Sony STR-DN1020 7.2 Channel 3D/Network Home Theater Receiver - Review

The Sony STR-DN1020 is a very affordable 7.2 Channel Home Theater Receiver provides practical features and good audio performance for a small-to-medium size room. The STR-DN1020 is both 3D and Audio Return Channel compatible, and provides Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD decoding, Dolby Pro Logic IIz audio processing, four HDMI inputs, and analog to HDMI video conversion with 1080p video upscaling. The STR-DN1020 also includes an iPod dock that plugs into the front-mounted USB port (however you can also plug your iPod into the USB directly), and can access internet radio via Ethernet connection to your internet router. After reading this review, also check out my supplementary Photo Profile and Video Performance Tests.

Features of the Sony STR-DN1020 include:

1. 7.2 channel home theater receiver (7 channels plus 2 subwoofer outs) delivering 100 Watts into 7 channels at .08% THD (measured at 20Hz to 20kHz with 2 channels driven).

2. Audio Decoding: Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital 5.1/EX/Pro logic IIx, DTS 5.1/ES, 96/24, Neo:6.

3. Additional Audio Processing: A.F.D. (Auto-Format Direct - allows surround sound listening or multi-speaker stereo from 2-channel sources), HD-D.C.S. (HD Digital Cinema Sound - extra ambience is added to surround signals), Multi-channel Stereo.

4. Audio Inputs (Analog): 3 Audio-only Stereo Analog, 4 Audio stereo analog audio inputs associated with video inputs (inludes one set dedicated for Zone 2).

5. Audio Inputs (Digital - Excluding HDMI): 2 Digital Optical, 1 Digital Coaxial.

6. Audio Outputs (Excluding HDMI): 3 Sets - Analog Stereo, One set - Zone 2 Analog Stereo Pre-outs and 2 Subwoofer Pre-outs.

7. Speaker connection options for Front Height/Surround Back/Bi-amp/Speaker B options. One set of Zone 2 line audio outputs (requires additional amp/speakers for operation).

8. Video Inputs: 4 HDMI ver 1.4a (3D pass through/Audio Return Channel capable), 2 Component, 5 Composite. Includes one composite video input mounted on front panel.

9. Video Outputs: 1 HDMI, 1 Component Video, 3 Composite Video (for dedicated for Zone 2).

10. Analog to HDMI video conversion (480i to 480p) and 720p, 1080i, 1080p, or 1080p via upscaling using Fauroudja processing. HDMI pass-through of native 1080p and 3D signals.

11. Digital Cinema Auto Calibration automatic speaker setup system. By connecting the provided microphone, the D.C.A.C. uses a series of test tones to determine the proper speaker levels, based on how it reads the speaker placement in relation to the acoustical properties of your room.

12. AM/FM Tuner with 30 Presets. Sirius satellite radio connection option via optional external tuner and paid subscription.

13. Network/Internet Connectivity via Ethernet Connection.

15. Internet Radio access includes vTuner and Slacker.

15. DLNA V1.5 Certified for access to digital media files stored on PCs, Media Servers, and other compatible network-connected devices.

16. Sony HomeShare and Party Streaming Mode compatible.

17. Windows 7 Compatible.

18. Front mounted USB Connection for access to audio files stored on flash drives.

19. iPod/iPhone connectivity/control via front USB port or docking station.

20. Compatible with Sony Media Remote Control IOS and Android Apps.

21. Suggested Price: $499.99

The additional home theater hardware used in this review included:

Blu-ray Disc Players: OPPO BDP-93 and Sony NSZ-GT1 (on review loan).

DVD Player: OPPO DV-980H.

Home Theater Receiver Used for Comparison: Onkyo TX-SR705

Loudspeaker/Subwoofer System 1 (7.1 channels): 2 Klipsch F-2's, 2 Klipsch B-3s, Klipsch C-2 Center , 2 Polk R300s, Klipsch Synergy Sub10.

Loudspeaker/Subwoofer System 2 (5.1 channels): EMP Tek E5Ci center channel speaker, four E5Bi compact bookshelf speakers for left and right main and surrounds, and an ES10i 100 watt powered subwoofer.

Loudspeaker/Subwoofer System 3 (5.1 Channels): Paradigm Cinema 100 CT (on review loan).

TV: Toshiba 47TL515 47-inch 3D LED/LCD TV(on review loan)

Video Projector: Epson MegaPlex MG-MG850.

Projection Screens: SMX Cine-Weave 100² screen and Epson Accolade Duet ELPSC80 Portable Screen.

DVDO EDGE Video Scaler used for baseline video upscaling comparisons.

Audio/Video connections made with Accell, Interconnect cables. 16 Gauge Speaker Wire used. High Speed HDMI Cables provided by Atlona for this review.

Software Used

3D Blu-ray Discs: Avatar, Captain America - The First Avenger, Despicable Me, Disney's A Christmas Carol, Drive Angry, Goldberg Variations Acoustica, My Bloody Valentine, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Space Station (IMAX), Tangled, Tron: Legacy, Thor, and Under The Sea (IMAX).

2D Blu-ray Discs: Art of Flight, Ben Hur, Hairspray, Inception, Iron Man 1&2, Jurassic Park Trilogy, Shakira - Oral Fixation Tour, The Dark Knight, The Incredibles, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Standard DVDs: The Cave, House of the Flying Daggers, Kill Bill - Vol 1/2, Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut), Lord of Rings Trilogy, Master and Commander, Outlander, U571, and V For Vendetta.

CDs: Al Stewart - Sparks of Ancient Light, Beatles - LOVE, Blue Man Group - The Complex, Joshua Bell - Bernstein - West Side Story Suite, Eric Kunzel - 1812 Overture, HEART - Dreamboat Annie, Nora Jones - Come Away With Me, Sade - Soldier of Love.

DVD-Audio discs included: Queen - Night At The Opera/The Game, Eagles - Hotel California, and Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Uninvisible, Sheila Nicholls - Wake.

SACD discs used included: Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon, Steely Dan - Gaucho, The Who - Tommy.

Digital Cinema Auto Calibration is Sony's automatic speaker setup system. The Auto-Calibration works by plugging in a provided microphone into the designated front panel input, placing the microphone at your primary listening position (you can screw the microphone onto a camera/camcorder tripod), go into the Digital Cinema Auto Calibration option in the speaker setup menu.

From there you designate whether you are using a 5.1 or 7.1 channel setup and then the Auto Calibration takes it from there, first confirming that your speakers are connected to the review, then determining speaker size (large, small), measuring the distance of each speaker from the listening position, and finally adjusting equalization and speaker levels in relation to position of the speakers in relation to both the listening position and room characteristics.

However, keep in mind that the final results of this automatic process may not always be precisely accurate or to your taste. In these cases, you are able to go back in manually and make changes to any of the settings.

Home Theater receivers are becoming jam-packed with lot of features these days, but it a receiver can't perform its basic task of providing a good audio listening experience, then everything else does really matter than much.

However, the Sony DTS-D1020 fulfills its role in the audio department well for a receiver in its price range. The STR-DN1020 provides a good stable during intense audio tracks and delivered a sustained output (suitable for a small or medium size room) over long periods of time without causing listening fatigue or generating a lot of excessive heat.

The STR-DN1020 provides several surround sound configurations, which include traditional 5.1 and 7.1 channels, but also includes the option of using a 5.1 channel configuration with the addition of two height channels using the Dolby Prologic IIz setup option. Although I haven't found that the Dolby ProLogic IIz option provides a dramatic improvement over a 5.1 or 7.1 channel setup, having a front height channel option does bring added flexibility in a speaker setup.

Depending on the room, the rest of the speaker layout, and using source material that lends itself for height channel enhancement, the Pro Logic IIz may be an option to experiment with. There are no Blu-ray or DVD soundtracks specifically mixed for front height channels, but there are some instances, especially in action movies that contain scenes with rain, plane, helicopter, and other types of flyover effects can yield good results.

As far as music reproduction goes, I found the STR-DN1020 did fine with CD, SACD, and DVD-Audio discs. However, since the STR-DN1020 does not have a set of 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio inputs, access to SACD and DVD-Audio is dependent a DVD or Blu-ray Disc player that can output those formats via HDMI, such as the OPPO players I used in this review. So if you lean more towards the audiophile side of the equation, take this into consideration.

Zone 2

Another audio feature offered by the STR-DN1020 is second zone operation. This allows you to feed a separate audio (and also composite video) feed to another room or location using a set of analog audio (and composite video) line outputs. However, in addition to extra speakers, this function also requires the use of an external amplifier.

Once you have this set up, however, you can actually have a 5.1 or 7.1 channel surround sound setup operating in your main room from one source, such as DVD or Blu-ray, and also listen to the radio, CD, or watch an analog video source, such as a VCR in the Zone 2 location, but still control it all, using the STR-DN1020. It is important to note that only FM/AM/Sirius radio and sources connected to the analog audio and video inputs of the STR-DN1020 can be sent to Zone 2. Sources connected to the STR-DN1020 via Internet, HDMI, USB, and Digital Optical/Coaxial, cannot be accessed in Zone 2. Consult the user manual for additional details.

Proceed to Page 2: Video Performance, Network and Media Player Features - Final Take