Sony STR-DE845 Surround Receiver
The STR-DE845 has the power and processing to get the best out of your source - whether it is a DTV or DSS broadcast, DVD, or a simple VHS tape. The STR-DE845 incorporates Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, and with Sony's exclusive Digital Cinema Sound system-makes your movies sound exactly the way they were meant to be.Bring state-of-the-art digital cinema into your home with the feature-packed STR-DE845. 24-bit processor gives you super-precise Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, while a separate 32-bit processor handles Sony's exclusive Digital Cinema Sound - soundfield circuitry based on acoustic measurements made at Sony Pictures Studios movie production stages. You'll hear movie soundtracks the way the producers and directors intended it to be heard. There are 27 different DSP modes in all.
Sony STR-DE845 Surround Receiver Accessories
Sony STR-DE845 Surround Receiver Reviews
The setup, the remote, features like pure direct and the ipod dock, and especially the sound make me think the sony was overpriced and not as good as the Yamaha. However, I recently bought a Yamaha RX-v661 for $500, and I can't believe how superior this unit is to the Sony. I bought this receiver in 2002, and for that time it was fine for the price, I think around $400.
I bought this receiver in 2001. It was hooked to an Infinity home theater speaker system, which has five small speaker and subwoofer. I only use
As far as functionality and cost-effectiveness of the 845 are concerned though, you can't beat it. Some of the LED's don't work at all now. This item has been thoroughly reviewed and the features have been well explained but I want to add one thing: Just like the Sony reciever I had before this one, the display begins to dim after about a year.
By the way, after returning a few new Sony receivers, I've decided to keep my almost 5 year old STR-DE845. Every channel can be adjusted to respond with the same tonal quality as the others when given the same signal. If you own a Sony receiver of the same price range / class as the STR-DE845 today, you will notice that the receiver's (parametric) equalizer controls only the tonal quality of the front left and right speakers. However, when multi-channel decoding is activated, you'll end up with the two front channels producing different sounds from the remaining channels. I'm sure anyone can imagine how most speakers sound without any equalization. I have purchased this receiver (Gold Chassis) for USD 470 in Kuala Lumpur back in 2000, and have been looking for a replacement since 2003 since Sony introduced their 6.1 and 7.1 receivers with higher fidelity built-in surround decoders. The only way to maintain optimum directionality is to set the equalizers to off. The one thing that I didn't like about the receiver was its analog volume control, and I was looking forward to replace that feature with a digital dial along with a multitude of new built-in decoders like the Dolby Pro-Logic II.
The STR-DE845 however, like most of its counterparts from the 2000 and 2001 line-up, is equipped with three sets of identical parametric equalizers that control all the main 5 channel outputs. But let's face it, at the end of the day, your surround receiver is meant to produce sound and music, and you shouldn't have to punch a big hole in your wallet to do it. Although it is a little scratched and worn, it still roars like a beast and it works well with my new Sony satellite system SAVE-445H. Of late, only a few high end QS and ES receivers like the AV3000 and AV5000 are able to fully control the sound quality of each speakers. This feature works as long as you are only using the two front channels to listen to music. This completely defeats the purpose of using identical speakers for your surround system. To my surprise, non of the newer Sony receivers of the same price range can quite measure up to the DE845 in one important area: The Sound. I'm sure anyone who owns a home cinema in their living room would've read somewhere that in order to achieve optimum directionality and for your surround system and for it to sound convincing and natural, you wil need identical speakers for all the full range channels (be your home theatre a 5.1 or a 7.1 system).
This receiver is just amazing. wrong, you can, and this receiver if you are lucky enough to find one, would be a great place to start.I found mine in mint condition, I have seen the new 875 and appreciate some of the changes sony have made, banana plugs, front panel hookup, great, but the remote, the front panel nahhhh dont like em. the 845 for looks and that awesome remote wins me over easily, and I intend keeping it for a long long time, just wish I could have found the silver version, WOW I really like those but you dont see that many of them around, hope this helped you. I went from the 445 to the 845, and I have to confess that I only changed because I bought a full set of five Cerwin Vegas, LS12's front, LS5's center and rear and an LW12 subwoofer, and I wanted a few more watts to get the most from the Cerwins, not entirely necessary really, because the 445 is no slouch in performance and still went very very loud, then I connected the 845, OH MY GOD. I put on a CD first, a jungle cd from the UK, I cranked it up and nearly had a cardiac arrest, it is breathtakingly powerful. The controls were set flat "as always for music" using only the two main speakers, the bass treble and midrange blended really well, the low bass notes common in jungle music were deep and low, and kept good pace with the music, the treble sounded rich and clear. this receiver is a beast. An audiophile "if there really is such a thing" would no doubt think the sound was just brute power with no class, besides you cant get a great sounding receiver for just a few hundred dollars right.
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