I recently purchased my STR-DE635 for Best Buy for $250. It's out of the box setup capabilities absolutely rock! My rear speakers and much closer to my listening area than my front and center channel, but with the 635 all you have to do is input how many feet each set of speakers is from you and it automatically compensates. The digital cinema processing makes dolby digital tracks from my dvd player even better than they already are. I highly recommend the 635 for anyone looking for an inexpensive but feature packed dd reciever.
Front Speakers: BOSE 201
Surround Speakers: BOSE 141
Center Channel and Sub: KLH
DVD: Panasonic

I have had the 635 for almost a month. I bought it at Best Buy with some yamaha speakers (cls-100) and it rocks. The sound is great and it pushes the speakers very well. you don't have to turn up the volume past 2 or 3 to get it loud. It makes dvd experience the best it can be!

Easy setup, great bass. I like the Auto Format Decode for watching DVDs.

Remote is awkward, no way to set FM presets from remote, or scan. Gets warm.

I have been happy with this receiver so far. After doing lots of research on the net, I had decided to get a Sony DB-930 or DE-935. I wanted DTS support, since my DVD player has it as well (Sony DVP-S330). I live in an apartment, so I haven't had the chance to really put it through it's paces, but so far, it has performed admirably for DVDs and music. The bass is good, and is fairly non-directional. I am using a set of Sony speakers (incl. powered sub). I know that these aren't the best, but they were a good deal bundled with the receiver, and I figured that I could start out with these and upgrade down the road. The remote is kind of a pain the you-know-what, especially for listening to the radio - no way I can find to scan/tune up or down, or set presets via the remote. Overall, I am enjoying the receiver (moreso than my neighbors... :-). I give it 5 for value (I picked it up for under $250), and a 4 overall (no DTS, difficult remote).

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This is my first receiver, although I have used a friends Pioneer Pro Logic receiver.

The front-panel ergonomics are pretty good. Bass boost and a tiny three-band built-in equalizer can be adjusted for good bass. Built-in Dolby Digital at or below $300 with few compromises elsewhere in the design, and a good remote relative to what most others in this price range offer. Also, don't forget the stylin' blue light that comes on when decoding multichannel AC3.

The receiver can be turned off from the remote but not on. I also really wish it had front-panel A/V inputs, which can be very useful when hooking up game systems/camcorders/PC audio/video outputs. A preamp output might be nice, too. Oh, and the display can't be dimmed from the remote, nor can the speakers be switched from it. (Only a big deal if you're lazy like me)

The bang/buck ratio of this receiver is among the best I've seen. Built-in DD, plus 5.1ch inputs, an optical and coaxial input, and two LFE outs for less than $300. The VFD display is quite nifty, and the receiver allows you to rename inputs so you can use them for something else keeping aesthetics intact (e.g. hooking up your computer soundcard to the MD/TAPE input, and renaming that input to "COMPUTER" on the display). Just one s-video input would be nice, but you can't have everything. What I don't understand is why Sony, or all companies for that matter, don't just put binding posts instead of spring clips on all their stuff. They probably add what, 75 cents more to the price?

Dolby Digital really is night-and-day different from Pro Logic in this box. Surround separation is spot-on. Amp quality in general is pretty good - crank the volume to max while switched to an unused input, and you'll hear very little hiss. The EQ adds a lot at this volume, but not much at lower volumes, and it can be turned off anyway.

On the outside it's very attractive. Plastic brushed-aluminum-imitative front panel, and attractive, high-tech styling. Plenty of buttons. Very sophisticated-looking when the VFD is all lit up and the blue light is on. In the looks department, IMO, it's a 5-starrer.

This box gets pretty warm when it's on, even with the huge vent on the top, even when it's muted and the volume is at 0. The vent worries me, because it's so big that dust will easily get sucked right in. If that will cause any problems in the future, I hope they will happen before the 1-year warranty expires.

Appearence, Features, Price,

Gets Hot, Limited E.Q. adjustment, Poorly designed Remote,

During my first few months of use I was very impressed by the units strong clear sound. The Dolby Digital sound features are great with DVD's, the difference is night and day when compared to Pro Logic. Afterwards I have found that the E.Q. setting are limited to adjustment, which makes no sense with all the extra features it has already included for the price. The different sound modes certainly help wake up all of the various CD's, Tapes, and DVD's in my audio & video collection. This unit, in my opinion, is a great deal for the money. To think, I was actually considering the Pro-Logic unit before purchasing this Digital model... Good thing an expierenced salesman showed me the "light", the long blue one !!!!!

Clean sound, powerful, speaker setup function, 5.1 channel inputs, source/station naming feature.

No S-video (was not available at this price in 1999 anyway), speaker setup can't be done by the remote.

I have this connected to my computer and Panasonic V4520 Hi-Fi video and listen to mostly FM stereo broadcasts, CDs, and audio cassettes.
The stereo imaging for me is very good with sounds moving smoothly from speaker to speaker. The FM reception is also very good (I'm using the supplied string antenna).
When watching hi-fi movies it decodes the Dolby ProLogic signals wonderfully when using the "normal surround" mode.
I watched Three Kings and the sounds of a ricocheting bullet in a bunker was impressive. It also has other surround modes but these seem to carry a low level signal along with surround content to give the feeling of spaciousness however I prefer the standard suround. That way it sounds more impressive when the surround signals are played.
I can't comment on Dolby Digital decoding yet but do plan to get a dvd player soon.
I also like the speaker placement feature where you enter the size and placement of your speaker and wall type and it adjusts for reverb and delay effects.
The equalizer is a bit strange. It seems to act as an eq and crossover at the same time where you select a frequency crossover point then adjust the level. Not just boost preset levels as in regular EQs.
At the time I bought this it was the only Dolby Digital receiver at that price and an excellent value.
I'd say that it's still a good buy if you can get it for a reasonable price. Only the lack of s-video jacks and one co-axial and one fibre input jack digital audio can be seen as a mild drawback so take care in getting equipment for digital audio playback. Otherwise it's powerful and has enough inputs to connect all your source equipment.

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Fisher RS-615 stereo receiver.

Loud sound, little noise,digital surround is great.

Gets hot, the remote won't change inputs on my particular TV, but controls all its other funcitons fine.

I think this is a great receiver all around. It has very clean sound(much better than my other receiver). Surround movies sound great, with very good channel separation. The multiple sound fields let you choose how you want things to sound. Using the "Live House" sound field while listening to the Pink Floyd-Wall live, at VERY high volume is outstanding. I have yet to get a subwoofer for it(maybe this week), only 4 surround speakers(12" woofers for front, 8" for rear). It's also good for games, just make sure that you select "Cinema Studio EX B" for them. Zelda-Ocarina of Time is very cool in surround, especially since it supports it, but I can't wait for Perfet Dark, which is specially programmed in Dolby Surround. The other sound fields "Church" "Arena" and such are fun to play with, and watching NASCAR races with "Stadium" settings sounds really good. The only drawbacks are no DTS, and no S-video or RCA audio outs for the TV. I got mine for $269.99, and it is well worth it.

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Old Sansui Stereo receiver(it's now in the garage for outside listening)

Features, inputs

sound quality, yuck

I get a small amount off his in my speakers with this unit. When I play the first track on the Wallflowers cd the hiss bounces up and down with the beat, it is very noticable. I am planning on returning this for a more expensive receiver that doesnt have the 5.1 inputs I need for my 3d sound card :( I was really hoping this unit would be good enough because it does everything I need, and the built in Equalizer is the best I've seen in any unit. I also tested out a pioneer of the same level for a while the music sounded worse but it didnt have any hissing or strange distortions that this unit has. Oh well back to a Kenwood vr3080

Power, Looks, and easyness of remote

None

Since Christmas of 1999, I have been testing this Reciever out, for me, since I have audio background and read the directions, this model is really easy to use. Some of the past reviews people have said, you cant do preset stations, well you can, and there is a hidden part to the remote, that I dont think people notice. In this hidden place, you can control DVD, VCR, and DSS or any satilite system. You can also control the bass level, and turn up the rears and center speakers too. The differnt soundfields do add alot to the reciver, and that can get to be confusing when you dont know what your doing. Overall, this reciver is good, and should get better ratings.

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Sony Pro-Logic Reciever

value, adaptability, great surround modes

fairly hot running, remote sucks

Great value....easy to set up....best with a subwoofer....a bit hard to set EQ settings, but it isn't marketed to audiophiles.....

fantastic with movies....watch NASCAR in surround sound and you will feel like you are at the race!

Top notch quality and construction ...typically Sony!

I use JBL satellites with a sub, and it is MORE than enough for every movie and CD I can throw at it!

Good value, great quality, lots of hookups...get an EQ if you want to play spin doctor, but for the average guy, a great unit.

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lots of sony products