I was able to buy the STR-DE515 for $259 at Video Only. I believe this model is the least expensive digital-ready A/V receiver available, an invaluable feature for those wanting to keep the Dolby Digital option open (without having to buy a new receiver).
Sony obviously does not maintain the same quality components in their lesser priced receivers that they put into their high-end, and expensive, ES Series (which sounds great). I connected this receiver to a conventional pair of Acoustic Studio Monitor Series 3000s as well as the Cambridge Soundworks sub/sat Ensemble IIs. At lower volumes, the sound is fairly clean. Increasing volume levels, however, reveal the amps limitations as the sound becomes distorted, severly lacking smoothness. The tuner, in my opinion, also falls short of the performance of my 12-year old $120 JVC receiver. I discovered the hard way how a digital-ready receiver could be had at such a bargain. It wouldn't surprise me if the $599 Sony digital receiver I saw at Good Guys suffers a similar lack of quality output.

I have since traded-in the Sony for a digital-ready Yamaha and I'm very happy with it.

I would recommend to those looking to get the most receiver for their money, not necessarily looking at the highest-end stuff, at least stick with a manufacturer that uses the same quality components up and down their product line. In the end, you may sacrafice features, but the quality gained, I believe, is well worth it.

This is a decent reciever, even better when I think of how much i paid for it ($268 on sale). In retrospect, I think I would have liked to have considered a slightly pricier reciever, something like a Harman Kardon.
So far I've paired this reciever with Infinity 2000.6 as my front speakers and 2000.1 as my rear surround speakers.

As mentioned in Philip Iturralde's rating, you have to buy the Dolby Digital decoder to run on the 5.1 connects. A better buy (again in retrospect) would be to go with the DE-915 which boasts more power and includes the digital signal processor. Don't quote me, but I believe I've seen the DE-915 advertised for $599 or lower in my area. That's a steal when you figure that the cost of the DE-515 plus decoder would come out to around $700.

Sony's technical engineering vs price gives the above average consumer audio/video enthusiast an opportunity to create a cinematic illusion that fits not only their budget, but sensory fantasy. I love the clear, and distinct sound pressure of a T-Rex stomping in my family room or the well-balanced orchestrated dramatic music score in GoldenEye, Dragonheart, & Star Wars.
My Sony is mated with: JBL ARC Series; Center; #1000 - front; #30 - rear and 80w Sub-woofer (all from CostCo)and together, they sound better in my family room then the CostCo JBL display! Best (Sony = $249.00) buy for my money!

Had the Sony for about a year now and don't regret spending my hard earn cash on the STR-DE515! After logging in over 1,000 hours on my system, it just like a Timex, takes a licking (my SPL registered an average of 92db w/peaks above 100db with some of the DVD's I viewed and demo'd) keeps on ticking!!

Hey, I don't care what people say about Sony, or what they say about lower priced receivers. This receiver sounds just fine. Heck, I budgeted $800 for a receiver and tested some of the more expensive ones. Guess what? This one sounded just as good as the other stuff. Great bang for your buck. FYI, don't waste your money on the ES series though. I actually talked to a Sony engineer and he said the only difference in the ES is that it's hand assembled and uses gold-plated jacks. Same components though. Best of all, it's AC-3 ready.

I have been working on receivers and amplifiers for 20 years. I have worked on more Sony stuff than all others combined. I have found all Sony products to be inconsistent
most poorly built. You can buy one and wonder "is this one a good one? Its a good chance it will fry before the new yaer. Ive even found some that were put together wrong! As with absolutely all Sony Receivers, do not hook up speakers with a dificult load. It will likely tip the protection switch before you get 2 watts out of it. Eventually you will burn it up. Personally, I wouldn't take money to own this product. I see no reason to believe they have increased the quality on any product. Sony = money 0 stars

Review revisited with some updates!Still rate the STR-DE515 5 stars!!
- - - - -
Finally got my DVD w/built-in AC-3 Decoder, the RCA RC5500P for $397.00 @ Fry's Electronics (4/3/98). I read some reviews ("www.excelsis.com/vote/av/dvd/RCARC51/" plus other sources) and snapped that baby up!! Next, I drove to my local Block Busters in town and rented "GoldenEye" DVD for $1.99 (7 days) + tax ($2.15 total).

After hooking up the 6 Monster / Radio Shack gold-end cables to the AC-3 Decoder inputs on my Sony Receiver and the supplied S-Video (later replaced w/Radio Shack 24k S-Video) to my:
Toshiba CX35D60 35" Direct Tube TV
* Digital Comb Filter
* Color Temp Control
* FST-Black Super Tube w/Invar Shadow Mask
* Color Detail Enhancer
* 800 Lines
* Dynamic Quadruple Focus
= = = =
The overall experience was (as the Klingon's would put it) Most Glorious!!!
- - - - -
The AC-3 (Dolby Digital 5.1) was 2x better than any sound source (Dolby Pro Surround Video Tape, etc.) I've experienced. The entire sound foundation and frequency spectrum was full, completely balance when compared to some THX & Digital Theaters in the San Jose area. Truly, a more satisfying sound experience in an home environment!

I checked out my room frequency range and balance using my brother's Spectrum Analyzer. (Visual graph = 38Hz - 19k +/- 4db, . . . .some low end room resonance was minimized by moving the sub-woofer around) Sound pressure level easily reached peaks up to comfortable 103db (Weighted = C / Meter speed = Fast) with no evidence of compression or distortion with the DVD 5.1 material. Along with the Sony STR DE-515 & RCA RC5500P DVD, I have;
= = = = =
DCM TimeFrame TF250 Speakers [$123 ea-1987]-L & R Front (89db sensitivity /100w)
JBL SC305 [$99]- Center Speaker (87db sensitivity /100w)
JBL J520M Bookshelves [$24.98 ea]- L & R Rear (87db sensitivity /75w)
JBL ARC 80w Powered Sub-Woofer [$199 @ CostCo - 1997]
- Sub crossover set @ 85Hz
- Volume gain adjusted via Spectrum Analyzer & hearing, felling balance.
= = = = =
Room = 20'x 20' family room w/free standing fire place located left front corner
Foundation = Cement slab
No equalizer utilized
Bass = 0
Treble = @ the 4 o'clock position (AC-3 = n/a)
= = = = =
Due to the Sony's implementation, utilizing the 5.1 / DVD inputs disables the internal pre-amp controls Treble / Bass / Loudness adjustments. Fortunately, the speakers I matched up not only works well together with this limitation, it also provides an uncanny overall balance I did not expect!
= = = = =
The DVD's I've bought for personal pleasure and AC-3 demonstrations are:
Dante's Peak (Special Edition) - AC-3
Dragonheart (Special Edition) - AC-3
Dave Grusin presents West Side Story - AC-3
The Mask - AC-3

Dragonheart is especially great for demonstrations where in one scene, the AC-3 5 amp capability is fully utilized in a 360 degree pattern going clockwise, following Draco (the Dragon) flying around Dennis Quaid (knight), flapping his wings and talking (Sean Connery voice) about the 'old Knights Code of Honor".
EMPRESSIVE - - - INDEED!!! Yes, . . 5 stars!!!

i got this reciever for a little over $100 at best buy w/free ext. warranty - i know a manager there he marked it way down for me. for what i paid its awesome, but really its a decent reciever, works well for what i have now. im gonna upgrade to a nakamichi av-500 soon hopefully though. hella better than that aiwa cheese series recievers which they actually sell for like $130 at best buy full price.

This was the first reciever I purchased while stepping into the home theater circuit. At first, when you don't know any better you say to yourself it's a fine reciever. After listening and trying out other recievers or seperates, you realize how far behind this reciever really is. I suggest the Technics DD processor instead of the Sony AC-3. The DPL is severely hampered. It's a good intro into Home theater, but when you're ready to upgrade, I say go to Yamaha, Pioneer ELITE, Rotel, or even Onkyo. If you have the money or are crazy enough to blow you're life savings, go for the Lexicon DC-1, (pre/pro). After testing many seperates, I chose this pricy product (5,000), you won't be disapointed.

I PURCHASED THE SONY STR-DE515 I HAD IT FOR A WEEK , I GOT IT FOR 249.00AT SEARS NOT A BAD RECEIVER IT'S AC-3 READY. THE DIGITAL DECODER FROM SONY
RUNS FOR 299.00 AT CIRCUIT CITY FOR 549.00 AT CIRCUIT CITY YOU CAN GET
A SONY RECEIVER WITH THE BUILT IN DIGITAL DECODER , AS FOR MY RECEIVER
I RETURNED IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD RECEIVER FOR A BEGGINNING
HOME THEATRE PACKAGE , BUT FOR ANOTHER 200 DOLLARS I THINK I CAN DO BETTER.

I'd like to touch on several topics, and so will be brief on each.
I'm looking to upgrade to an entry-level "audiophile" system, and the reviews written here really help. The law of large numbers certainly applies, in that a large number of similar ratings probably gives an accurate picture of the product.

Next is just how subjective this whole business is, and how relative! Some products are good values for the money; some are good but expensive; others are poor in the same contexts. Bottom line - only you know what you like best; go ye forth and audition!

On the Sony. I was looking to leap in to the brave new world of surround sound; the Sony was an inexpensive way to do so. For the money, in my opinion, a good and versatile product - much better sound quality, with my existing Boston Acoustic A-40 speakers, than the JVC receiver I had been using. I also purchased the matching wireless Sony rear surround speakers - they work on an infrared transmitter - but their sound quality was poor, and subject to static interference.

OK, I thought - back to 2-channel stereo for me. I purchased a used Adcom FM tuner - their current model - and patched it into the Sony. The good news (for me; bad for Sony) - what an improvement over the lousy FM quality of the Sony! The bad news (for me and for Sony) - it revealed the shortcomings of the Sony's amp section. For the first time, I understood what the Stereophile crowd meant by "splashy sibilants", the bane of cheap amps. Bottom line - a good product for its purpose and price range, but nowhere near "separate component" quality.

3 stars overall.