Sony STR-DN610 AV-receiver
While the most of receivers can support 7.1 configuration only with a help of an additional power amplifier, Sony STR-DN610 has seven amplifier channels. Surely, the 7.1 scheme increases the receiver's cost, that's why you can find in the design and functional equipment of STR-DN610 the features of saving. Like in Onkyo TX-SR308 screw terminals here are only for front pair and cheaper spring terminals are provided for other speaker systems. There are only three HDMI inputs. Another way of reducing price is the usage of DAC with cutoff frequency of 96 kHz. However, the most fundamental point - the lack of HD-sound decoders. The solution of the problem can be the usage of their equipped Blu-ray player.
A nice bonus is the support of return audio channel (ARC) that allows you to simplify the connection. Generally, laconism and simplicity are the hallmark of a new line of AV-technics by Sony, and this refers not only to technical aspects but design. A typical, "monolithic" front panel completely hides the display from eyes when the receiver is turned off. The most part of control buttons as well as frontal inputs are hidden under the flap cover. Body control is implemented quite conveniently. The remote control is the most ergonomic; it falls well in hand, keys are large enough that the majority of competitors does not have.
Sound auto-calibrating system works very effectively. At default settings the scene turns out to be very narrow, sound is surrounded by too tight ring. After calibration procedure it slightly expands and at the same time does not lose integrity and unity. The level of crosstalk is low, during calibration you can hear how a loud test sound of one channel penetrates into the next one. Against this background the ability of the receiver to separate plans at playing soundtracks in movies really pleases. In result, we can't call the scene wide, but the difference in distance to the objects is captured with absolute clarity, they do not merge into a flat rounded panorama without volume.
An early rolloff of high frequencies and warm, rich middle are well noticeable in the sound character of Sony STR-DN610. Detailing and dynamics are not the best but due to this the receiver's sound turns out to be maximally comfortable, soft and even at playing very hard music. Sony STR-DN610 perfectly plays compressed audios without any special technologies of sound improvement. The manner of giving of any music material including MP3 is so that artifacts are masked in a natural way. In the case of listening to CD it can hardly be called a plus, but for WMA and MP3 - just enough. The overall impression of the receiver's cinema and music abilities can be described by the following formula - good for movies and quite appropriate for background listening. Sony STR-DN610 can't replace Hi-Fi stereo amplifier, but it will be quite suitable in the role of music centre.
