The first audio/video receiver was a stereo model that switched video. Then came Dolby Surround receivers, feeding four speakers, which were soon to be replaced with Pro-Logic models feeding five speakers. At first, the strain of serving allthose speakers was audible in poor dynamics and noise. Design compromises were especially glaring in the less forgiving medium of two-channel playback. Then top-of-the-line machines capable of musically satisfying stereo and thrilling surround arrived.
In late 1999, the big news is that dual proficiency in surround and stereo has trickled down to mid-priced models. Since the receiver that does both well is no longer a pearl of great price, manufacturers are further differentiating their product in various ways ranging from attention-getting features to a stripped-down emphasis on simplicity and performance. Sony clearly pursues the first of those two strategies with the STR-DE925.
Mid-priced receivers, as a group, are sounding pretty good these days. If you buy from anywhere but the bottom of the line, you'll get something more than decent. What's more, I can even think of one entry-level model (from Technics) that I'd be happy to live with for awhile.
But with this Sony, my surprise escalates to a thoroughly boggled mind. I just can't believe that Sony is willing to give consumers all this stuff for US$600 (that's the list price, less on the street). These guys have entered the pitched battle of surround receivers, circa 1999, determined to mop the floor with the competition. In every area but performance, they succeed decisively, and even there the DE925 holds its own.
Features: The STR-DE935 goes well beyond other mid-priced receivers in its feature package, both in basic items and frills. Power output is a big 110 watts per channel in surround or stereo, with discrete output transistors (nontechnical translation -- stronger guts) and an impedance switch that allows the use of 4-ohm speakers. The preprogrammed remote is a two-way unit with a liquid crystal display (LCD). Command confirmation at the remote -- where you can most easily see it -- is the main benefit of the two-way capability.
Sony's ambition comes through most strongly, however, in the curious area of digital signal processing (DSP) modes. You get 27, yes, 27 DSP modes, including multiple versions of the standard selections (large hall, small hall, stadium, arena) as well as more unusual ones. The latter include several "virtual" modes, which simulate surround effects without a full set of five speakers, and "cinema studio" modes, which recreate the acoustics of the sound mixing stages of Sony Pictures in Hollywood. Especially noteworthy are the night theater mode (which reduces the gap between soft and loud sounds for late-night listening) and headphonetheater mode (which approximates surround effects with two-channel headsets). Some modes can be used in combination.
This receiver's feature package goes beyond being complete -- it's wildly overstuffed! However, I have to question how many of those 27 DSP modes will end up regularly used, and that keeps my enthusiasm from rocketing into the 90s.
Connectivity: Again, Sony overachieves, providing an unusual abundance of inputs and outputs, always at least matching the competition, often beating it. You've got two VCRs, two cassette decks and an MD recorder, and you want to record and play with all of them? No problem -- Sony accommodates all that counting the analog jacks alone! That doesn't even count the four digital ins, one of which is accompanied by an out. Sony is also alone (in this price class) in providing 5.1-channel inputs for a separate surround decoder (perhaps for DVD-Audio or surround formats yet to be dreamed up) and outputs for a stereo source in a second room. And your turntable or headphones won't gather dust with the STR-DE935 either.
The one weakness, albeit a slight one, is the use of wire clips for the center and rear-surround channels. They are, however sturdily made spring-loaded clips that seem to bite down pretty securely on the wire. Pin connectors are another option. Collared binding posts, which provide the best connection, are provided for two sets of front left and right speakers. This hybrid arrangement is not unusual. Receivers from Kenwood and Pioneer do the same.
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