The STR units are designed for Stereo listening and do not have the same connections or features that exist in the MRX or AVM family. While the AVM and MRX were designed for Home Theater and feature HDMI connections and more channels, the STR family is designed for the purest form of Stereo listening typically through Analog, Coaxial, PC USB,  or Optical sources. The STR also features a USB DAC option to connect directly to a source/streaming device to pass the audio at higher sampling rates. The answer to this question depends on the application. If you are interested in creating a Stereo listening environment, the STR family is the best of the best in our lineup of preamplifiers and amplifiers. If you want the best of both worlds, the STR Pre and STR Integrated offer Home Theater Bypass mode to integrate them into a multi-channel system.