Customer Ratings & Reviews

The AV receiver is great and audio is great however there is a weird setting that makes it so that only audio that is inputted through analog signal can be outputted to the zone 2 speakers, so the Satelite could not play audio outside for example, until we got a "AGPtek Audio Extractor" All is well now with product but it is a pain to have to have to purchase another $30 part just to make it all work.

I recently bought the Sony STR-DN1050 from BestBuy. I've connected it to my TiVo receiver and 3 other existing Sony components: a Bravia 46" LCD TV, BluRay player and a 5-disc CD player. I've connected the STR-DN1050, TV, TiVo and BluRay to the Internet via wired ports on my Netgear N750 wireless router. For speakers, I'm using a pair Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2 bookshelf speakers and B&W ASW610 active subwoofer, and a pair of B&W CCM664 in-ceiling speakers mounted above our deck. I use the receiver mostly for listening to music, and most of my home music listening is via the Pandora Internet music service. Among the things I like most about the receiver: * great sound quality * easy setup * support for zone 2 speakers * HDMI and/or analog connections for all of my A/V equipment * SongPal iPhone app * Bluetooth & USB connectivity (it also has built-in WiFi, but I don't use it) * Bravia Sync (I can use my TV remote for the TV, receiver & BluRay player) Among the things I like least about the receiver: * no support for Spotify (until a future firmware upgrade with the necessary codecs) * the receiver subwoofer low pass filter is limited: either 120Hz or off * the switches on the front panel for zone 2 power and control are difficult to see I mostly use the SongPal iPhone app to turn the receiver on and select music, in the main zone or zone 2. It offers the best interface for Pandora I've encountered, aside from the OS X version on my Mac. Scrolling through my 70 or so Pandora stations on the TiVo is laborious, and lately Pandora on the TiVo seems to miss the first second or so of each song. The Pandora interface via the STR-DN1050 GUI is a bit better (with no song delays), but the SongPal app really makes it a pleasure to use. The SongPal app also lets me select [only] zone 2 when I'm outside, and there have been times where I've been streaming Pandora to zone 2 while the receiver is in standby mode (I'm assuming this is some variant of the standby pass-through feature). I haven't used smartphone apps for other receivers, so perhaps all of these capabilities are common. As others have noted (here and elsewhere), HDMI signals are not available on zone 2, but I've double-connected the TiVo & BluRay player via RCA cables, so I can hear them outside as well. Pandora, USB and Bluetooth streamed music can also be sent to zone 2. I was disappointed to learn that there is no way to connect directly to Spotify. I've read reports that Spotify works on receivers in Germany and the Czech Republic, but I was told by a Sony customer support representative that I will not be able to connect to Spotify on my receiver until the next major firmware upgrade (which may not be until May 2015). However, I can stream Spotify over Bluetooth in the meanwhile, so this is not a deal-breaker (for me). I'm still fiddling with the subwoofer settings on the STR-DN1050 and the B&W ASW610 (which has its own low pass frequency filter adjustments), and am not sure I've yet reached the ideal configuration, but I think I'm getting pretty close to an optimal configuration. Sony phone support has been very helpful (3 calls, including one about Spotify). The one time I tried a Sony e-chat, I carefully explained a specific subwoofer question I had, and the representative simply sent me a link to the PDF of the manual. When I bought the receiver, I also bought the Sony CS5 bookshelf speakers and the Sony CS9 active subwoofer, but felt the CS5 speakers were too bright / trebly. I replaced them with a pair of Bose 301 speakers, and was surprised at how hollow the sound was (I had run Easy Setup for calibration, but may not have calibrated the subwoofer correctly). I returned the Bose 301 speakers intending to get the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers and the Pioneer SW-8MK2 active subwoofer (both designed by Andrew Jones), but I wandered into the Magnolia studio, and after comparing the Pioneers (which the salesperson brought into the studio for me) to the B&W 685 S2s, I was amazed how full the B&W sound was. Of course, the B&W 685 S2s are about 5x more expensive than the Pioneers, but after listening to them, I knew I would always be dissatisfied if I didn't upgrade. My last speakers were a pair of floor-standing Laser 150s, which included 10" woofers, and they have lasted me 30 years (my daughter has them now), so I'm hoping the extra investment will amortize out over a long period. This is my first Sony receiver, and while I don't expect it will last 30 years, I'm hoping it will last a good, long time.

After going through Yamaha, Denon, and Onkyo, I have finally found a receiver that works and sounds great. I had trouble's with the features of the others, especially switching between sources and the settings of the receivers. I wanted something that worked with music and movies and I never really liked Audyssey as it changed the sound too much and I never liked direct as it sounded too flat. With the Sony, I've found a perfect balance. The set up is simple, the settings are simple and easy to understand, and everything I play now sounds wonderful. I switch a lot between cable TV, different music sources including airplay, and a PS4. All of them sound natural and not over processed like they did with the other receivers. The interface is very nice, the remote is laid out perfect, and there is plenty of power on tap. I run two subs off of a Crown amp and I no longer need my Art Cleanbox to boost the signal from the sub outs. (Which is common when switching from consumer to pro audio). I find the Sony does an incredible job with the low end. Again, a more natural sound instead of an exaggerated thumping. With everything set up, I no longer think about the receiver. I don't feel like I have to fiddle with settings, eq, or anything which is nice relief for once.

This is my 3rd Sony receiver over a period of 15 years. It is loaded with features like USB input, Bluetooth and Airplay which are new for me since my last Sony receiver. It also has plenty or HDMI inputs and HDMI outputs. I use the surround sound when watching Bluray movies, and the receiver powers my B&W speakers very well. Instead of an A/B switch which I always used for my outdoor speakers, this receiver incorporates zone 2 output. When you can get it working, the sound is very good. However zone 2 is not very user friendly, and does not work on several of the inputs. I called Sony support, which was one of worst support calls that I ever made. The conversation was very hard to understand, and instead of trying to help me understand zone 2, the Sony representative simply told me to take it back for an exchange. I would give the receiver 5 stars if not for the zone 2 issues.

Although this is now a discontinued model, I still feel that it is worthy of a review...especially as the newer 1060 is based off of this model. I found this at my local Best Buy as a display/shelf model, missing the input selector knob and the remote. Seeing as I needed a new receiver, and my kids tend to destroy anything of mine that they get their hands on, I figured I would take a chance on this unit. The very helpful salesperson plugged it up to verify it worked, and then got me the lowest price they could do...which I was shocked to see was $115! Not bad for a receiver that lists at $600. A replacement remote can be found for $35 (although I programmed my old Logitech Harmony 1000 remote to control it for setup), and since the receiver will be partially hidden in my A/V cabinet, the missing input selector knob will never be noticed. Got it home and hooked it up in place of my Pioneer VSX-523K, and it made a difference in sound quality that even my wife could immediately recognize. It has been very easy to setup and use, and I have had no issues. I installed the latest firmware update without issue. Bluetooth pairing works very well, and I like being able to start Spotify on my Nexus 6 and select the Sony as the output device, where it immediately switches over and starts playing. Sony has really stepped up with these A/V receivers. Normally I would only choose Sony audio players (CD, Bluray, DVD, etc) and not their receivers as they weren't up to par with the competition, but that has definitely changed. I will definitely consider Sony receivers in the future.

I purchased this receive due to stupidity on my own part. I had failed to protect my last recover from electrical surges. A mistake I will not repeat. I have now had this receiver in place with my older speakers and sub-woofers not for just under two months. It has breathed new life in to my home theater. The sound is crisp, and more dynamic then my 2003 model Sony receiver. I don't recall the model number of my old receiver but it was in the same class as this one but from 2003. The blue tooth integration with my other devices has been an awesome addition to the features to this version. Primarily due to my wife surprising me with the additions to my home theater for Christmas. I installed a drop down screen over the cabinetry that had my inlayed 55" LG TV in as well a New BenQ projector. This left me with the issue of having no direct line of site to my components. With the Bluetooth integration on the new device I picked up a tablet and loaded remote software on it. The Sony Smart Blu-ray Player also worked from the new software so the whole setup is complete. I have a very near Theater with this new receiver as the backbone of all of my Audio experience. One and only one minor draw back to this setup and I am sure I can fix it I just haven't gotten to it. I use a Mac MINI for the source for most of my viewing. Having convert the majority of my Blu-rays DVD's to the hard drives and the use of Itunes for my newest non-3D purchase. Some times when I start a movie or episode on the Mini it wants to swap over to Airplay for Audio automatically. This is not a fault of the receiver just an issue I am dealing with. Lastly the lack of HDCP support on this receiver was going to get in the way of my VUDO (Ultraviolet) content on the Mini but the Sony Blu-ray player resolved that Issue and now I have all the sources of content I could ever want. This was a very good purchase for me. The sound clarity's excellent and for the price I couldn't find anything better in its class.

I went from an Onkyo that absolutely made me furious with its horrible digital (versus analog) signal reception to this, so my initial expectations were pretty low. The old unit did not have HDMI pass-through, and had significant problems capturing the "digital handshake" when I changed over to HDMI cables for television and cable/satellite some time ago. This unit has no issues with the digital transmission. The onscreen display is top-notch; when I want to change sources, I can see what I'm doing on the television screen and the sources are assignable (video & audio) and can be renamed. Bluetooth works like a charm, so I can stream from the iphone (I have a 5). I had read a review noting that the Bluetooth streaming cannot occur on zone 2 while using an alternate source on zone 1; this is absolutely false. I'll be watching Premier League soccer on the tv while listening to Pandora with the wife on the back patio. Great sound; I play through a Klipsch Quartet 5 speaker set with the same brand down-firing 12in sub inside and have Polk heavy-duty outdoor speakers outside. Absolutely no complaints about audio and the receiver has a good variety of sound options (ie- musical halls, Dolby, live concert, etc.) I'm not an audiophile though, so I'm not the best person to review for those who are. My only complaint is having to physically turn on and assign zone 2 at the receiver versus doing so with the remote. After doing that, the volume for zone 2 can be controlled from the remote, but you only get a few seconds before the control defaults back to the main receiver so you have to act quickly (pretty minor complaint considering the price point). Plenty of plugins: USB, multiple HDMI and sufficient component. Considering the fact that I thought I would be spending at least $700 after taxes to get all the functionality I needed and that I got this on sale for <$600 after taxes, I'm very pleased with the return on the investment. Hope this helps those considering this unit.

I have this bad boy powering my cerwin vegas 7.2 set up and it does a great job. I know its not putting out exactly 100 watts rms but it is enough for my small apartment. for all the great features it has and inputs its a great buy. I can control it with my laptop... easy set up and calibration and menu screen easy to navigate.

Loads of power. Sounds great. Easy setup. Have this setup in my bedroom. Probably overkill but it works for me. Setup with Klipsch speakers and sub. Works great for startling my gf. Wakes her from a dead sleep in 0.01 seconds. Movies are awesome. Music plays loud and clear.

I purchased the STRDN1050 to replace my previous Sony Receiver the DH800 which I purchased in 2009 (which was working perfectly). I wanted some of the newer features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Airplay which have been released since my last receiver purchase. Everything is as expected if not better so far. I'm having a blast with all the new features. I'm using this receiver with my Sony KDL70850B which is also a new purchase and I'm very please with both. I love easy to use menu system and auto setup. I'm a home theater enthusiast but I'm not a even a hundred thousandaiire. So a receiver that packs this much punch for the price means a lot to me. I'm looking forward to enjoying this receiver for another 5-7 years at least

Easy set up, very powerful and sounds spectacular. Same specs as the magnolia brands. No need to spend 2 grand when you can have the same performance and features for a quarter of that. Everything in the interface is common sense. Syncs perfect with my play station, Samsung 7100 series television and my FIOS cable service. My living room sounds better than a movie theatre now.

Easy set up and easy calibration. Sounds really good paired with Polk speakers. Has multiple inputs to connect game stations as well as blue ray player and others. Sound quality and dolby decoding seems to work perfectly.

got this sony and it was easy to setup and sounded good but while watching Directv the picture on the tv would freeze from time to time and while playing music through spotify or bluetoothing it sounded bad but it did sound really good while watching movies I returned it and saw a brand new Pioneer vsx1130 so I got it and oh my God is it better than the 1050 it has zone 2 hdmi video and it sounds far better than the sony and spotify and bluetooth streaming sounds superb the only problem with it is the setup.If you want super easy setup and control get the sony 1050 if you want great sound while streaming music and no hdmi video problems get the Pioneer vsx11230

Works great. Needed more power and this system provided it. Easy to use. Sound good.

bought this one to replace my onkyo, this is simply much better is every respect, interface, sound quality, siimplicity and price

Upgraded from a pioneer vsx 1020k and the sound on this Sony is way better. The onscreen interface is modern and very nice looking. My only complaint about the receiver is that it only has 7 speaker terminals. Surround back can be rerouted has front high, zone 2 or speaker B. My old system had 9 speaker terminals so highs could be wired at the same time as backs. I bought this on a deal of the day and didn't do any research. I am quite happy with it and don't want to return it.

I've been doing a lot of research over the last several months looking for the best reasonably price multimedia receiver available. FOUND IT! This receiver is not only a well featured unit with a stand out interface and connectivity but it sound amazing too. Set up was really simple and the calibration set up with the included microphone delivered a spot on sound field with no additional adjustments. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to get the most out of their movie watching.

I only have it for little over a month but so far so good :-) Easy set up, clear sound, compares to and beats easily $1,000 7.2 Denon 165 W per channel makes a big difference and fact that you can set up 2 zone or bi-amp to 5.1 makes it even more awesome. You cannot find a machine for this price out there. Trust me I looked and I know how to find deals and quality!!!

Easy to set up and sounds great. The power you get from this receiver at the price is unbeatable.

My SONY CDP-CX450 400 CD Changer died and it seems no one is making these anymore. Although tedious, I figured it was time to copy my music to my PC. The reaction from friends, family and Best Buy employees was that this was silly. "Everyone" said I should switch to a music service like Spotify or Pandora and be done with it. That seems silly to me - I have the music I want, I just need the access the 400 CD changer gave me. The kicker is no one could confirm if the network connection on modern receivers would allow me to connect to my PC and play music stored on my PC FROM the receiver remote control. I researched this SONY STR-DN1050 and the ONKYO TX-NR636. Both seem to allow for this and have all the forward looking connections and output for today's relevant technology snapshot in time. Of course these receivers also connect wirelessly to phones and tablets. In the end I went with SONY because it has the Apple Airplay (fast connection to Apple devices) and my wife has all her terrible music on her phone. So did it work? - Yes! The menu interface on the TV screen to select Audio input (Home Network) is not fancy, but all my music on my PC was found without any hassle. Music is alphabetically searchable by band name/ album name/ or by song name. A little slow to use but clicks away from listening. I have not tried the streaming music services but it looks like they are easily accessible too. I hope this helps others in similar situations! I highly recommend this SONY STR-DN1050 receiver.