Sony’s entry-level 7.2 receiver fails to scale new heights, puns Steve May, but that might not matter to you
The STR-DN860 AV receiver may be light at just 8.3kg, but it arrives with a weight of expectation. Its predecessor was a bestseller for Sony, and this update boasts cool new multiroom functionality, improved HDMI connectivity and some luscious hi-res audio playback compatibility.
The receiver opts for a solid, streamlined look with no pull-down drawbridge. The only fascia acne are headphone and mic inputs, plus USB. As £400 AVRs go, it's among the best-looking ones out there.
Its design is based on a traditional frame and beam chassis. All four corners are embossed, to better support the power transformer and heat sink. There is other less obvious attention to detail too. Sony uses its own audiophile solder with bespoke ingredients. Can this possibly make a difference to sound? The brand says so. I just like the fact Sony’s engineers have been mad enough to concoct it.
Connectivity is a tad lean, comprising a single HDMI out plus five HDMI inputs, one of which is audio only for a Super Audio CD source. However, while all its HDMI video inputs claim to handle 4K, only one supports HDCP 2.2, the required copy protection for 4K content sources. All inputs can be upscaled to 4K, albeit limited to 30Hz.
There are also composite video inputs and a trio of stereo phonos, two optical digital inputs and a lone coaxial input. In addition to the Ethernet port, the AVR has integrated dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 with apt-X, as evidenced by the rear-mounted aerials which handle both simultaneously. There’s also AirPlay compliance for those that like that sort of thing.
The remote control is best described as straightforward, with (not quite all) input access and playback modes clearly labelled. If you want to screen mirror your mobile, just hit the Mirroring button – no delving around in sub-menus. Alternatively, you can use your smartphone's one-touch NFC pairing.
The STR-DN860 supports a traditional seven-channel speaker layout, and comes with a selection of mood presets and postprocessing modes that make use of those extra rears when you don’t have anything native on Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. These include HD-DCS (Digital Cinema Sound), which claims to emulate the reflection and reverberation of Sony Pictures' celebrated Cary Grant dubbing stage. I’ve been in said theatre and it certainly doesn’t sound as reverberant as this treatment makes out.
One interesting new addition is ceiling speaker compensation, which ostensibly lowers the front soundstage if you’re using architectural speakers. I actually have in-ceiling speakers, but they’re part of a rear surround array, so this mode was somewhat irrelevant. There’s also a centre lift function for those with low-slung centre speakers.
Controversially perhaps, there’s no provision for Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. This shortfall should be a consideration if you’re hoping to build a next-gen home cinema system around this receiver. Don’t expect to find them on the step-up £500 Sony STR-DN1060 either.
I’m not sure I would be prepared to invest in a 7.2 AVR that doesn’t off er a full set of modern codecs, even if it is only £400. Sure, the number of Dolby Atmos Blu-rays is relatively limited, but it’s only going to grow. Rivals Onkyo and Yamaha (to name but two) have no such qualms about Atmos availability. Your opinion may diff er, of course.
The user interface is an evolution of that first seen on Sony’s ES models, which is good news as it’s pleasingly intuitive. A graphic overlay provides tabs dubbed Watch, Listen, Custom Preset, Sound Filters and Setup. Each opens an appropriate draw of sub-menus.
The auto calibration routine is remarkably swift and does a passable job of calculating levels and distance. But the end result did need some massaging, particularly an over-cooked subwoofer level.
Indeed, a predilection for bass proves indicative of this receiver – it’s fulsome in the extreme. This could partly be due to a newly-developed pre-amplifier IC, which Sony casually suggests enhances ‘low tones.’ Here, audio input selection, volume control and pre-amplifi er are separated inside the IC and connected to separate ground pins, rather than collectively grouped together inside.
Whatever the reason, left to its own devices after auto calibration, the sound was thicker than festival mud. I reckon this receiver, probably because of its low ticket price, has been tuned with small monitors in mind.
If you’re running with large speaker enclosures, you’ll need to employ judicious bass management (remember the Large/Small speaker designation in the setup menus is not a reflection of actual physical size). The provision of dual subwoofer outputs can also contribute to a surfeit of LFE, so use cautiously. Overly aggressive sub levels trimmed and crossover suitably lowered, the STR-DN860 becomes somewhat more agreeable. There’s also an equaliser which allows you to adjust bass and treble for each channel.
Sony rates power output at 150W perchannel into six Ohms. With all channels driven that’s probably over-egging it, but it’s not short of punch or volume. Action sequences are delivered with weighty intent. During the climax of Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (Bluray), the Chitauri leviathan slams into New York masonry with vicious authority. The resulting soundstage is wide and massive. When Thor drops his hammer, the bass thump is tangible.
Similarly, as Robocop tackles the team of ED-209s in the glossy reboot, the action is deliciously immersive. However, while able to go loud, the STR-DN860 isn’t particularly dynamic. It lacks the effortless transients that distinguish more gutsy performers. This isn’t a criticism by the way, given the price point, merely an observation.
File format support from USB and across a network is extensive. Got a large collection of MP3s? Sony’s DSEE HX digital sound enhancement engine will do a good job restoring some sonic girth to low-bitrate files. The receiver will also play AAC, WMA, 192kHz/24-bit WAV, multichannel FLAC, AIFF, APE and OGG, not to mention DSD 2.8MHz/5.6MHz five-channel recordings. The latter, streamed from a NAS, offered sublime detail and presence. It’s here you realise just how nice this receiver can sound. On the right diet, its clarity is outstanding and spatial placement is very good.
Significantly, the STR-DN860 is Google Cast enabled and fits into Sony’s multiroom wireless audio ecosystem, which is accessed via its SongPal app. This allows your home cinema to join in with any whole-home music casting you might get up to – provided you stick with Sony speakers using the same proprietary system.
The STR-DN860 is an entertaining AVR with forward-facing tech that belies its modest price. The lack of Dolby Atmos will give buyers cause for concern though, and the provision of HDCP 2.2 on only one HDMI could be a system breaker in a year or so – this smacks of being an interim product. That said, it's capable of an enticing sonic performance (after careful setup) and that multiroom interoperability could prove to be a real winner.
Specifications
DOLBY TRUEHD: Yes. But not Dolby Atmos
DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO: Yes. But not DTS:X
THX: No
MULTICHANNEL INPUT: No
MULTICHANNEL OUTPUT (CLAIMED): 7 x 150W (into six Ohms)
MULTIROOM: Yes. Second zone
AV INPUTS: 3 x composite; 3 x digital audio (2 x optical and 1 x coaxial)
COMPONENT VIDEO: No
HDMI: 5 x inputs (one with HDCP 2.2); 1 x output
VIDEO UPSCALING: Yes. To 3,840 x 2,160
DIMENSIONS: 430(w) x 156(h) x 329(d)mm
WEIGHT: 8.3kg
ALSO FEATURING: Sony wireless multiroom compatible; DCAC auto calibration; DLNA audio playback from USB and network; Ethernet; dual-band Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; AirPlay; Google Cast with Spotify; SongPal Link; front-facing USB input; twin subwoofer outputs; Centre Speaker Lift Up; In-Ceiling Speaker Mode