2 only. | $1,299 | source |
| Onkyo TX-NR6100 | 0 | North American models: no main-zone pre-out. Onkyo documents “PRE OUT FRONT jacks (European, Australian and Asian models)”, so non-NA stock DOES have a front-channel pre-out. Region-dependent. | not published | source |
Receivers where the figure is not published
We leave these blank rather than counting the jacks in a product photograph.
Related
- The receiver spec that decides whether you can ever upgrade — how to read the pre-out line
- Which AV receivers actually publish a 4-ohm rating — the load question
- Atmos Layout & Amp Assignment Planner — which channels your layout needs an outboard amplifier for
- The gear database — every figure above, with its source
- How we work — the method, and where it breaks