Yes, you will need an AV receiver for your home theater system. An AV receiver is an important piece because it provides the different channels to amplify your audio, depending on the number of speakers your home theater system comes with. If you’ve connected your home theater system to your television and your music system, your AV receiver allows you to seamlessly switch between your video and audio components. Simply put, an AV receiver is the backbone of your home theater system and is necessary if you want high-quality surround-sound.