Sony STR-DE695 6.1 Channels Receiver

Pros: Handles all of our Home Entertainment Components and more...
Cons: Overdesigned, RCA Jack, S-Video, Optical, Digital, ComponentVideo. All-In-One design unnecessary for most users!

SONY CORPORATION STR-DE695 Audio/Video Receiver WHAT IS IT? A receiver is the nerve center of Entertainment Centers that are made up of separate "Components" connected together and to a video display and/or an audio output system. ...

Pros: Great sound, lots of digital inputs, easy to use, packed with features
Cons: remote not truly universal, small buttons and it broke after 3 months

I really love buying Sony products. I've never really been let down with anything of theirs that I've purchased. This receiver has definitely lived up to that. I purchased this receiver about 6-9 months ago and I use it every day. I have my ...

Pros: 6.1 audio, low price, easy setup, quality sound
Cons: Remote is "so-so", equalizer is set through menu

First of all let me start by saying that I am by no means an "audiophile". I spent quite sometime looking at receivers and trying to decide what to get. Finally, when Sony came out with a low cost 6.1 capable receiver I knew I had to get it. I've been ...

Pros: lots of inputs and vary good sound
Cons: I have not found any cons yet but I only had it 1 day

I had this radio for 1 dad and it is cool. I love all the inputs and I used almost all of them. I upgraded from a 20 year old tuner that sounds good but now i can hear the music when i crank it

Pros: Digital inputs galore, Video ability...remote is fine if you are used to Sony mentality
Cons: No turntable / Phono input...THX would also be a nice inclusion too

I'm sorry, but some of these reviews are in only one direction...in this case, video, so i will leave that to them...a very key option NOT included with this receiver is inability to directly use a turntable! Maybe I'm too old and out of the loop, but I still have 1000's of vinyl not on CD...Plenty of New Wave (Sinceros, Fingerprintz, Polyrock, etc.) and tons of 12-inch singles with versions that need listening to...granted you can buy external pre-amps to work with so you can listen via a video or tape input but one more item translates into more noise, more clutter, and one more thing to buy. This unit is fine as a video switcher / player...my ED beta, older super beta and JVC S-VHS decks love this unit...actually, having an RF output for occasional long distance viewing (little TV in the yard, etc., as my older Pioneer has would really make this tops, but all in all, the lack of turntable input is the only serious fault.

Pros: Plenty of inputs; handles all common video formats
Cons: AM Radio section could be much better. Sound good but tuner sensitivity is lacking.

I needed to replace an aging (and now faulty) 1992 vintage STR-DE595 Sony unit. So I picked up this one for $240. It had HD-capable component video, plenty of digital and analog inputs and great sound. Everything I was basically looking for.

However, if you rely on reliable and decent AM Radio sensitivity, don't look for it in this receiver. It's FM tuner is fine but only the strongest of AM stations will be picked up and that assumes you have a decent antenna attached.

The remote is somewhat confusing. Unfortunately the 58 page user manual does not explain remote usage all that well. But once you get used to it, the remote works well.

Sound is great. Digital processing options are great. All in all a great buy!