Review
Sony AV Receiver STR DH-830 (August 27, 2012)
| Ease of Use |
|
(4/5.0) |
| Value |
|
(5/5.0) |
| Performance |
|
(5/5.0) |
| Overall Rating |
|
(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Cortney - Peyton, CO
Bottom Line Up Front Excellent receiver--easy to set up, easy to use.
This is the 4th Sony receiver I have had and like all the others, the quality and craftsmanship is top-notch. I am using this as my master bedroom home theater receiver along with a Sony BD player, a DirecTV satellite HD receiver, and a Sony SMP200 media player. Yes, you could say I am a Sonyholic. In fact, my tablet is Sony, as well as my youngest sons boombox, my desktop PC, my eldest sons laptop, and my wifes schoolwork laptop. Additionally, my family room flatscreen LCD, AV receiver, and BD player are all also Sony. I just like the way they all link together using DLNA technology, whether playing music, watching a BD movie, or watching TV.
My latest receiver i.e., the one I am reviewing here has proved to have fantastic video pull-through from satellite to receiver to LCD TV, quick and easy idiot proof setup applications, a good number of HDMI inputs, multiple speaker combinations, and an easy-to-use GUI interface. I have only had the STR DH830 for a few weeks so cannot give an honest long-term appraisal at this moment, but my initial impression is this receiver has the same high quality standards, parts and components Im used to getting with all Sony products. FYI, I have paired it with a Klipsch HT500 5.1 home theater system--beautiful sound tight subwoofer bass response, clear mids and highs.
For my other two HT systems, the one in the family room and the 3rd one in the so-called Man Cave, I use timbre-matched Mirage speakers all bought from Vanns, by the way. If I have one complaint--and its a manufactuer complaint, NOT a Vanns complaint--I do not understand why Sony and every other receiver manufacturer for that matter, do not include a true all-in-one universal remote similar to the type that Logitech or Monster Cable produce? It is very frustrating to have to either go and purchase yet another universal remote, or have to put up with using two or three different remotes to use your HT system. Hence the reason I downgraded the Ease of Use section from a 5 to a 4. Other than that, overall I am VERY pleased with my purchase. And, of course, you cant beat the customer service, price matching guarantee, and free delivery options of Vanns. That is why I use them almost exclusively when making my AV and music listening choices.