Sony STR-DN840: 7.2 AV Receiver with 4K Pass-Through and 3D Capabilit

The Sony STR-DN840 is a good receiver for an acoustic system or home theater. This mid-range has a decent range of both basic and extra features: it supports wireless connectivity, 3D pass-through, and offers much more.

Design

Sony has decided to keep the external look of the receiver as minimalistic as possible. All the buttons are grouped in the neat row beneath the display. The input selection and master volume knobs are located next to each other on the right part of the front panel. The front panel has brushed black aluminum coverage. The top of the unit contains a large number of vent openings, preventing the receiver from heating up even if it runs all day long. The size is 16.9 by 6.1 by 13 inches.

Features

The receiver features 4K pass-through and 4K upscaling, supports Dolby TrueHD, ProLogic IIz, and other audio codecs. The Sony STR-DN840 manual says that the receiver supports AirPlay but, actually, it works only for music. Pity, but you can't use it to play media content.

This model from Sony is powerful enough for large floorstanding speakers, having 1050W of total power (150W per channel). It also allows for bi-amplifying, so you can use two channels to power a single speaker. A Pure Direct mode enables clean, uncolored sound from all audio sources (HDMI, USB, etc.).

All the most popular internet music streaming services are supported and you also can stream music from the Sony Entertainment Network service. The Sound Optimizer feature automatically adjusts the volume level of sound effects, so you can hear the quietest sounds even when watching a movie on the low volume settings.

In terms of downsides, the remote control doesn't have any backlight making it impossible to see the buttons in the dark.

Performance

The Sony receiver STR-DN840 improves the way speakers sound. I was able to hear the dialogs very clearly which was simply impossible before I connected my speakers to the receiver. The conversations were distinctly separated from the background noises.

However, I found it irritating that an auto shut-off feature triggers very quickly (only after several minutes as you pause the music).

Sometimes some buzzing can be heard. I guess it may come out of the fan.

Sound Quality

The receiver gives a 7.1-channel sound and is able to decode the DTS audio. The overall sound quality is great and totally corresponds to the receiver's price point, but, as for me, it seems to be a bit weak at higher volumes. Nevertheless, it actually depends on individual preferences. It has a mic for audio calibration and a lot of other options to master the sound. The receiver is compatible with such audio file formats: WAV, MP3, FLAC, WMA, and AAC.

Connectivity

In terms of wireless connection, the receiver has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built-in. There are also a set of 6 HDMI inputs (plus one HDMI output), 2 subwoofer outputs, Ethernet port (the receiver connects to the router via the LAN cable), composite video, digital coaxial, optical inputs, etc. The USB port is located on the front.

Setup

There were no issues with both wired and wireless connections. It took me about 10 minutes to set up the receiver. Since it has an on-screen setup wizard, it's not necessary to read the manual for setup. However, I still recommend reading it to find out about all the Sony STR-DN840 specs.

Conclusion

The reviewed receiver helps improve the media content thanks to the 4K upscaling feature (unless you already have this function integrated into your TV). It provides a sufficient amount of power to be used together with large speakers and allows improving the audio reproduction thanks to such features as Pure Direct mode and Sound Optimizer. This way, ending up this Sony STR-DN840 review, I can recommend this model as one of the best mid-range receivers for a home theater.