Good power, EQ, DTS, Price

Some balancing issues.

I posted the original review for this model. At the time I was only using Pro-
Logic. Now, with a DVD I can say that it
is even more impressive. I found that the sound fields were a bit misbalanced
L-R...but other than that, no gripes.The
remote controls all of my Sony equipment
nicely, although the DVD menu controls
could be better. For the $313 I paid way
back when (June) I couldn't be happier.

Similar Products Used:

STR DE705

power,good display,s-video switching,3 digital input's.

Remote does not operate my dss info button.

I like the SONY str-de835,its alot better than the Onkyo and I only paid $50.00 more but well worth it,the Onkyo remote only allows onkyo products and to much hissss.The Sony allows me to hook up my DSS and JVC HR-S3500U S-VHS via S-VIDEO,I don't have DVD so I only need two S-VIDEO switches.Dolby Digital from STARZ and pay per view are outstanding,this reciever also pushes my large 3-way 4 ohm speakers with no problems.Can't wait to see what Sony comes up with next year.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo TX-DS474

Excellent DD, very customizable, numerous sound fields, Auto Format Decode, pretty blue light

Absolutely the worst remote ever by any Manufacturer

My previous Sony amp was a simple Pro-Logic receiver that served it's purpose. I still remember watching The Empire Strikes back and being amazed at the sound. I was even more impressed with the 835 after watching the Matrix (DVD - Sony DVP330S) and Saving Private Ryan (DVD - Sony DVP330S). The mucic and sound effects made me giddy. I do think that you must customize the EQ to suit your speakers or you will be disappointed. Another feautue of the Sony line that I like is the pretty blue light (no one can miss it) that lets you know you are listening to Dolby Digital. This I feel is a comfort thing, and I for one applaud Sony for a beautiful design. For $525 (CDN), which is approx 50 cents American, I couldn't be happier.

My entire HT (including Game Console) is Sony and it will stay for a long time to come.

Similar Products Used:

STR-D965 ('96)

Sony ergonomics, Automatic selection of best DVD audio stream, Sony S-Link system.

Remote control isn't that great.

After some extensive research, I decided to take the plunge and upgrade from DPL to DTS/DD5.1. As I already purchased a Sony DVP-530 I was somewhat biased in my choices toward Sony products. However, I believe that the 835 is still one of the best values out there and I find its ergonomics and design unmatched by most of the other vendors.

Especially nice are the S-Link controls that automatically switch between input sources on my Receiver and Television plus the auto selection of Audio streams on DVDs.

A lot of DSP modes (depending on preference, this
could also be a giant weakness.
If you like lights and window-dressings on the front panel, the Sony has more than you'll ever need.

Not especially "user" friendly.
Durability concerns.
Sony's history of subpar "a/v receivers."
Simply sounds "below-average"

I'll try to be as honest and unbiased as possible:

In short, Sony receivers have never been considered even "quality" products (even their ES lines do very poorly in terms of laboratory testings). Mediocre at best for "pure fidelity," Sony has found a niche in the market because of several key attributes: features, future-compatibility, DSP modes, and the "Sony" name. The 835 and 935 and beyond all have DTS/DD with plenty of inputs/outputs (including s-video and digital coax/toslink). They also usually have 40 or so virtual surround modes (most are unrealistic simulations of ambient "atmospheres").

But at the same time, the receivers tend to sound overly bright and their ratings usually lean toward "marketing ploy" (for those people out there who think "watts" are a standard of quality -- one of the most glaring misconceptions in the a/v industry). Basically a 40-watt/channel HK (high-current amplifier) can blow away most Sony receivers (peak 100-110 watts of low drive). Indeed, don't even bother trying to power any loudspeaker of significance with a Sony. Want to make a high-end speaker sound bad? Hook it up to a Sony. At best, Sony receivers would accomodate satellite/sub set-ups.

But for an entry level receiver, the Sony STR-DE line is not all that bad. But again, there are plenty of comparatively priced receivers on the market that are SO MUCH BETTER.

I have been in the a/v retail industry for quite some time, and we do carry components from Sony, Yamaha, Onkyo, JVC, and HK. And though they carry fairly comparable price points, I would never recommend Sony receivers. All the IC design, low-current drive (the STRDE series), and non-discrete components make for cost-effective, albeit low-performance build. Though packed with plenty of features (unnecessary?), I find that compromising internal quality for external perks is the WRONG CHOICE TO MAKE. Again, most run-of-the-mill customers will never be able to differentiate (or even care for) the differences in internal build/technology. And believe me, these are the same customers who just love the global name: sony, bose, etc. etc.

Sony generally makes "nice" products (TV's, CD/DVD), but when it comes to receivers and speakers, there are very few products out on the market that are worse. When we as an industry sale products, we want to maximize sales while minimizing returns/repairs. Buying a non-upper high end "big five" receiver (yamaha, denon, marantz, onkyo, or pioneer elite) is usually the smartest thing to do. Remember, the receiver will serve as the all-important "brain" of your entire HT set-up, controlling and switching from different sources while powering your speakers. A Sony receiver will leave you VERY unsatisfied.

And about the 835, we've had plenty of them shipped to our repair center because of broken rear channels or inconsistent switching between components. Also, "protection mode" failures are common because legitimate heat sinks are missing from the Sony ingredient. In other words, a Sony receiver might bring you plenty of grief.

If you can find a honest dealer out there who carries a wide array of receivers, ask him how he would rate Sony's in comparison to other products in the price range. It is almost general knowledge here that Sony receivers are just inferior across the board.

We've had many upgrades to Onkyo or Yamaha receivers because they just have superior sound, technology, and build. Do your research and buy something that is compatible with your needs and expectations!

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Most everything else in price range

Decent Price, many tweaking features

DURABILITY, LONGEVITY

I've been a salesman at a national retail chain, wehre we carry most major brands, Yamaha, technics, Pioneer....

and I'll say that even though in the store this unit seems wonderful and it has pretty decent sound reproduction behind the scenes there are a great deal of shady things going on.

First off.. you ahve no idea how many returns we have on this device becasue of faulty units.... in the first 30 days... many customers complain that after two units (and the same problem overheating) they would rather have another brand.. and I'll say that in the store.. within minutes of powering up sometimes teh unit will over heat... this is a problem with amny sony units after 625... other buyers haven't ahd a problem.. I personally would not buy one

Similar Products Used:

All others i the price range

Good sound, virtual speaker modes, on-unit controls

Remote, Reliability, Overly complex set-up for this market segment

Plusses and minuses here. I personally LIKE the sound from this unit. A lot. I've read some other reviews that claim the unit is a little bright. That may be true, but then again, I don't judge a unit by how strongly it can shake the walls. I want good reproduction in ALL bands and so I'll sacrifice a little bass for good clarity and imaging, which are this unit's strong points. Heck, adjusting any decent subwoofer will take care of the base end just fine.

When I first set up my system, I only had two front speakers. I was still looking for my 'dream speakers.' However, in the interim, I was amazed by the 'virtual speaker' function in this unit. It simulates the missing speakers in a surround system. And you know what? It works amazingly well! Not a match for true speakers in back and center, mind you, but really remarkable. The 'surround field' seems to extend just past 180deg around the listener, assuming you're in the center of the soundstage. Mighty nice for someone starting out.

Minuses? A minor gripe and two big ones.

1. This is a mid-range AV unit. But you've got enough set-up controls for a NASA space launch! Nice for getting everything 'just so,' but expect to be tweaking and consulting the manual for quite a while as you learn 'what does what.' At least you only have to do it once. The 'everyday' controls are just fine.

2. That insipid remote. Who decided that light green lettering on white buttons was a good idea? Nearly unreadable, even in 'lights on' roomlight. Forget reading them during a movie. The buttons are 'glow in the dark,' but the green paint isn't opaque enough to make the type readable. The rest of the remote is less annoying, but too many controls were put under the 'flip top.' The remote also does a very weak job of controlling other units in the system, including my Sony DVD player. I was not impressed with the remote.

3. Last but certainly not least, there's reliablility. I'd heard that this was a problem with the DE line of AV receivers, largely due to overheating. Therefore I placed my unit on a flat, hard surface, with at least twelve inches between it and any other object. Here's the result: The unit runs quite hot. Really. This even with the good ventilation I described above. Even with this 'optimal' ventilation, my unit died this morning. I was listening to the radio mode when, about two minutes after turning on the unit, there was a short-but-loud 'static' sound from the speakers and the radio cut out. I looked up and saw a nice big puff of smoke coming out of the top grill. The unit still seems to function otherwise, but will produce no sound. So, it's off to the repair center!

Overall? A very nice unit in and of itself. But if you can, get a hold of a different remote. And for God's sake, get an extended warranty!!!!!

great sound, dolby digital and dts with all kinds of
paramters to tweak with. many surround programs.

suck ass remote.

you can't get this many features in any unit near or even above its price range. I went to 3 good guys , 2 circuit citys and ultimate. Most units under $500 did not have dts
and since i have a dvd player with dts that was a must for me onkyo, yamaha and HK only had treble/bass knobs where the
sony you can adjust gain/eq for the center/fronts and rear and save that setting for that perticular dvd.
okay the remote is worthles, short of skwinting my eyes
to push the dvd button which is white with light green lettering. But the sound is awsome. for the price you can't go wrong. Does get hot so get the extended warranty.

Great unit! Plays 5.1 and DTS, easy hookups

Runs a little hot, but not as hot as some would suggest (Do you guys use yours at 11?)
Remote remote (IS there a good remote that comes with any product??)

This is a super unit for the $$$ You really can't beat it. Yeah yeah, if you spend $1000, you can do better, but come on, DTS for $300 is amazing. I have had no, count em, zero problems so far. I wish I could say that for my Sony DVD player which is crap. That unit was highly recommended on this site and it does nothing but freeze and lip sinc.
Well, I really only use this for movies, so maybe with music, it's JUNK, but for DVDs in DTS or dolby digital, it just ROCKS.
Anyhoo, I am really pleased with the STRDE 835.

My setup:

STRDE835
Polk RM5400 (nice sound, low $$)
Mitsubishi 50 inch 50705 (LOVE it!!)
Toshiba SD2200 (better than the sony)
Sony VCR (also crap with a big screen TV)
Hughes Sat. system

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer, JVC

I have had this receiver for 3 weeks now (purchased at Crutchfield for $399..). I had been searching for a pioneer d608 for some time but many stores near me were sold out. I decided to break down and get the sony as the features were comparable to the pioneer and the price was definitely right! Also, I have never owned a sony so I am unclouded by poor past experiences with Sony Gear.
First let me say that many of the reviews I have read here call out the 835 for running hot. I too have experienced this, but I have the receiver in a well ventilated area and it has never shut down even after hours of movie and music playing. This receiver is loaded with features but many of the "tweaking" features are not well explained in the manual and take some experimentation to get anyting useful out of them. The digital performance is good (definitely a step up from my old pioneer prologic receiver) and the power seems ample. However, I have a small room and it seems like the sony doesnt puts out as much juice as my old pioneer 100w (I suspect the power rating may be a bit exaggerated). There are s video jacks for many inputs as well as coax and multiple digital inputs for digital/ht components. The remote has many functions and I was able to program it to do at least the basic functions of all my gear.

Overall, this is a great value for an entry level unit (wish it had front Av jack with S-video like the Pioneer though).

Note: I tried using the receivers LFE out for my M&K 100watt sunbwoofer and had some trouble tweaking it. I went back to the speaker type hookup and found the sound better (maybe it was just me as I am relatively new to this stuff and am still learning)

For reference, I have the following components attached and still have room for future expansion.

1) Pioneer 502 LD player
2) Panasonic A310 DVD
3) Hitachi Hi-Fi VCR
4) Pioneer CD changer
5) Playstation and N64

Marc