Inexpensive Sony stereo receiver getting attention from youtube reviewers

Actually, Sony's STR-DH130 was starting to get noticed for its sound quality when it was replaced by the current STR-DH190....

For anyone who wants to build an inexpensive system....

 

I own this receiver. Surprisingly good for the price. For a lot of people it will be all they need. The phono input has a +6db gain control to ensure vinyl & digital sources are the same volume!!

 

Yes. The DH190 is a great receiver...especially for the price! I have this matched to all of my units, including the ATLP120XUSB. At the moment I do not have any preamp in the way; I use the 120XUSB built-in preamp and connect it via a line entry to the receiver. The sound is incredibly full. The DH190 does have a built-in photo preamp which is decent, but I did not notice much difference between it and the LP120X built-in preamp. I am looking to invest in an exterior photo preamp that's better than both as a kind of "middle man" between the 120X and the DH190.

Overall, this is an excellent receiver for those with a modest system like myself.

 

I have the 130 with matching TT and speakers. This has allowed me to rejoin the hobby. Looks, sounds and performs perfectly.

 

And by “photo” I mean phono

 

In one of the live chats with his youtube viewers, Sean of Zero Fidelity (see first video posted above) mentioned that he preferred the Sony STR-DH190 over the $2,500 Marantz Model 30 integrated amp in a desktop system. He didn't mention source(s) or speakers used with the Sony stereo receiver or Marantz integrated amp, however.

 

Speakers are far and away the most important aspect in a stereo system to get "final best sound". As long as you are not pushing the receiver i.e. running 6 ohm or 4 ohm speakers that are rated to lower frequencies, at loud volumes for extended periods, you should be good (i.e. you dont need a lot of current or instantaneous current). Nice refreshing thread, I have the 130 and mated to bookshelf speakers it is fine. Yes other amps/receivers will enable you to play louder, cleaner, and for longer periods of time, but plenty of people do not listen under these conditions. Sure more expensive receivers might offer a more "refined" sound as well or more tailored to your listening preferences but now you are getting into rather subtle (that is not to say unimportant, especially to many audiohiles) differences IMHO.

 

I prefer the sounds from receivers of the 1970's, from companies like Quadraflex(CBS Laboratories), Sansui and Pioneer. In modern times, I have been partial to Sony Home Theater receivers and have gone through several. To me, with each new model, they add more features but also make them more difficult to operate, plus they don't sound as good to me as my previous one. All have been the upper part of the mid-line. With my last Sony Home Theater receiver, the HDMI inputs/outputs started acting up, so with an increasing amount of HDMI components, with still using many analog components, I needed a new Home Theater receiver that met my needs. The only one I could find was one of Onkyo's better receivers. Although more powerful, it doesn't seem to be more powerful and doesn't sound as good, but it has all the inputs and outputs I need.
So, with the more basic new Sony receivers, I CAN believe that they are as good as people say they are. If I needed a basic stereo receiver, I would definitely consider one.

 

The "70s silver" receivers tend to be rated for 4 ohm speakers and thus a "lower 8 Ohm power rating" 70s silver receiver can often better power speakers (nearly always in my experience) than a higher rated newer receiver that is not rated for 4 Ohm speakers(not to mention the 70s silver power ratings tend to be based on much more stringent testing conditions like lower THD and down to lower frequencies). Being rated for 4 ohm speakers means the receiver can better deliver the current needed for the low end. Example, my BOTL Onkyo TX-1500 MKii receiver, NAD 7020(granted this is not silver), Hitachi IA-600, the list goes on. All 3 of those, though rated lower in power at 8 Ohms than my Sony 130, will more than likely power a set of speakers better than my Sony 130. But for many, like those running bookshelf speakers (that dont play much below 60 Hz or whatever)or bookshelf speakers with a sub and who dont tend to listen at loud volumes, something like the Sony 130 or 190 will be fine and can get someone into the hobby for little coin.