First, the sound, this is already in the lower volume range already quite punchy and relatively clear, but slightly bass-heavy, but this could be one or the other user may even meet. Overall, the STR-DH550 must under no circumstances behind competitor the same price class from the house Yamaha or Denon hide but is also not to devices made by Harman or Onkyo approach, with the TX-NR525 I have the STR-DH550 compared dirket. Both in terms of clarity but also the pressure As with the AC / DC's Thunderstruck but also a piano concerto by Yiruma from the Jamo S 606 HCS 3 used 5.0 speaker system penetrates the Onkyo Sony but noticeably superior. This then takes the superiority also exponentially with increasing volumes. So that one may not more than 50 of the max. Wants to take advantage of 145 watts / channel. These 50 respectively maximum 145 watts are anyway only an academic value and neither are permanently possible, even a healthy hearing let alone a good neighborly relation are conducive.
With 3 analogue, 2 optical, 2 Viedeo, a Coaxial and 4 HDMI inputs, the STR-DH550 is in midfield, although he has also here less connectivity options like the TX-NR525 Onkyo but also significantly by the negative example of the class the Denon AVR-X1000 away with the two RCA, four HDMI and two coaxial inputs but more than puny comes.
However, the Sony STR-DH550 has neither a LAN port let alone WLan there is the possibility the Sony via its USB port by wireless network adapter to connect to the Internet and thus to hear or to stream music internet radio. This lack is an absolute no-go for a modern AV receiver, even in the entry-level class.
I really can not say much because I have all sorts of people doing it almost as a hobby, but as a purely emotionally connect, wiring and setting up the STR-DH550 is likely also to all those quick and easy on the device or set up the receiver hand go, which do not make it every day.
For completeness, I would like to have something to say about the possibility of USB terminals on the front panel of external data storage devices to listen to music. For almost 100 GB music data, representing about 14,000 titles, my external hard drive requires the Sony STR-DH550 to read about 20 minutes which is anything but a mythical value.
With MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC STR DH550 but all common playback formats covers.
Unfortunately, the Sony sorted as all other devices of this class also, not automatically by artist and album, but plays the titles as they come. We are thus obliged to the external hard drive to create an appropriate folder structure, which is time consuming, depending on the amount of data more or less.
CONCLUSION:
For those looking for an AV home receiver and mainly improve the sound experience of movies but less value want to put on the play pure audio content is the Sony STR-DH550 certainly worth considering, especially if they in already other Sony devices TV who are / hi-fi rack.
All those who, however, special emphasis put on clear and punchy sound ausgewognen and quality feel, this is Sony bei'm namely also rather average, had better take up entry-level models of Harman, Denon or Onkyo, which priced in the same league but sonically a League play higher and also very important are web-enabled.
Therefore, average 3 star for a device which what the sound concerns slightly above average but is has to do entirely untimely without Internet access.
