Customer Reviews

Sony STR-DG1000 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This receiver has done everything I need it to do. While it does not have the fancy on-screen features as the more expensive "ES" models, it has a very good variety of settings for almost any speaker set-up, as well as a useful auto-calibrate feature that saves time when setting everything up.

The best feature by far is the programmable remote with learning capability. After a string of failures with "all-in-one" remotes, I have finally replaced EVERY remote with the receiver remote (granted, all but 3 of my components are already Sonys, but still...). It takes a while to figure out, but the convenience factor is through the roof. Unfortunately the manual does not provide a very thorough list of cable box codes, but there are ways around this if you're creative enough.

Overall, when we upgraded our entire theater (also bought a KDS-R60XBR2 60" projection TV) all the focus was on the TV. While the TV is great, I've been most impressed with the receiver. It also is well complimented by Sony's SA WM-250 100 Watt subwoofer, SS-CR350H Center & Surround Speaker Package, and SS-MF650H 180 Watt Front Speakers. Also, if you have one available, you can use your old center speaker for the "Surround Back" channel, and have full 6.1 available in your living room (or even 7.1 if you have two speakers to hook up for "surround back").

PS: If you decide to use the "powered second room" feature, which can operate another device completely independently and output on another TV, you will have to give up the 6th and 7th channel (surround Back Left & Right) to do it.

It's hard to imagine that anyone could have a collection of old and new hi-fi peripherals that couldn't be hooked up to this beast. Check out the back panel view above. The only problem is you will need to carefully plan your hookups, because once a set of jacks is surrounded, you'll never get something plugged in or out of it (at least with just fingers). Mine handles a phonograph, 2 VCRs, an LD player, a DVD player, and a CD player. There are jacks available for a tape deck or other audio recorder. All video hookups are your choice of composite, s-video, component, or HDMI. The DG-1000 will do any conversion you need from one to another automatically.

Flexibility is great. You can reassign digital audio inputs (optical and coax) as needed. The rear surround channels (useless, IMHO) can be setup to provide secondary entertainment in another room, or can be used to bi-amp your front speakers.

Automatic setup is terrific. I found that half my speakers were out of phase. It measures the relative power, distance, and phase of all your speakers, then automatically stores adjustments. So you should easily get extremely well-balanced sound. Thank goodness for the on-screen setup, because it is complicated. But it just takes some manual reading to get it.

Another reviewer said he upgraded from a 1998 STR-DE925, which I did also. I really liked it, but this STR-DG1000 just has so much more. I'll be growing into it for a while. A very worthwhile investment, and I see the price has already dropped $11 in 2 weeks.

I have had Sony equipment on and off for years. I had just bought the new Sony 52" HDMI Flat screen and my old receiver was not equiped for HDMI. I looked around a fair bit and compared dynamics and prices.I eventually got the Sony and am glad that I did. Our TV room rocks now with sounds I didn't know existed. Wonderful clarity, great highs and big deep lows. Watching movies with this set up, I really do feel like I am getting the movie experience.

Video processing through DG-1000 is better than when I had DVD & DirecTV satellite hooked directly to TV. Just perfect. (see below) Also excellent surround sound for movies and music--very versatile. However the unit is big and runs hot. It's also the most complicated electronic device I have in my home, after my computer. It took a lot of time and patience to set up, and I'm still experimenting with settings after one month. Still, well worth the time. I chose this over the SONY STR-DG910 because of better specs. (my set-up: HDMI from SONY DVPNS75H DVD player; HDMI from DirecTV 1080i TIVO; into SONY Bravia 42-inch LCD 1080p TV. Sound is 5.1 ORB speakers in 10x8 room.)

I'm simply elated over this receiver! How it looks, performs, the features and price. I'm coming from an old 1998 Sony STR DE-925 Receiver that's a 5.1 set up. While my old system was great, especially the sound quality, this new one is the MAC DADDY!! It looks like a sports car with allot of muscle. Not sexy but all business.

I love the on screen set up and the auto set up feature. The 5 EQ presets, 4 Component video and 3 HDMI inputs. But the thing that got me the most was the POWER! WOW!! 120W per channel and they weren't kidding. It sounds awesome and really drives my KLH 911b bookshelf speakers. Very little volume to produce huge sound that fills my 17x20 game room. I'm testing the receiver with The Eagles DVD, their Hell Freezes Over and the Fairwell vol I, also the group Extreme-Greatest Video Hits and Janet Jackson's Greatest Video Hits.

If you're a Sony fan and can't afford their ES line or just looking for a system you can grow into, I highly recommend this model. It does as little as you want and more than you need.

NEXT UP: Phoenix gold 8" in wall front Left and Right speakers, 6.5 Rear and 6.5 round ceiling speakers. Then a good center to help show off this bad MAC DADDY.

The Sony STR-DG1000 received some poor reviews based largely on the quality of the DVD upconversion and somewhat on the lack of graphical content in the onscreen menus. Even these reviews, however, stated that the sound was very good! IMHO, the sound is terrific and it works very well as the audio part of a HTS. Although the graphics can only be described as functional, this meets 100% of my requirement and I have had no problems adjusting the receiver. The bottom line is that it is a lot of receiver at the very attractive Amazon discount price.

When I recently upgraded to a Hi-def TV, I knew that I needed to get a receiver that could handle HDMI, and after much shopping around I finally decided to Go with this one, and I am very happy with that decision. The sound is AMAZING! The lows are especially nice, but everything is crystal clear. I also love all of the options for inputs. You can attach anything to this bad boy, and it is ahead of the curve enough that you won't need anything else for a long time, if ever! The only down side with this receiver is that the on screen menus are a bit quirky and the instructions are confusing at times. Programming the remote if you don't have the 3 digit codes is especially a pain. The instructions use that example to teach two things at once, which just needlessly confuses matters. The less than perfect user-friendliness is the only reason I leave 4 stars instead of 5. Ultimately, those are small issues and with some patience you can work through them. Don't let small matters like those deter you from considering this gem of a receiver!

I had many receivers over the year and this one is the best. Sounds great on my Martin Logan and Vienna Accoustics. For me, its all about the sound quality and this one is up there with the best and an incredible price...

I wanted to upgrade my home theater from the H&K AVR730, which was amazing too mainly because of the lack of HDMI inputs and to suite more my New 70inch Sony KDS-R70XBR2, so I decided to go with the DG1000. I have hooked it with Bose Acoustimass 5.1 channel speakers, and it's simply amazing :). The only negative thing on my personal opinion which why I gave it 4 out of 5 is the old fashion look, I wish Sony have put some more effort on the Design to make it look a littlie bit more sexy.

I have been a Sony fan since as long as I can remember... I've owned many Sony receivers, and by far this is the best one I've owned. The hookup is all HDMI if you have the components. I have a PS3 and an HD cable box hooked to it with Monster M1000 HDTV HDMI cables(3 cables total), and a Home Theater Reference HTS 3600 MKII PowerCenter(tm) with Clean Power(tm) Stage 3 v.2.1 by Monster then out to a 50" Sony rear projection TV... These two things are what really made a difference. I can't stress enough how important clean power and better cables are. The cables and clean power brought noticeably higher audio levels from the rears and a little improvement in picture quality. I didn't need the output to another room so I have 7 speakers hooked to it, with 2 Tower speakers hooked to the front "B" channel also, resulting in a 9 speaker hookup, with a 15" Sony Subwoofer hooked up by subwoofer cable. If you have the ability to hook your front speakers through your Sub you can also use the Sub when receiving 2 channel Stereo sources, which sounds awesome... The sound is amazing and incredibly life-like. If anyone has this receiver and switches to better cables and a powercenter, following my advice, please let me know if you have the same experience!