Sony STR-DH700 Video
Sony STR-DH700 Video Transcript
[ Background Music ]
>> Hi, I'm Matthew Moskovciak, senior associate editor at CNET.com and we're here with the Sony STR-DH700. This is one of the least expensive full 7.1 AV receivers on the market and it offers a lot of functionality for the price. If you look around back there are three HDMI inputs for high definition video and also high resolution audio and PCM format. And you also see there are three component video inputs if you have older high def devices. The Sony also includes automatic speaker calibration at this price point and all you have to do is plug in the included microphone to get that started. Now at this price level there are some compromises. This receiver doesn't have all the features that you'll see in the step up model. For example there's no on board decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Now that's not as big of a deal as it used to be because most Blu-ray players have onboard decoding, but it's still a step down from some of the other models that you might see. This receiver also doesn't have an on screen display so instead of being able to navigate the menus on your T.V. you're stuck using the small little LCD display on the unit which can be a little intimidating you're not used to using AV receivers. Now we could have overlooked a lot of these missing features if the Sony delivered excellent sound, but instead we found that the sound quality was a little bit below average. On movies it lacked some of the impact that you'll get on a higher end AV receivers and music just didn't sound as detailed as we're used to. Altogether while the Sony is one of the least expensive 7.1 AV receivers on the market it's difficult to recommend with some of the missing features and it's subpar sound quality. I'm Matthew Moskovciak from CNET.com and this is the Sony STR-DH700. [ Music ] ^M00:01:46
Related Videos
While it's got an attractive design, the JVC TH-F3's high price and dearth of extra features make it hard to recommend.
The affordable Sony Bravia DAV-HDX267W home theater system is loaded with features, but a dearth of inputs and the somewhat-convoluted, wireless rear-speaker setup dampen our enthusiasm.
Sony HT-CT500 Sound Bar Home Theater System
Sony's single-speaker surround-sound home theater system is sleek, relatively inexpensive, and actually sounds pretty good.
The Sangean HDR-1 is a capable tabletop HD Radio, but its lackluster controls and dearth of extras leave only its retro wood styling to distinguish it from the competition.
The Sanyo SCP-7050 is a cell phone with a lackluster appearance and a durable design. Its built-in GPS and Ready Link support make the SCP-7050 great for those who need a tough phone for the rough outdoors.
The LG LFD790 home theater in a box wins points for its cool looks, low price, and decent feature set, but a variety of design and interface miscues make it tough to recommend.
While the Sony 505 Digital Reader Book is not without flaws, Sony's improvements make this model easier to recommend.
The Yamaha RX-V663 sounds great, but it's tough to recommend with its paltry HDMI connectivity, poor upconversion quality, and other design quirks.
The Sony HT-SS360 is an inexpensive home theater system with generous HDMI connectivity and satisfying sound on movies, but don't expect it to deliver with music.
The Pioneer VSX-1018AH's solid sound and generous feature package make it a great value in the midrange AV receiver class.
Sony STR-DH700 Review
The good: Relatively inexpensive 7.1 AV receiver; three HDMI inputs; three component video inputs; automatic speaker calibration; Sirius-ready.
The bad: Subpar sound; no onscreen display; no onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
The bottom line: Sony's STR-DH700 is an inexpensive 7.1 AV receiver, but its lackluster sound and dearth of features make it tough to recommend.
Sony STR-DH700 Specs
Manufacturer: Sony
Part number: STR-DH700
- Product Specifications
- Product Basic Spec
Sony STR-DH700 Prices
Online stores
| Store | Certified rating | Inventory | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 Rate this store See store profile |
In stock |
$219.00 |
|
Rate this store See store profile |
In stock |
$219.00 |
|
Rate this store See store profile |
In stock |
$299.99 |
|
Rate this store See store profile |
In stock |
$224.99 |
|
Rate this store See store profile |
In stock |
$229.99 |
