|
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. 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.
It was hooked to an Infinity home theater speaker system, which has five small speaker and subwoofer. I bought this receiver in 2001. I only use
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. As far as functionality and cost-effectiveness of the 845 are concerned though, you can't beat it.
I'm sure anyone can imagine how most speakers sound without any equalization.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. This completely defeats the purpose of using identical speakers for your surround system.The only way to maintain optimum directionality is to set the equalizers to off. Every channel can be adjusted to respond with the same tonal quality as the others when given the same signal.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. 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 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.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).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. 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.By the way, after returning a few new Sony receivers, I've decided to keep my almost 5 year old STR-DE845. This feature works as long as you are only using the two front channels to listen to music. 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.
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. 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. 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. This receiver is just amazing. this receiver is a beast. 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. 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. 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.
|
