These are great sounding speakers with little to no noise pollution within them. A bit heavy but the right size for spatial compatibility. Social Security Card

So far, I didn't find any.

I found this receiver curbside in very dirty, dusty but otherwise excellent condition as it had all the knobs and nothing was dented, cracked or broken. The STR-DE197 online manual says models with CA at the end of the area code have 125 watts per channel @ 8 ohms, more than enough power for speakers with low sensitivity, and more than the 100 WPC listed in all of the other reviews. I listened to the FM section first and reception was excellent. Same warm sound from all other sources, powerful with nice balance, the bass boost really did add another dimension when activated. After reading the online manual I learned how to store and use preset radio stations which is always a nice feature. There are spring clip inputs on the back for two sets of 8 to 16 ohm speakers marked A and B, and RCA connectors for CD, Tape/Mini Disc recorders, Video1 in and out, Video2, and separate FM/AM antenna connections. The unit isn't heavy so there's probably not much "under the hood" and if your speakers require more than 125 watts I'm sure you're not interested in an entry level Sony, but if you're like most of us this component will serve you well. Front controls include power on/off, bass boost, large volume knob, input select, speaker A and B, separate bass, treble, and balance controls, tuner up/down, preset select, 1/4" headphone jack, and a beautiful fluorescent display that's easy to read from across the room.

There's no phono input so you'll need a separate preamp or a turntable with an internal one, then you can patch into any of the existing inputs. Also the dreaded spring clip speaker terminals that barely accepted my 16 gauge wires. I took 1 star off for these two reasons.

Sony STR-DE 197 amazingly do a great job with B&W 602 S3.
I am happily enjoying it's bi-wire setup and high dynamic range.

It performs very similar to Nakamichi RE-10. Especially when handling high current-needed speakers.

I tried the setup of Klipsch KSB3.1 and Sony STR-DE 197.
It turned out very dissapoint sound quality.

From my little test, Sony STR-DE 197 may not handle every speakers very well.
However, if you have high current-needed speakers or bi-wire speakers, it could give you a shot!

It's cheap
Some of the voices sound all right if you adjust the treble from song to song...

The bass sound muffled and sluggish, even with the bass boost on.
200Hz to 900Hz response is pathetic.
Speakers humm past a certain volume level, which really isn't all that high.
Very high frequencies also sound bad, for example drum snares sound more like "clicks and ticks" rather than drums...

Well I bought Sony STR-DE197 yesterday after reading many reviews here and on other sites. This is my first receiver of this type, but I do know how to recognize decent quality sound, as in the past I have always relied on my computer for music, with a yamaha sound card and a pair of audio-technica headphones. I must say that I was very disappointed with the sony amp, and I returned it this afternoon.

I am no audiophile, but I do listen to quality music (blues jazz and more) and the sound of this amp simply isn't up to the task. The frequency response around 200Hz to 900Hz (like acoustic guitar) is pathetic, you have to put the volume so loud to hear that range properly that higher frequencies get very annoying.

I really gave this amp it's chance, I tried many different CDs (originals, I buy music) from blues to rock and even hip-hop, thoroughly experimented with the bass and treble adjustments and it simply wouldn't sound good.

Overall, it's a bad piece of equipment, not worth buying even if it's cheap.

I was using the amp with a pair of high quality Omage T6 speakers, by the way.

Customer Service

The source took it back right away with no questions asked, I was quite happy about that.

Ease of operation, VALUE, Quality Sony product, Excellent out-of-the-box warranty, Pleasing to the eye as well as ear!

AM/FM antenna, get XM!

Actually the model year for this product is 2008. After doing my research via various media outlets I decided to buy the Sony STR-DE197 because it had the best value for the options that I needed to add music to a bedroom. WOW! I am blown away with what I got! This receiver is an excellent choice for the first time buyer looking for a no-hassle receiver at an outstanding price or as an addition to a room. I bought this because I have XM, but to test the system I hooked up my CD player and that is where I was blown away. The power is perfect for driving my Boston Acoustic bookshelf speakers coupled with my Bose 301s. I can run either set separately, and with the added Bass Boost, smile from ear to ear. The reproduction of sound is very good and fills the room nicely.

Similar Products Used:

DBX, Wharfedale, JBL

the first thing i have to say is VALUE. I paid 150 dollars for this unit and have had it for over a year, with loud parties evrey weekend/drunken karoke til 2 in the morning. and i can tell I will have it for many years to come. although not rated for 4 ohm this reciever drove my b&w towers gracefully and sounded very smooth and clear even when driven at full RMS. also suprisingly did not even get hot (definately a good sign) considering how hot most recievers usually get when driven hard, this one seems to do pretty well. Also it is very customizable, all the input's display names can be edited directly from the buttons on the unit it'self. i use this unit with my pc and my b&e's for more than a year now and no signs of any problems

power supply transformer a bit weak. The transformer is by far the most expensive part of an amplifier, sony did use a cheap one for this amp i will admit. thats why it cost me so little. though a bigger transformer would probably kick it up about 10 watts and add a great deal of current.... this one does just fine

the term "digital amplifier" is just another perfect example of how the word "digital" is abused in the modern consumer electronic industry. The amplifier circuit found in 99.9% of todays recievers/amplifiers is the same circuitry found in an old 70's stereo reciever...class A+B where an op amp transistor listens to a small low voltage input signal while directing large amounts of DC voltage provided by the system's power supply into a waveform that is as close to the input signal as possible. Then it splits this signal in half and sends each half to 2 large power transistors coupled to a heatsink. They work together to use the current from the power supply to force the speaker's voice coil in and out. The Sony STR-DE197 does just this and does it very well. It uses a perfect blend of negative feedback and core power to drive loudspeakers more accurately. The entire amplifier circuit (except the power transistors) are on a single chip which results in faster response time (slew rate) and overall more accurate signal with less noise (hiss). The STR-DE197 uses parts found in amplifiers up to 4 times its cost. Sony has spent more than 3 decades perfecting their amplifier circuitry and it has shown throughought the years.

Similar Products Used:

Harmon.Kardon, Bose, Onkyo, B&W, Infinity
JVC - no remote
Kenwood - overheated, blew a power trans, and drove +70vDC to 1 of my $900
speakers ultimately destroying it...... never again!

several of sony recievers all of which i have been quite satisfied with

- Striaghtforward, easy to use bass/treble, source selection buttons
- Large volume knob
- Five auxillary devices supported
- 100W x 2 channels provides plenty of power for any party
- Well-built
- Energy Star rated
- Stores 10 FM/AM radio stations
- Includes coaxial jack for hooking up AM antenna (included) or your own radio antenna
- Built-in polarized AC adapter for hooking up another appliance
- Speaker selects (A&B)
- Remote control w/ batteries included (some functions work only for other devices)
- Good price
- Owner's manual/documentation fairly easy to understand

- Radio tuning and saving stations can be difficult to figure out for first-time users
- Makes loud clicking sound when turned on or off
- Included AM antenna is so-so; serious radioheads should consider getting another antenna

Whether you're a causal listener or a full-blown audiophile, the Sony STR-DE197 amp is defenitely a great choice. Built to Sony's traditional quality standards, this amp is sturdy, well built and can pack a punch when it comes to audio quality and power, at 100 watts over two channels (100W x 2), and provides plenty for any party. Although this is a digital amp, it's sound matches that of any analog amp that I've listened to in several years. Featuring straightforward controls, and hookups for four speakers, this amp would be an excellent choice for a first-time buyer as the user manual instructions are fairly easy to understand (as stereo instructions go!) and cable & speaker hookups are labeled and should not prove a hassle to someone connecting two speakers and multiple devices, i.e. DVD player, TV, etc. Serious audiophiles may scoff because this is, after all, a digital audio amp, but the device's overal quality is excellent for the price range. Also included are a remote (with batteries) and AM antenna (which is only so-so). The amp features a built-in AC adapter to plug in extra devices, too. Overall, this is a good value and worth the money.

Customer Service

Haven't had any problems as yet, so I can't speak for Sony's customer service.

Similar Products Used:

None - my first amp