Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I like this receiver a lot., October 9, 2009
I have had this receiver since Aug. 1, 2009, and am very happy with it. It is missing some features like S-VHS inputs but none that I care about. I purchased it to use with HDMI devices in a 5.1 setup in one room. It works great for me and I highly recommend it.
PLUSES:
* Excellent audio.
* Good GUI that is easy to use, but you must read the manual first and consult it as you go (at least I had to).
* Good readable front and on-screen display with options for what is displayed while unit is operating (device, sound field, etc) and nameable inputs.
* Four HDMI inputs.
* Attractive design.
* Exceptional Auto Format Decoding that produces very good sound from 2-channel sources with clear centered dialogue and some LFE output. I use this setting exclusively for all devices and it unfailingly detects the proper format.
* Very easy and very accurate auto speaker setup using included microphone. It set my front speakers to large instead of small but other than that I didn't have to change any of the settings.
MINUSES
* Poor manual. Too small in size, not well-written. This seems like a common problem with electronics these days, but maybe it is just because devices are more complicated.
* You must purchase a separate device to use with iPod/iPhone.
* No S-VHS inputs (not at all important to me, but might be to some users).
* Somewhat confusing speaker input placement on back of receiver. (I would have put the front speaker inputs above the surround back inputs and next to the center channel input.)
I use the receiver with a Sony LCD TV, Samsung Blu-ray player, Cox Cable DVR, Tivo HD, Energy Classic speakers and Infinity subwoofer. No compatibility problems encountered. I use it is a smallish room (11 x 13) and hardly ever set the volume above 35, so it seems to have plenty of power.
Before I bought this receiver, I tried a Pioneer VSX-919, which is a good receiver that gets excellent reviews. However, I could never get it to sound right to me. The Sony sounded good to me from the get go. That doesn't mean one is better than the other, but for me the Sony was the better-sounding receiver. One feature I really liked on the Pioneer was iPod/iPhone support without having to buy add-on devices. Sony and other manufacturers should do that!
I am very happy with this purchase and would recommend it to others who want a mid-range receiver with good sound, good features and nice appearance.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great sound, decent features, terrible remote/GUI, November 28, 2009
I bought the STR-DN1000 as an upgrade to my old Yamaha receiver that didn't have audio decoding through HDMI which I really needed since I've recently added a couple additional HDMI components to my set-up and needed HDMI switching. I bought it based on reviews of sound quality (anyone saying this amp has anything less than great sound doesn't know what they're talking about or doesn't have their amp set up correctly!), price, and features (4X HDMI being the most important). I am relatively pleased with my new receiver. Sound and video processing are both excellent, and aside from a few issues, this is a great receiver. Before I go into more detail, here is my home theater set-up:
1) 5.1 surround sound consisting of: Polk Audio TSi200 L + R speakers, a Polk CS20 Center Channel Speaker, and a Yamaha subwoofer and two Yamahah back channel L & R speakers.
4) A Sony DVP-NS700H/B DVD player
5) Toshiba 42" Regaza LCD
6) Comcast Digital Cable box
7) WD TV Live HD Media Player
All devices connected using Version 1.3 Category 2 HDMI Cables.
Setting things up:
Set-up is a breeze. Everything is laid out well enough, and the included wire-map which gives a blown-up overview of the connections makes things even easier. The wire screws for connecting the speakers are made of plastic and are not as easy to turn as I might have liked, but this was a minor issue at best. They do support Banana jacks if that's your thing. I had all my speaker wires and HDMI cables connected in about 10 minutes (all of them were already in place so it might take significantly longer if you are running new wire). Just a note for reciever set-ups: give yourself an extra 3-4 feet of wire for each speaker so you can connect your amp OUTSIDE your AV cabinet/rack. This will make things much easier because you can work on the amp with it's back facing you!
GUI (Graphic User Interface), Programing, and Auto Calibration:
The DN1000 comes with a built in GUI for adjusting settings. It is a rudimentary text based interface in black, white and blue, but it is easy to navigate and use even if it isn't pretty. I was easily able to program in radio pre-sets, assign inputs *More on that to come*, and run the Auto Calibration. Auto Calibration involves connecting a provided mic and placing it in the correct location and then letting the amp put out some test tones to each speaker and the amp. The whole thing takes about 30-40 seconds. The manual states that this will involve "very loud" sounds, so I was a bit worried what that would be like. Thankfully it wasn't loud at all, so don't get freaked out when the manual warns you to watch out for small children, dogs, and angry neighbors. The GUI could be a bit more intuitive; you are frequently required to git an 'option' button that is on the remote itself. It would have been much simpler to just have that button in the layout of the GUI itself.
Programing custom inputs and renaming inputs was my biggest complaint with this amp. First, you CANNOT re-map the TV, Satelite, DVD, etc., buttons to be linked with the HDMI inputs. Each time you re-map an input it asks for both an audio and video input. I wanted to re-map the DVD button on the remote to work with my HDMI DVD player. I was able to choose the correct HDMI in, but because the amp also requires an audio input, you are FORCED to choose from coaxial, analog LR channel or digital. Choosing any of these overrides the HDMI's sound, and gives you video but no sound! This is incredibly frustrating and very stupid on Sony's part since the amp supports HDMI sound processing natively and all they would need to do is tweak the GUI to allow the user to select either HDMI or 'None' for sound input! I called Sony tech support to verify this is the case and they said they have no plans to issue a firmware update to correct this issue. I was able to re-name the HDMI inputs to DVD, WD LIVE, and COMCAST so that the amp displays the correct input when one of the HDMI buttons is pushed, but that isn't ideal considering the layout of the remote:
The Remote:
On first glance, the remote appears to be well laid out and to have excellent built quality (no squeeks when you hit the buttons, feels nice and solid in your hand, responsive buttons, etc). It is solidly made, but functionally it has some major flaws:
1) Because there are nice big, well labeled "DVD, TV, Satelite, etc." buttons on the top third of the remote, it will be highly confusing to have to explain to non-tech savvy people "when you want to watch a DVD you hit HDMI 3, not DVD" or something similar due to the inability of the receiver to re-map those buttons! Basically the usefulness of having 'quick launch' buttons on the remote is destroyed by not being able to map them correctly!
2) The mute button location is horrible. It is at the bottom lower third of the remote on the left side. It is also the smallest button on the remote and a real pain to hit with your thumb since it requires balancing the very end of the remote in your hand or using two hands. In my opinion, the button you're most likely going to use more than any other should be easily accessible!
Sound Quality:
I put the amp through its paces with the following:
1) Comcast TV (College Football) with Dolby Digital Surround
2) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (DVD) & The Matrix (DVD)
3) Various lossless audio files streamed over my WD media streamer
4) Battlestar Galactica HD streamed over my WD media streamer
Surround sounds is just about perfect. Crystal clear highs, nice punch with the bass (although my sub really isn't anything to write home about) and excellent, authentic reproduction of even complex sound files like Feist and Metallica playing from a FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) file. I ran through a few excellent (in my opinion) surround sound movies and all sounded fantastic. Orcs screaming from behind me, thunderous sounds of war, the steely tones of Mr. Smith threatening Neo, all sounded lovely.
Video Quality:
HDMI video pass through was great. Suffice it to say that I didn't use this receiver to decoded low-res video files (something it does, but according to other reviews not that well). The video decoder in my WD media streamer does that job. I can confirm that the receiver did not affect inherent video quality to either good or ill.
Aesthetics:
This is a slick receiver and looks great on my AV rack. It matches my DVD player which I guess is a good thing, and even (sort of) matches my Toshiba TV. The LED screen is adequate if not amazing. It is easy to read from across the room (about 12 feet in my smallish living room). Text is clear and crisp which is all I really need.
Heat:
This unit does produce more heat than my old Yamaha, but much less than my friend's Onkyo (you could fry an egg on that thing!). In a well ventilated AV rack or cabinet it should never be an issue.
Conclusions:
For the price (sub $300 range) there isn't a better option out there as of this review. You could spend a hundred more and get a Pioneer (which does come with an ipod connect wire included in the price) but you're not gaining anything other than a few more connection options. Sound quality wise, this receiver is very, very good. If you can live with the crap remote and a few problems with the GUI, it's well worth the price. I'll probably just get a Harmony remote to make things simple for my family and friends.
4/5 Stars.
Thanks for reading my review. Feel free to ask questions and I'll do my best to answer them in the comments section.
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32 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great product, WORST customer service ever (from Sony), September 8, 2009
Sony STR-DN1000 7.1-Channel Audio Video Receiver (Black)
I purchased this on August 4 as an upgrade to a receiver that was not capable 1080p pass through. I received it and hooked it up on Friday August 14. I connected a Sony PS3 and a TiVo HD using Philips HDMI Gold cables Version 1.3a. I used the same type cable to connect to a Vizio 1080p True HD TV. I got sound but no picture.
I checked the settings on the TV and the receiver to make sure it was on all the right settings. I even tested the same cable by connecting it directly to the PS3 and I got picture immediately. I contacted Sony online customer support and went through the power reset and unplug hard reset--nothing. I was told to call the customer service line because I would have to send it in for repair. I called, and went through the procedures again, and they told me to ship the entire thing, box and all, to Texas for repair. At least they sent me a shipping label so I didn't have to pay for that, but that was because I asked for it.
They called me a week and a half later and said that they could not duplicate the problem and asked for the exact components and models that were hooked up. They said they would attempt to duplicate my configuration as best as possible and call me back. They didn't. Instead, I received it back 4 days later (Friday September 4).
Due to poor packaging (they put the remote and book directly against the top of the receiver without any bubble wrap in between, so when any pressure was put on the top of the box...) the entire top of the receiver is dented in. Plus they didn't send back my original box. Oh, and to make matters worse. The batteries they sent it back with were dead. And of course it was a Friday night that I discovered all of this and had to wait until Tuesday morning to call them back (Labor day weekend).
Over the weekend I looked through the instructions and saw that it specified HDMI 1.3a Category 2. I did some research and I even called Phillips, the cable manufacturer, to confirm that the cables were indeed HDMI 1.3a Category 2. But they didn't know because it isn't printed on the wire. So I did some more online searching and discovered the two different category specifications didn't come out until October last year, and that if the cable is not specified as Category 2, it is a standard Category 1. Well, I had purchased my cables last May, 2008. However, the HDMI website has stated that many HDMI cables under 5 meters of length that were made before the HDMI 1.3 specification can work as Category 2 cables, but this is not guaranteed ("HDMI Knowledge Base[...]
So out of a hunch that it would only work with a Category 2 cable, I went and purchased a Sony HDMI 1.3a Category 2 cable at Walmart. I hooked it all up and it WORKED. It is interesting that it works with HDMI 1.3a Category 1 cables hooked up from the components (PS3 and TiVo HD), but requires the Category 2 for the output signal to the HDTV. But now, I have a physically damaged unit...
Today I called the Sony Service Center in Laredo, Texas and he said, "It had nicks and scratches all over it when we received it from you." That's patently false, because it doesn't have any nicks or scratches on it NOW, just the dent.
I also asked about my box, and he said that I SHOULD have been told not to send my original packaging box if I wanted to keep it, because they recycle them. I asked if I could get another one and he said they don't have them there.
To save time and trouble, I asked if I could simply get a new housing or cover sent to me to fix it myself, instead. But I was told that it's against policy and I would have to ship the whole thing back again and they would "repair" the damage. However, the CSR also told me he could give me the parts catalog and I could purchase one myself. Really, you mean I could spend even more money for this receiver buying a part and paying for shipping to fix something that they caused?! Awesome! Thanks for that.
Frustrated, I asked him to go ahead and send me another shipping label, but then he said that they would have to see pictures of the damaged unit as well as the undamaged box so they can investigate it first. And he also warned that if they don't have the part, they would have to get it from Sony and it could take a long time!
So now, at best, I will get to start USING my new receiver on the 28th of September? Almost 60 days after purchasing it? That's 2 months of my warranty gone as well...
And now, I checked online today; and the current price for the receiver is a full $100 LESS than what I paid. Heck, if I ordered another one today, I would probably get it SOONER!
This was my first Sony receiver... I will probably never purchase a Sony stereo or TV product ever again. PS3 is awesome, but I just hope It doesn't ever need repairs.
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