I recently sold my Sony STR-DB1070 to my brother after getting a new Sony LCD TV. Since now i was going to be able to utilize 1080p sources, it was time to get a new receiver with HDMI switching and full decoding for lossless audio.
I initially ordered the Sony STR-DA3400ES. I own or have owned many Denon receivers (3801, 2805, 2807) but i decided to stick with a sony for a second room, since most of the components were sony to begin with and to take advantage of the bravia link.
The biggest pet peeve i had with the new sony receivers is that the assignable HDMI doesnt work as advertised. Sony had done things very strangely
Yes the HDMI jacks are assignable, but HDMI jacks themselves are catergorized as seperate selectable functions/inputs. For example.. all receivers have selectable predetermined inputs - TV, CD, VCR, DVD, etc. Sony made the HDMI inputs 1-4, as selectable inputs, in addition to the rest which include a Blu-ray input. This is where things get screwy.
So in the input assign menu, you can assign the HDMI jacks to another input. So i assigned HDMI 1 to Blu-ray. Under audio assign for the bluray input, there is no HDMI audio selection, only analog, optical, or coax. When the Blu-ray input is selected there is 1080p video but no sound. I have to select the corresponding HDMI input to get sound and video. Basically what sony has done is make the HDMI "jacks" 1-4 as seperate selectable "inputs". So when i pick the blu-ray input on the sony remote to control my Sony BDP-S550 blu-ray player the receiver switches to the blu-ray input and i have picture, but no sound. Then i have to select HDMI 1 to get the sound and picture. But now i cant control my blu-ray player because the remote switched function
wtf..sony. This alone made me furious and reaffirmed my inital opinion that i should of gotten a denon. So i returned the Sony for the Denon AVR-2809CI.
I got my Denon yesterday. After a grueling ordeal of disconnecting the sony and installing the Denon with using a flashlight and a hand mirror (inside a built in cabinet) i checked out the set-up options. I dont read manuals and just figure things out on the fly, which usually works for me. I may go back and look at little nonsense settings and parameters later
I was able to assign the HDMI video and audio for each input, relabel those inputs (DVD-->HD-DVD, VDP--> Blu-ray), and even delete inputs. The later i thought was a very cool feature. No fancy menus, just nice simple easy "pong" text. Frankly, the sony menu was kind of cool, but a little confusiing with duplicated parameters. Sometimes keeping simply stupid is the best way to go. Plus i dont need to go in the menu and change things constantly.
Little quarks: The sony display window has gotten smaller over the years, which shows the direction sony is going. The denon shows clear 2 line text. I just get goose bumps when i see DTS Master Audio with the new denon blue HD Audio light turn on!
I forgot to mention the Sony 12v trigger never worked right with my monster power center to turn on my switched outlets. The Denon took two seconds to configure and worked like a charm with the monster power center.
The Denon had more power and the sound was the typical denon sound that i am a customed too. I was able to get the Denon at reduced price and ended up saving when compared to the sony.
THe Denon AVR-2809CI outperforms the Sony STR-DA3400ES, and i am proud to have another Denon into my home
