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Showing 1 of 54 conversations about:
Panther6834
13
Dec 21, 2018
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I'm not ordering this...but only because I already have it. I can attest to the fact that this is an excellent receiver, and, at this price, it's that much better. The Dolby Atmos sounds is fantastic, and the Phantom Rear Speakers is simply amazing. Phantom Rear, for those who don't already know, uses the side surround speakers to trick your ears into believing you have a 9.1-channel configuration, when, in reality, you're only running a 7.1-channel system (the Dolby Atmos speakers, whether ceiling-mounted, or bounced off the ceiling, are connected to the 'Rear Surround' outputs on the receiver). Put another way, coming from the Side Surround speakers, you hear the side surround from the side, AND the rear surround from the rear, even though there are NO actual Rear Surround speakers. Power output is loud AND clean. Best of all, I have partial control (additional controls coming soon) of the receiver from Google Assistant, Through my phone, as well as Google Home. If you're in need of a new relatively inexpensive home theater receiver, or you're looking to give one as a gift (preferably birthday, as it's too late to order this for Christmas), I would highly recommend this receiver. Paired work higher-quality speakers, such as mine from Definitive Technology, you will have an amazing-sounding home theater.
Dec 21, 2018
bugtussle
4
Dec 22, 2018
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Panther6834Thanks for your input on the Sony. I just about paid full retail for one recently. One thing about it that had me concerned was the FM antenna input. It's not the typical Threaded RF Coax connector. It uses a small plug that fits the little wire antenna that comes with the unit. I live in a rural area and use a long distance outdoor antenna for reception. Does the unit come with an adapter for coax antenna cable?
Dec 22, 2018
CGI_Tec
0
Dec 22, 2018
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Panther6834I don't know too much about AVRs since I am setting up my first one ever but do you think the sound quality will be significantly better than the Sony STRDH590 OR STRDH790 at $180 and $230 respectively? My initial setup will have a pair of basic Polk T15 bookshelfs in stereo but I will eventually move up by adding some Klipsch speakers when I get more space. This is for for a desk space used for gaming and quality music listening.
Dec 22, 2018
Panther6834
13
Dec 22, 2018
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CGI_TecThis is not for a computer...this is for a home theater system. If you're only looking for something to add high quality audio to a computer, stuck with something computer-oriented, such as the Creative SoundBlaster X7, which can handle anything from stereo to 5.1-channel output. For stereo output, it even has it own built-in 100W amplifier (for using non-powered bookshelf speakers). This, along with a pair of Definitive Technology Demand Series D7 speakers, and a Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 800 subwoofer, is my computer system's audio set-up. Getting back to the Sony STR-DN1080, when it comes to purchasing home theater receiver, I tell people to apply the same rule-of-thumb they would apply when buying a computer: "Spend as much as you can afford to spend, but don't overspend." What I mean by this is, don't spend more than you can afford to spend, as you won't leave enough funds for other components you might need (monitor, keyboard, & mouse, in the case of computers; Blu-ray player, HDMI cables, speaker wire, etc, in the case of a home theater), but, at the same time, spend as much as you can afford to spend, as it will help prevent the need to upgrade sooner.
Dec 22, 2018
Panther6834
13
Dec 22, 2018
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bugtussleHonestly, I don't remember if it comes with one, as I never use it for the radio (I have Sonos to provide extremal music sources). However, it shouldn't be too difficult to "manufacture" your own adapter using a short coax cable, male-male adapter, some wire cutters, a wire stripper, a soldiering iron, and either electrical tape or heat-shrink tubing. If you don't have, or can't afford, a soldiering iron (they're fairly cheap at Home Depot, Lowe's, & Ace Hardware), you can always use a couple of twist-on wire connectors.
Dec 22, 2018
CGI_Tec
0
Dec 22, 2018
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Panther6834I should have clarified more but failed to do so. I do plan on using it in a home theater setup but currently space limitations prohibit the separation of my home theater, my gaming devices (Xbox, PC, etc.) and my studio (PC based). I tend to run into the scenario where I will use them interchangeably at times. I would rather have fewer speakers set up at one time all while keeping audio quality high. I have used self powered theater solutions in the past but I find them lacking for numerous small reasons and I want to move beyond that with a more custom setup. The Sony STRHD790 ($230) would be adequate for what I am looking to do in the time being and I could use it in a secondary setup eventually as I expect it to last for years to come. That said if could achieve improved sound clarity/quality with the STRDN1080 ($300) regardless of the speakers it would be a valuable upgrade for the price. The additional I/O on the back will be a useful but not quite necessary for the first 6-8 months. The main point of consideration I have is if the end result audio quality is potentially better because of simply improved internals or more advanced technologies processing the signal. I am aware that there is an increase of RMS per channel from 145W to 165W but I doubt I will be driving the speakers that hard in the first place. The simplified question is that while I have a basic understanding of technologies such as Dolby Atmos but wonder what is really just marketing fluff and I am also aware of the additional features such as increased I/O but I don't know if the internal hardware and/or firmware can ultimately produce a better output sound. Also for what it is worth I can afford either AVR unit but I do like to save some money in the long run by purchasing equipment that has a good upgrade path but if not I would rather avoid the wasteful route. P.S. I already have the Polk T15s and I plan on purchasing better units so the speakers should not hold the system back. Thank you for the input. It seems AVRs are still new to Massdrop so I appreciate having the perspective from an actual owner and one who seems familiar with a setup at that.
Dec 22, 2018
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