Top of the (midpriced) heap: Sony STR-DG920
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET Networks)Back in November, I asked the question, "What's the best midpriced AV receiver?"--but had to confess that we hadn't reviewed as many as we would've liked. Since then, Senior Associate Editor Matt Moskovciak and resident Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg sequestered themselves in the CNET listening room and put several models to the test.
When the smoke cleared, the Sony STR-DG920 was at the top of the heap, with the Pioneer VSX-1018AH and Onkyo TX-SR606 impressing us as well. The Denon AVR-1909 sounded great and was packed with features, but that model's confusing remote control and Sisyphean setup duties relegates it to advanced AV nerds with plenty of patience. Rounding things out was the Yamaha RX-V663, with only two HDMI inputs and subpar video conversion. We recommend avoiding the Panasonic SA-BX500 altogether--even selling at a discounted price, it's far too underfeatured compared to the other receivers listed here. (We tried to get our hands on the Harman Kardon AVR 254, but a review sample wasn't available.) Check out our full comparison for the head-to-head ratings, links to the reviews, and hands-on videos.
All of the receivers tested were 2008 models. For 2009, Pioneer is the only major name that's announced its product lineup, but we're expecting news from Yamaha and Sony in the very near future. That should be followed up in the spring by new model announcements from Onkyo, HK, and Denon. Receivers will be a priority in 2009, so we're looking forward to reviewing the next crop of models as soon as we can. In the meantime, let us know what you think of the current reviews, and what you're looking forward to in the AV receiver realm for 2009.
(Credit:
CBS Interactive/Sarah Tew)
Picking out a receiver used to be almost as easy as picking which one sounded the best, but that's hardly the case now that AV receivers are responsible for so many video duties. The Sony STR-DG920 is well-suited to its new role, offering up four HDMI inputs and 1080p analog video upconversion. In addition, the STR-DG920 is one of the only receivers in its price range to offer up a full graphical user interface, rather than the more common text-only interface.
On the downside, the STR-DG920 doesn't offer any multiroom functionality and we felt that its sound quality was a notch or two below that of its competitors. If you're hardcore audiophile or need multiroom functionality, you'll want to go with a competitor; everyone else should strongly consider the STR-DG920 as their midrange AV receiver pick.
(Credit:
Pioneer)
Update (February 12, 2009): Check out our follow-up story, with full reviews of all the products mentioned here.
I receive a lot of e-mail asking why we haven't reviewed many AV receivers in recent months. First off, let me say: mea culpa. Reviews coverage of this category has suffered, mostly because AV receivers are among the most time-consuming products to analyze (because they now need to be examined in detail for their audio and video performance). But enough of the excuses; here's what we're doing to remedy the situation.
... Read more
The Onkyo TX-SR606 is a great value and packed with features, but it's got competition this year.
The most common question we get at CNET is, "what should I buy?" Unfortunately, instead of just spitting out a product name, that question usually forces us to follow-up with our own questions--how much do you want to spend, what features are important, and so on. However, last year when people asked "which audiovisual receiver should I buy", we actually had a pretty simple answer: the Onkyo TX-SR605. At $400, it was right in the "budget" sweet spot, and it included more next-generation features--such as onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, and analog upconversion--than any other receiver in its price class. Unless you were looking to spend a lot more money, the TX-SR605 was by far the best value.
So which AV receiver should you buy in 2008? Well, it's not that easy this year.
... Read moreWhen Onkyo released the budget TX-SR605 AV receiver last year, it rocked the industry with its low price and high-end features such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Master Audio decoding. Other manufacturers pretty much had to stay on the sidelines as TX-SR605s flew off the shelf, but it looks as if Sony is ready to fight back with its new line of budget AV receivers. The company's 2008 line of AV receivers includes four new affordably priced models--the STR-DG520, STR-DG720, STR-DG820 and STR-DG920--and they look pretty good from the spec sheet. Here are the details:
The STR-DG520
(Credit:
Sony)
Key features of the Sony STR-DG520:
- 5.1 channels, 100 watts of power
- Two HDMI inputs
- Supports 1080p pass-through at 60 and 24 frames per second
- Available in March for about $200
The STR-DG720
(Credit:
Sony)
Step-up features on the STR-DG720:
- 7.1 channels, 105 watts of power
- Three HDMI inputs ... Read more
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