Sony used to be the biggest home cinema amplifier brand in the UK, and produced some of the most loved, and best known receivers around. But then from nowhere, Onkyo suddenly gained ahead of steam and took hold of the market, pretty much over night. Sony have been hitting back though, and the STR-DH810 is one of the amplifiers they hope will claw back some market share.
Sony has an instant advantage over Onkyo: nearly everyone has heard of them. People also associate the brand with quality, and despite Onkyo having an illustrious history stretching back 60 years, they are still not that well known in the UK. The Sony STR-DH810 therefore has an early head start, but the features on this stylish home cinema amplifier are such that they may not even need it.
Firstly, this is a fully fledged and up to the minute home cinema amplifier. The STR-DH810 boasts not only four HDMI sockets, but they are all 3D ready, and include an audio return channel so you can listen to your television through the amplifier as well with just the single HDMI connection. The system will also upscale to 1080p so you get the best video quality possible too. There are also a multitude of other connections too of course, so there is very little you won’t be able to connect up to the amp.
Secondly, the Sony STR-DH810 is a very capable and powerful amplifier. With 7x100w available, you can use all 7.1 channels, or choose to bi-amp the front speakers on a 5.1 set up for improved sound quality. There are also 24 built in sound fields available to help optimise your home cinema listening experience for your tastes.
Finally the features on the Sony STR-DH810 are impressive at this price point – not only do you have the RDS tuner, but also a Digital Media Port to connect your Walkman or iPod, and the one touch DCAC automatic sound set up that will optimise the audio for your particular speaker placement.
What to consider before you buy the Sony STR-DH810Home Cinema Receiver
Although the looks are a little dull, there is very little else we can say against the Sony at this price point. An HDMI socket on the front wouldn’t have gone a miss though, which the more expensive Onkyo TX-SR608 does have.
Why you should buy the Sony STR-DH810 Home Cinema Receiver
For such a feature rich and powerful amplifier, Sony seemed to have pulled a winner out of the bag here. The RRP pitches this amp close to the Onkyo TX-SR608, which it can’t quite match in terms of specification. However, the current street prices we’re seeing majorly undercuts this model (and brings it more in line with the TX-SR508), so makes this a fantastic value for money purchase. Rating: /5
Buy the Sony STR-DH810 Home Cinema Receiver
could you tell if this amp supports TFX as the Onkyo sr608 does.?