
I purchased the Sony DG710 after an older Sony kicked the bucket (to be fair, it was 10 years old).
Everyone has their own setups, so here's mine:
Wharfedale front channels
Advent back channels
AR subwoofer
DVD player component audio
DVR component audio
PS2 optical audio
Wii composite audio
PC composite audio
Unlike most, I prefer to run the video sources straight to the TV so they don't have to use this receiver as a passthrough. I can't confirm whether this results in a better picture, but I'm guessing it does.
Thus, my review is only audio-related.
And wow...is it excellent. Crisp, clear, and good enough to pick up the imperfections in my PC's terrible soundcard. It can get substantailly loud without distortion and comes with a great range of settings.
The unit is well-built, doesn't get too hot and looks nice. The composite inputs on the front are a huge plus, and all the dials and buttons respond well. The display is awesome, telling you what you're listening to (2/0, 3/2.1, etc.)
The only dings: I'd really appreciate a MUTE button on the unit itself (in case I need quick silence and can't find the remote)...and, although I have no idea if this feature even exists, it'd be great if you could teach the receiver an 'acceptable' sound plane so you don't get blasted by the DVR, for example, after watching a DVD.
I can't speak for the XM feature, or, arguably the most important part, the HDMI. But it does produce great sound. Which is what matters to me.
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Sony STR-DG710 6.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver.