Sony STR-DH790 7.2-ch Surround Sound Home Theater AV Receiver: 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos & Bluetooth Black

I will update this as I need to, but I waited nearly a month to make sure this unit didn't turn out like the Pyle unit I had to return before buying this.So, thoughts after the first month -I came from a decent, but older (2005 or so) Yamaha receiver that eventually died on me. I figured a new unit wouldn't sound too different or much better after the initial tweaking and setup outside of going from 5.1 to 7.1. I already had a decent 7.1 for my computer setup, so I knew what to expect in a general sense when getting this for my living room.Well, I was pleasantly surprised, even setup with the same speakers in a 5.1 configuration, the audio was noticeably better in every way. Not a "night and day, OMG SO much better" kind of way, but definitely noticeable to even my non-audiophile wife. Going from that 5.1 setup to 7.1 was also a nice step up, as one could assume, but I wanted to test 5.1 vs 5.1 as best I could first, and as stated, it excelled in that regard.Paired with a range of oddities for my speaker setup (my front speakers being some huge Peavey monitors lol) it works well, just don't pair this with some dollar store cheapos, and you'll be happy I am sure.TLDR - Is this a top tier unit that will impress the most snobbish of ears? No.Is it a heck of a step up from any sound bar/built in TV speaker/most older AVRs? Most definitely. You get more than what you pay for here. Even if it isn't the top shelf unit we all want, it is way more than enough for the every man and good enough for an audiophile on a budget.Pros - value, overall sound quality is "more than enough", sturdy, easy to setup.Cons - nothing fancy (as expected from this price range), sound quality isn't the very best (also as expected). So... Really no major gripes.

I bought the Sony STR-DH790 to replace a 25 year old Sony high end stereo receiver whose Dolby Pro Logic would not consistently provide surround sound for my new big screen Sony tv. Although I read the Operating Instructions and many online reviews, I was uneasy about the purchase because I had not previewed this model in operation. I knew that many hours would be required to disconnect, re-route, and set up speaker and HDMI connections to test this unit. Fortunately, I’m happy with the purchase. I set mine up in a Dolby 5.1 configuration with 2 additional speakers connected in Zone B fashion. I’ve connected a cable box and Sony blueray DVD to the receiver. The calibration procedure was easy and provided acceptable first pass settings for the speakers. I also connected a cassette deck to the receiver’s analog RCA jacks. I’m very happy with the sound that results from playing cassette and MP3 music in this Dolby 5.1 setup. The immersive sound I sought for tv and music listening has been achieved. Perhaps because I’ve stuck with mostly Sony equipment, compatibility has worked out well. When I turn on the DVD or send an MP3 to the receiver via Bluetooth, it automatically powers up the receiver and/or tv, as appropriate. Also, even though the receiver has only 4 HDMI inputs and no provision for analog inputs, the tv inputs effectively provide more input options. I have a VHS VCR connected to my tv which I can play in Dolby 5.1 through the receiver. Other than the need to keep multiple remote controls handy, I see no disadvantage in connecting equipment to the tv rather than the receiver. Sony provides a manual with Operational Instructions, but I wish they also provided the Help Guide (web manual) instead of requiring users to download it. The Help Guide describes the details of the DISPLAY menu options that appear on the front panel of the receiver, but not on the tv display. These menus allow adjustments to such things as bass and treble settings, speaker volumes, crossover frequencies, and more. These cumbersome settings are impossible to traverse without the Help Guide… Although some reviews faulted Sony for using spring clip connections rather than binding posts, I strongly prefer the spring clips. It’s difficult to thread speaker wire through the hole of a binding post. I spent extra money to add banana plugs to the speaker wires that connected to the receiver’s binding posts because the plugs made it easier to connect those speakers to the receiver.