Users who want to build a home theater with high-quality sound should understand that without a good receiver, nothing will come of it. The AV receiver is the alpha and omega of even the simplest movie theater. It is he who is responsible for the quality of sound and image. There are, of course, ready-made kits, but their composition, as a rule, contains extremely weak and low-quality devices. Therefore, the receiver is recommended to be purchased separately. In this regard, the Sony AV receiver is very interesting. This company is known for its high-quality devices, but in the world of receivers and home cinema, it is not very much appreciated. But in vain. Its products are much cheaper than the legendary Yamaha. And the quality is no worse.
A little bit about the company
Japanese home electronics maker Sony began its glorious journey back in 1946. At that time, the future giant was engaged in the production and repair of radios. Ten years later, the company released the first tape recorder. The Japanese earned universal recognition after entering the international arena. Sony’s most popular products included televisions, tape recorders, CD players, DVD players, AV receivers, and speakers. A little later, the company also mastered the household appliance segment.
Sony nowadays
Currently, the corporation has become so versatile that it had to split into several subsidiaries. And not all of them are related to consumer electronics. So, there is a Sony record label, a department for the production of game consoles, the home theater sector and more. AV receivers still apply to consumer electronics. It is worth considering the most popular models. They belong to the budget segment, have sufficient power and a good set of functions. Let's start with the "veteran".
Sony STR-DN860
This receiver cannot brag of support of the fashionable Dolby Atmos technology, but it copes with its duties perfectly. The Sony STR-DN860 AV receiver has a rated power of 95 watts per channel. Total channels - 7 (including one on the subwoofer). Nevertheless, according to user reviews, this receiver has a powerful, sophisticated and convincing sound. Despite the lack of support for Atmos, the device confidently scatters effects across channels and does not confuse them. Feature is a powerful rumble bass. Equally realistic sounds like the bass and the roar of the turbines of an airplane taking off. The explosions are so realistic that at a certain volume the neighbors will honor you with their full and undivided attention.
Features of the DN860 Model
There is another feature of a device such as the Sony STR-DN860 AV receiver. Column tuning is done automatically. For this, a special microphone is included with the device. If you connect it to the receiver, the device will quickly receive a request for the placement of speakers in the room and configure the speakers in accordance with the information received. Errors are extremely rare because the device uses an advanced tuning algorithm. The receiver has support for audio transmission via Bluetooth, a fair amount of HDMI connectors (one of them, by the way, supports 4K video transmission), support for streaming via DLNA and AirPort, and many other options.
Sony STR-DN1060
This model is somewhat fresher than the previous one, but this does not mean at all that it is better. Sony STR-DN1060 has more disadvantages than the receiver described above. So let's get started. First, there are far fewer HDMI connectors. Only two. This is very small if you plan to connect a PC, TV and some Blu-ray player to the device. Also, the 1060 model cannot boast of a wide range of wireless capabilities. For many, however, this is not critical, since they do not recognize the quality of wireless sound. Also, the receiver has a whole maze of various settings. And getting lost in them is easy. However, the device has a power of 120 watts per channel. The format of the speaker system supported by the receiver is 7.2. But you can use acoustics with one subwoofer. This is uncritical.
But setting up the speakers, this Sony AV receiver is just superb. After automatic tuning, I only had to turn the subwoofer volume down. This is all the proprietary DCAC tuning system. The receiver copes with multi-channel sound in movies. Full Dolby Atmos support does the trick. However, the music sounds no worse, both multichannel DTS tracks and stereo compositions. True, it is better to use recordings in the FLAC format for playback. They allow you to feel the full depth of the scene. Well, the speaker system must match the level of the receiver.
Sony STR-DB1070
Another device with full Dolby Atmos support. This version is devoid of all the shortcomings of the 1060. It is worth warning that Sony STR-DB1070 AV receivers are mid-range devices. Therefore, they can be significantly more expensive than previous models. The main difference is the integrated processor. It supports much more codecs and has advanced wireless streaming options. In some cases this is very important. Unlike the previous version, the number of HDMI connectors increased to eight. And half of them support 4K resolution. The power of the device is 120 watts per channel. The format of the supported speaker system is 7.2. This is standard for modern entry-level and mid-range receivers. In general, good functionality for such a device. All wireless interfaces are present. And this is the main thing.
Sony’s automatic satellite calibration system works just fine. Probably, the company's engineers brought this option to mind. It is enough to connect the microphone, place it in the intended location of the listeners and press one button on the remote control. Sony AV receiver model DB1070 provides high-quality sound when playing almost any source. The main thing is that the audio file is of appropriate quality. There is a wide dynamic range, a deep study of bass, crystal clear high frequencies and legible midrange. But this is only subject to the availability of a high-quality and appropriate speaker system.
Sony STR-DA1200ES
This Sony AV receiver is just an audiophile's dream. But it costs accordingly. Its power is 100 watts per channel. Supports 7.1 speakers. At the same time, it is more suitable for listening to music than for watching movies. No, he manages the multi-channel sound of the movie well, but the music sounds much better. It affects the excellent quality of the built-in DAC. Deep bass, wide scene, clean high, almost perfect mids. In general, this is not a receiver, but a dream. At the same time, the device has all the necessary wireless interfaces, a convincing number of HDMI connectors, not to mention a whole bunch of RCA connectors. Naturally, support for Dolby Atmos in a device of this level is available. No way without it. A proprietary option for adjusting and calibrating the sound of DCAC speakers from Sony is also available. The Sony STR-DA1200ES Silver AV receiver (in silver) looks especially interesting in any interior. This is a universal device.
It is worth mentioning that this receiver supports AptX wireless technology. It allows you to transfer high-bitrate audio stream wirelessly. And this means that the sound quality of such a device will not be inferior to the option with a connection through a classic cable. That is why the device is called the "dream of an audiophile." However, according to the classics and instructions, it is better to use high-quality cables to connect to the sound source. Wireless streaming is good when high sound quality is not required. Keep this in mind when operating this AV receiver. Nevertheless, this is the best option for those who want to achieve high-quality sound.
Conclusion
So which Sony AV receiver to purchase? It depends on your preferences and financial capabilities. The cheapest receiver on our list is no worse than the most expensive. All provide high quality sound. Just some have advanced functionality. And whether you need it is up to you.