Sound, Surround customization, input options.

No S-Video or composite video switching

At the time I purchased this unit, it was the cheapest receiver that decoded Dolby Digital. It has worked tremendously the entire time. The only problem I''ve had is the Video1 and Video2 audio inputs are crossed. If you input into Video1 it plays through Video2 and vice versa. It has excellent sound and the Cinema B soundstage is fantastic! It has loads of great features to totally customize your surround. FYI: The DB1070 is twice as good as this unit.

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STR-AV310,STR-DB1070

many different options it was a fun reciever for a wile

does not hold up under pressure

within 3 months system failed to have any output sony covered the warrenty about 25 uses later the system blew entire line of amps it seemed to have a large enough heat sink but poorly designed amp only good for easy listeners or wimps

the 27-DSP modes are enjoyable

unit over-heats Dolby Digital Output fails

I too purchased the Sony A/V receiver model STR-DE915. At the time it looked like a great deal because of the nice features at this price point. I really enjoyed it when I used it, but I began to notice that it gets very very hot. After using the receiver for the tenth time in DOlby Digital mode, the Dolby Digital mode stopped working. I normally use the optical input from my DVD, but switched to the coax input after failure - the coax input didn''t work. It is unknown if the heat problem is what leads to the AC3 decoder failing, but I would sure like to know. I''ve tried contacting Sony at 800.222.7669 for customer service, but you just sit on hold a really long time to hear a Sony rep tell you it''s out of warranty and you can send it to a Sony authorized repair facility. Now when you look at the cost of evaluation ($145) + possible repair fees it''s just not worth sending it in. So I guess I''m stuck like the rest of you with this unit

Decent sound, great price for all the features at the time.

Junky design; runs very hot; no support from SONY.

I had pretty much the same problems and frustration with this unit as so many other reviewers. While still under warranty, my rear audio output went. SONY fixed it under warranty, then after about another year or so the front L&R outs went, too. Center channel is still fine. No longer under warranty, and SONY won''t respond to my complaint. After reading the other reviews, it''s clear to me that this thing is a dog, so I''m giving up. Bottom line: run to another product as fast as you can!!

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This was my first A/V receiver.

I have nothing but good things to say about this receiver. I am not an audiophile, just an enthusiast who happened upon this site, and saw reviews of my receiver. As stated in another review, I had problems getting the sound right. A little tweaking of the EQ and moving the theater to a larger room made up for this. It it is still going strong, though it is now the center of my secondary theater, which includes psb fronts, infinity rears, and a bu-2 sub.

This reciever has great movie sound. I have Energy RVSS's, AC-300, and C-4's and movies sound great. Always better than showrooms at circiut city and good guys. It has lots of optical hook ups.

Remote won't operate my Sony DVD player. Music sound quality is no better than a $100 reciever (not bad, just not good). It blew up on me. I got it fixed for $150, hooked it back up and it blew up a minute later. Got it fixed for $100. It blew up again. Got it fixed under service warranty for free. It's been working fine since. I should point out that my speaker wire was replaced after the third break, before I hooked it up for the final time and it has been ok since. Also the coaxial input on mine does not work.

A good reciever if it was without problems. As it is I won't buy a sony reciever again, but their other products are fine. But it has caused me as much stress as all the women I have been out with combined.

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JVC

I was looking for a Dolby Digital Receiver and this one fit the bill...$149.00 on an "open box" buy. I am highly satisfied with the sound and price. I have nice speakers (Genesis) and a ten band equalizer; I am sure these items contribute to audio quality.

Power Output, Dolby Digital, Optical inputs, a knob for volume.

See Review

This is not a bad receiver for the money. It has many features of more expensive receivers that make it a good value. I have had it for over a year with no problems at all. I am ,however, very disappointed with the features of this unit and it will be my last Sony. There is no logic or intuitiveness to the controls and features of this product. The manual is lacking in detail and explanation. I make my living as an electronic technician and I work with alot of very complex equipment in my job. Yet I find this receiver difficult to operate even for me. Sure I can get what I want from it, but I don't see how any average non-technical person can even operate this thing. I wanted a nice well-matched system when I purchased this receiver. I got the Sony TV, and now a Sony DVD. What I have is a table full of remote controls that no one in my house can work besides me. For starters, when I turn my stereo on and off I just want it to do that. But no...Sony has to turn my TV on and off with it. I often like to just use the TV sound after a movie. I either have to go turn the receiver off by hand, or I have to select TV control from the remote to turn the TV back on. I got the Sony DVD and made sure it has the S-Link feature, so it will work together with my reciever right??? Wrong! The S-Link feature does not work with the DVD! Now, the only S-video input on my TV (Sony KV32V40) is on video 1. Ok. I will put my VHS on Video 2. Well, when you select any video source on the receiver's remote, the TV is switched to Video 1. So then I have to reset the TV back to the video source I want with the TV remote. The LD/DVD function of the remote control doesn't control the DVD. Why?? Sure, I can program this remote with these functions but I shouldn't have to. I bought all SONY. The word I am looking for is INTEGRATION. It is like every component made by Sony is made at a different division and they don't communicate these things to one another. I wanted a quality, matched, integrated system and I have gotten a nightmare.

My next gripe is also a functionality problem. Why in the world do they not have the ability to memorize your settings for different sources?? When I switch from video to audio, it should have the ability to memorize my preferences for that source. I don't like listening to audio in pro-logic! So I have to re-select the different sound field which is buried in the middle of the Music genre and called Acoustic to give me plain stereo with my EQ settings. Then I find myself watching a movie and wondering why I am not hearing surround and then I notice that I forgot to set it back to Dolby. This is really poor engineering. Simple addition of software could have added this feature and improved this product a great deal.

These complaints may seem trivial to most of you, but if you could have experienced my previous system you would agree with me. My last system was a JVC that I purchased in the late 80's. It had very logical and intuitive control and function. The remote had a very easy, logical layout and only worked what you wanted it to. There was one interface, compulink, that connected every part of your system. There was no s-link out, in, control a1, aII or crud...just one cable. There was no selecting anything needed. If you wanted a CD, you just put the CD in and press play and the system would switch and start playing. Same with a tape. It had 10 presettable equalizer curves so you could have an EQ setting for every source and type of music...not just one. It had a wonderful function call CSRP that would retain all of your settings for every source. EQ, surround, even volume. All my wife had to do was put in a CD and presto! Music with all the correct EQ and no surround! Doesn't work that way with the Sony. It is like they crammed everything that could into it, but didn't put any thought into it.

So it performs like it is supposed to. But I find the controls and features to be very dissappointing. The Dolby Digital is superb and just totally blows you away. It has taken some real getting used to and it serves it's purpose. I suppose to get the functionality I want from it I will need to get a remote that does macros. Maybe I can get it back to that one button operation I got so spoiled on with my old JVC may it RIP.

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JVC, I miss it dearly.

Remote / Input Jacks ? S-Video plenty of jacks / 120 watts per channel / COOL BLUE LIGHT FOR DOLBY DIGITAL

excellent product

AWESOME RECEVIER...GOT FROM ONECALL.COM FOR $639 + $30 2-DAY SHIPPING! IF YOU USE THEM GIVE THEM MY NAME AS REFERENCE EDDIE LIPSCOMB.....

This receiver is awesome....lots of power....real output speaker terminals for the rear & center channel!

I have seen so many people complain about certain items on this receiver.... if you don't like SONY don't buy SONY!
example 1 - on screen set up! WHO USES THAT WHILE YOU ARE WATCHING TV....you can do that ALL on the REMOTE while you are listening or watching the video!

EX 2 - The remote is awesome! takes maybe 2-3 days to get use to and it is worth it... get 2000 ready and use the touch panel! better than the old remotes and KILLS the 935 and 333 2 WAY remote....puts it to shame...! The MACROS are nice - turn all items on with one button! Lights up in the dark very nice! IMPRESSES EVERYONE THAT SEES IT!!!
200 DISC/DVD PLAYER IS A MUST....Keeps the artist/title/movies of all cd's on the remote!
ADJUSTS ALL SETTINGS WITHOUT GETTING UP FROM YOUR CHAIR!

can't complain on this item at all!
using with Sony 550d DVD PLAYER
SONY A4 SATELLITE
TOSHIBA 61" TV
& BOSE ACOUSTIMASS 15 awesome speakers!

GIVE IT 6 STARS on value since Crutchfield is charging $999!
AND I PAID $669 TOTAL!
and + onecall is an authorized Sony dealer so you get FULL WARRANTY! Don't purchase from nobody's on the NET!
not worth the PRICE and the trouble that you have to go through! any questions email me... SBLACKMALE@AOL.COM

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Sony str-935, JVC

Great buy, got it at a closing sale for $320 brand new. Had a slight problem with rear channel transistors, but had them replaced under warranty. Clear sound, great selection of a/v inputs.. a few problems here and there with the included remote not including an option to change mode directly to DVD/LD, but I guess that can't be all bad :) Other than inital problems with rear channels, a good buy.