Features:
- 100 watts per channel
- 5.1-channel analog inputs
- Digital Cinema Sound DSP (including Dolby Pro Logic)
- Frequency synthesis AM/FM tuning
- AV UniCommander remote
Description:
If you're home-theater bound and ready for a surround amp, this receiver offers high power, good sound, and flexible playback options using state-of-the-art, 32-bit processing. The only real shortcoming is that it doesn't feature surround decoding for Dolby Digital or DTS. If you're using DVD, make sure your player can supply six channels of decoded, analog audio before purchasing the STR-DE525. If you're not yet using DVD, the STR-DE525 offers extensive two-channel surround-processing options, including Dolby Pro Logic and 10 other modes (divided between Music and Cinema), all courtesy of Sony's Digital Cinema Sound. Digital Cinema Sound is easily the best-sounding DSP (digital signal processing) of any we've heard. All too often these features are fun for a few minutes but largely useless long term. Setup of the receiver was simple and more or less intuitive, though getting the hang of Sony's supplied Remote Commander required a thorough read-through of the manual. This receiver's powerful remote is capable of operating not only the STR-DE525 but also all Sony TVs, VCRs, tape decks, CD players, and other components. While the Commander does allow remote operation of most STR-DE525 functions, some of them (most notably the tone controls) required manual setting via the unit's front panel. Upon listening, we were instantly impressed with the receiver's power and dynamic prowess. At 100 watts per channel in both stereo and surround playback, the STR-DE525 ranks among the most powerful surround receivers available at this price range. The receiver's discrete output transistors are said to offer high-current capacity with low distortion, and this unit delivered clean sound with deep, solid bass even without a subwoofer. The high frequencies sounded slightly "peaky" or over emphasized relative to our higher-priced reference amp, but this emphasis only proved glaring at high volumes. (We found that notching the treble down 2 dB with the unit's tone controls evened it out.) Playback flexibility includes the myriad surround modes, a sleep timer, a balance knob, a phono input for a turntable (a valuable but scarce feature these days), Direct Tuning for the radio (type the numbers for the station you want to hear), a sequential test tone for helping with system balance, and a bass-boost circuit for low-level listening. You can also adjust the levels and the delay time for the surround channels relative to the front channels to optimize the spaciousness of the surround effects. A convenient Sound-Field-On/Off button lets you cancel all surround effects at a moment's notice for clean, high-quality two-channel playback. This button is unnecessary if you're using the 5.1-channel analog inputs, however, as all surround processing and tone controls are disabled when listening in this mode. The thinking here is that the decoded surround channels are all appropriately processed in your DVD source material--and while that might be the case, disabling the tone controls prevents you from using them to compensate for deficiencies in your listening room when enjoying decoded Dolby Digital or DTS surround sound. Still, for an affordable, general-purpose surround receiver, the STR-DE525 offers a formidable combination of performance, features, and price. Pros:
- High power
- Good sound
- Flexible surround configurations
Cons:
- Tone controls don't work with 5.1-channel inputs
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