If you’re looking to transform your living room into a movie theater without emptying your wallet, the Sony STR-DH790 7.2-ch Surround Sound Home Theater AV Receiver is here to make it happen. Don’t let its price tag fool you—this receiver packs a punch with cinematic sound and high-quality visuals that rival systems costing much more.

First up, the audio experience is nothing short of spectacular. With Dolby Atmos and DTS

, you’re treated to multi-dimensional, object-based surround sound that makes every movie, TV show, and game feel like an immersive event. The audio wraps around you, making it seem as though you’re right in the middle of the action, whether it’s a quiet conversation or a dramatic explosion.

The 4K HDR pass-through support is equally impressive. With Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Hybrid Log Gamma, you get stunning picture quality with enhanced color, contrast, and brightness. It’s like bringing the cinema right into your home, with visuals that are as breathtaking as the sound.

Connectivity is a breeze with the STR-DH790. It offers 4 HDMI inputs and 1 output, plus an optical and coaxial digital connection, as well as analog audio connections. This ensures you have plenty of options for connecting all your favorite devices. Plus, with Bluetooth standby, you can easily stream music and turn on the receiver directly from your phone—a handy feature for quick, wireless access.

The auto calibration feature, D.C.A.C., ensures that the audio is adjusted for optimal sound in every room, so you get the best possible listening experience no matter where you’re sitting. The Pure Direct function minimizes front panel noise, enhancing fidelity across all inputs, while the low-profile design (standing just 5 1/4" tall) fits comfortably into most AV cabinets.

In the box, you get everything you need: a calibration microphone, FM antenna, remote control, and batteries. This comprehensive package ensures you’re ready to set up and start enjoying your new home theater system right away.

In summary, the Sony STR-DH790 delivers exceptional value for its price. It’s a budget-friendly choice that doesn’t skimp on quality, providing you with top-notch audio and stunning visuals for a home theater experience that won’t break the bank.

I’ve used Sony products for over 30 years. I upgraded from a 20 plus yr old Sony 5.1 receiver and so far I am very happy. Currently set up in 5.1 mode and my Yamaha 5.1 speakers have never sounded better. Set up was super easy using the included calibration microphone and then a few manual tweaks and I was up and running in less than 45 minutes. Dialog is very clear, surround effects… it’s like I’m hearing them for the first time. I was so used to my old system and being so old the sound was muddy. I can’t wait to get some atmos speakers and run it in 5.2.2. Got my eye on a klipsch reference cinema atmos 5.1.4 speakers. While I can only use 2 of the built in atmos speakers it’s on sale from new egg for $299 which would give me atmos, a second sub and I would think a much richer sound overall as they are bookshelf speakers compared to my tiny Yamaha satellites.

Music sounds great with this Sony receiver too. Bluetooth connectivity is seamless to stream to the unit where as before I was using an add on Bluetooth unit to my old receiver and the connection was spotty.

I got this on sale for $350 and I would buy it again. Now I don’t plan on using this for over 20 years like my last unit but since it’s Sony I probably can!

There are better atmos units out there for a much bigger price tag but if you are in a budget this is a solid option and it has a lot of options. My only complaint is the older Sony units had dual house plugs in the back so you could plug in your subwoofer and other gear like tape deck or CD player. This unit does not have them and now I gave to manually turn the sub on and off. But for the cost and features I’ll deal with it.

The STR-DH790 - works great for my setup. I have a HiSense 4k tv connected to the unit using the hdmi eArc. Easy to use now that it's setup surround and sound is very good. For the price it was a great buy.

I would give 5 stars but not enough manual debugging for me. It guides you to make it user friendly I guess.

I bought this unit used like new from Amazon. When it arrived it had a dent in the top. I had some trouble setting it up. There are plenty of pages on the web for help configuring. But eventually I had to open the book and do some debugging. I think previous settings and some rewiring to get better connections with the surround speakers and it works.

I still need to do some fine tuning but the HDMI eArc connection works great.

This sounds amazing! Replaced my STR-DH590 and added two Atmos speakers high middle. Newer models are twice as much $ so I was happy to find what could be a last one

I have Sony STR DG820 receiver which is still going Strong after ten years of installation but it has become somewhat outdated. I upgraded to the STR DH790 for ARC and 4k Pass through features. It has so far performed flawlessly.

Setup was a breeze and auto calibration system even pin pointed one the speakers that had loose connections during initial setup. ARC feature is cool and well appreciated.

There's two downsides if you can call it that viz:

1. Banana plugs only available for L & R front speakers while the rest have pin connectors. Full Banana plug bindings posts would have been better.

2. The remote is not only cheesy but skimpy in function. The first time I have purchased a Sony receiver with a non universal remote. You can't even change the TV channel with it and my tv is Sony. Go figure. I guess it's a way to keep costs down.

Despite this minor sacrifices this receiver deserves five stars for value. It has everything I need and non that I don't. Did I mention that it has minimalist design?

i loved this thing until it crapped out after 3 month. it would go into protect mode randomly, and then more often to the point it was tripping every 10 minutes. We did standard troubleshooting, and Sony even claimed it was qualified for warranty repair. I submitted a ticket and was told id be getting a shipping box in the mail to send it in and to NOT use my own package as it might damage it further and void the warranty.

fun fact, the box didn't come. Queue the next month calling Sony and United Radio Repair (Sony's dedicated repair shop which is ONLY in NY) over 4 times. I got the responses of 'you should've gotten it, I'll attempt to send another' 2 times, one of 'oh we don't send boxes, you should use your own. yes i know the instructions tell you not to, and that it will likely void the warranty, that's just a blanket statement' to finally getting one sent to me.

I wish it ended there..

After one an a half months, i finally got a box to ship it in for warranty work. I send it in and low and behold, they claim its damages and the warranty is voided. How is it damages? They claim bug infestation and corrosion and send pictures of what looks to be dust and debris on the board. all of which look like they could be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and be fully functional.

now keep in mind when i bought it, this was in a climate controlled room, no signs of any pests, no debris around where and definitely no 'bug infestation'. literally just some dust that looked to have clumped together when i was spraying it with compressed air during recommended steps of troubleshooting. Did i mention that also included opening up the entire unit and spraying it with compressed air? you think i'd have seen a bug infestation if there was one.

well who knows if that was the real issue, since once they saw the 'infestation', they gave up all pretense of finding the issue and said the warranty was voided and that we either needed to pay to ship it back to us ($100, since the only location to send it to was in NEW YORK) or the could dispose if it for us.

so no resolution, no work, just false claim and rejection of service knowing that shipping it back is 1/3 the cost of a new unit.

I really wish I would have just kept it here, ignored the warranty attempt, and took it into a local repair shop. I can almost promise it would have been fixed for less the $50, not cost me $100 just to get it back WITHOUT any attempt at repairs.

So now, after 2 months of fighting with customer service, I either need to pay $100 to get a broken unit back, or just flush our family Christmas gift that cost me $360 down the drain for them to 'dispose of'. the sad part is, based on my customer service interaction's, I honestly think that their 'disposal' will be cleaning it up, and selling it as a refurbished unit to be resold. I may be wrong, but I have no good faith interactions that would show otherwise.

I am extremely disappointed in Sony and warranty service shop United Radio.

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.

As an amateur audiophile I have to say I am impressed with the AV receiver. Matched with quality speakers the sound is crisp and clear. I use the EARC output to my SONY XL 90 TV.. The audio quality from audio streaming services or from music on my USB drive is stellar. Mind you I have top quality speakers but the quality of the sound is only as good as the A/V receiver. Great receiver at a great price.

Lo compré para remplazar un Pioneer 821. Eran muy bajas mis expectativas pues Pioneer es superior y mi experiencia con Sony nunca ha sido buena. Llegó antes de Navidad. Tuve que comprar unas bocinas Pioneer Andrew Jones para el Atmos.

Muy complicado el manual y poca info en internet. Muchas posibles configuraciones y muchas dudas. Hablé a Soporte de Sony, todo bien, dudas despejadas. Calibración número 5!

Resultados:

El sonido es muuuuy bueno, hay que bajarle a los bajos, los exagera... La música se oye bien, quizá le falta un poquito de cuerpo, pero muy bien.

Las películas? Atmos se oye genial! Obvio las Pioneer tienen mucho que ver, pero se oye totalmente diferente que con el Pioneer 821. Y bueno, hay una diferencia notable cuando usas las bocinas para Atmos. John Wick se oye increíble, la escena de inicio de Transformers age of extinction: WOW!

Muy buena compra, Sony ha mejorado mucho estos años. Ah y el precio, menos de 6000! Totalmente recomendable! Ahora solo espero que dure tanto como el anterior que tuve y no falle...

Update. Abril del 2023

Debo decir que sigo muy satisfecho, Sony ha vuelto a ser una marca confiable y de calidad.

Me gusta mucho el sonido que ofrece. Recientemente compré el xbox one series s. Tuve muchos problemas de incompatibilidad, Microsoft me asistió e incluso encontró lo que me temía.

El equipo presenta incompatibilidades con los xbox.

Tiene problemas con mandar los 4k o el HDR incluso habiendo activado el ENHANCED.

No hace el cambio de entrada solo. Igual que en el Wii U.

Cero problemas con un Blu-ray pioneer Elite o con el PS4 slim.

Obvio compré cables hdmi nuevos y ni así.

Es una pena que Sony se maneje así.

El sonido en los juegos es increíble. Especialmente si tienen DTS o ATMOS.

Ahora bien, algo que me gustaría comentar es lo siguiente, aparentemente el consumo del aparato es de 240 watts.

Lo cual se me hace poco. De ser cierto es un gran punto a su favor pues normalmente estos equipos gastan el doble.

「小さめで設置が容易なAVアンプが欲しい。でもAVアンプのライト路線の流れはなかなか来そうにない」

というもどかしい思いでモヤモヤていて、発売開始から既に7年以上にもなるこの製品を

アトモスにも対応しているからという理由でついフラッと買ってしまった。

一般的なAVアンプより一回りコンパクトで少し軽いというだけでも、自分にとっては買った価値があります。

しかし最小構成(2.0ch)で試用したところ、Front Surroundというサウンドフィールド設定が

掘り出し物だと気付きました。つまりはSONY製技術のバーチャルサラウンドです。

元々AVアンプの場合はフロントスピーカーのみであっても、ステレオ幅が固定なサウンドバーに対して有利です。

まだ音響測定はしていませんが、視聴距離に対して十分な間をとってスピーカーをセッティングし、

スピーカー～視聴者の距離を設定しました。

TV との視聴距離1.6m程度に対し2つのスピーカー間は1.1m程度です。

その条件でサウンドフィールドをFront Surroundに設定すると、シーンによっては

頭の斜め後ろにまで音が回り込むくらいのかなりハイレベルなバーチャルサラウンドを体感できます。

ただFront Surroundには欠点もあり、1つはアトモス非対応という点です。

アトモスならではのサラウンドを再生する場合は、ドルビー側のバーチャルサラウンドを

使用することになると思います。効きはFront Surroundより少し弱いかも。

もう一つの欠点は、自動で選択されないという点です。音声ストリームが終了したり切り替わったりすると

設定が外れるようです。だからFront Surroundを有効にしているつもりで、無効で視聴している使用者は多いのでは。

ただ動画視聴中に勝手に・・・というわけじゃないしリモコンのボタン一つで再設定できます。

その場でのストリームや設定の状態はリモコンのINFORMATIONボタンで確認できます。

そんな状態なので、僕は予定していたサラウンドスピーカーの設置をやらずじまいになりそうです。目標達成したし。

SONYこんな技術力あるのにAVアンプから撤退するの勿体ねえ。うーん、サウンドバー側との競合を避けたいとか？

もしかしてHT-B600など最近のサウンドバーのバーチャルサラウンドも大きく改善されてるのかな？

ただバーチャルサラウンドは部屋や使用スピーカー、視聴者の性質などで感覚が変わるあたり注意です。

なるべくファームウェアのアップデートなどサポートは続けて欲しい。

追記: Front Surround設定ではないバーチャルサラウンド状態で視聴する場合、

フロントスピーカー間距離と視聴者の距離をより近付ける(正三角形に近くなる)様にセッティングするのが好ましいです。

当然、アンプのスピーカー設定も合わせて変更してしてください。

これはAVアンプだからこそできる事ですね。

同時に世間でバーチャルサラウンドの効果がショボく見られがちな原因の一つになってると思います。

Disclaimer: I am a newbie in the home audio world and am replacing a 15 year old JVC receiver with this one so my comparative vision is narrow.

I cant tell you much about the features but I can review it based off of me being a newby. First of this receiver is inexpensive for offering (E)ARC and Dolby Atmos. The receiver came in a well protected box and wire hook up was very straight forward. I purchased two height speakers as my new tv has EARC and being this receiver supports ATMOS I wanted to get the best of it. I turned on the TV and Voila the tv found the receiver and automatically put me on its setup page. After navigating through and finding my speaker setup I ran the auto setup. Instantly it found, tested and properly setup my system automatically (which was a really cool process). It took around 10 minutes to setup (including unboxing) and we have been enjoying 5.1.2 Dolby atmos ever since! Super simple to setup and use with beautiful sound, all for under $500. Im happy. With a sony tv this process was extremely seamless and it has been working fantastic since the moment it was unboxed.

Me gusta probar un tiempo el dispositivo antes de emitir una opinión, y tras 2 meses d uso aproximado puedo decir que estoy muy satisfecho. Lo utilizo con una Sony X930E con cables HDMI adecuados, conectado en 2.1 a un par de bocinas Klipsch y un Subwoofer Polk, y el resultado es espectacular. Llena muy bien mi espacio de 4x4 aproximadamente con un volumen bajo, escuchas el sonido claramente.

Se ajusta automaticamente cuando recibe la señal de algun dispositivo, y puedo además decir que no se calienta mucho, y eso que lo tengo en un mueble en el cual cabe apretadamente.

No tiene demasiados menús, bastante simples, pero para un aficionado que no requiere un tuning excesivo o muy costoso, este es una excelente opcion.

Estoy ahorrando ya para migrar a un sistema 5.1.2 más adelante, para sacar el máximo beneficio de este decodificador.

Add. no tiene conexion a Internet pero al menos yo no la requiero, mi TV hace todo lo que necesito y lo consideraria una redundancia. La conexion BT funciona bien con spotify.