About the Sony STR-DB840
"DB Series" receivers borrow elements of construction and design from Sony's high-end "ES" line; you enjoy near-ES sound quality while saving a few hundred bucks! Last year's DBs were among our best-selling receivers ever. This year's DBs push the performance even further.
Flip down the 'DB840's front-panel door to reveal a convenient set of A/V inputs plus numerous control buttons; flip the door up for elegant looks in your home theater. Its back panel treats you to a smorgasbord of ins and outs (see "Key Features" below) for versatility now and expandability down the road. The 'DB840 is also a DSP dream come true, with separate processors for Sony's exclusive Digital Cinema Sound (32-bit) and for Dolby® Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic decoding (24-bit).
You'll be blown away by DB's top-notch construction and amp quality. Beefy output transistors (35% larger than last year's!) are mounted in-line on a cast aluminum heat sink for rock-steady multichannel sound. Oversized "guts," an anti-resonant aluminum front panel, and 100 full-bandwidth-rated watts x 5 channels make for precise, powerful reproduction of Dolby Digital's explosive dynamic peaks! And whether you're feeding digital audio to its 96kHz/24-bit D/A converters, or bypassing all DSP via "analog direct" (great for high-resolution stereo sources like SACD!), you'll experience nothing short of amazing sound.
Details:
- Dolby Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic decoding
- 100 watts x 5 into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.09% THD
- multibrand, 1-way LCD remote with macro capability
- 4 digital inputs (3 optical, 1 coaxial)
- optical digital output
- 5.1-channel input
- stereo "analog direct" mode
- 3 audio, 5 A/V (including 4 S-video and 1 front-panel) inputs
- preamp outputs for all channels
- binding posts for all speakers
- aluminum front panel
- large filter capacitors, power supply, and output transistors
- separate processors for Dolby Digital/DTS (24-bit) & Digital Cinema Sound (32-bit)
- 30 AM/FM presets
- Control A1ii & S
- 17"W x 6-3/8"H x 16-1/2"D
- warranty: 2 years
What's in the box:
- AM/FM/Dolby Digital/DTS receiver
- RM-LP204 wireless remote
- 3 "AA" batteries
- 56" Patch cord with composite video/stereo audio/Control S mono minijack
- 37" Control-A1II mono minijack patch cord
- AM loop antenna
- FM wire antennas with attached coax connector
- Receiver Operating Instructions
- Remote Commander Operating Instructions
- Safeguards
- Warranty card
- Note on connecting speaker wire taped to unit
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More details on the Sony STR-DB840

Features & specs
Product Research
Features
Remote Control Functions
Inputs and Outputs
Notes
Anti-resonant aluminum front panel
Video Surround Modes:
- Normal Surround: Dolby Digital sources are played with as many channels as recorded; stereo sources are decoded with Dolby Pro Logic.
- Cinema Studio Ex. A: Reproduces Sony's "Cary Grant Theater" cinema production studio.
- Cinema Studio Ex. B: Reproduces Sony's "Kim Novak Theater" cinema production studio.
- Cinema Studio Ex. C: Reproduces Sony's scoring stage.
- Semi-Cinema Studio Ex. A
- Semi-Cinema Studio Ex. B
- Semi-Cinema Studio Ex. C
- Night Theater: Engages dynamic compression for listening at lower volumes.
- Mono Movie: Simulates surround effect from a mono movie.
- Stereo Movie: Simulates Dolby Pro Logic from stereo sources that are not encoded.
- Headphone Theater: Allows you to experience a theater-like environment while using headphones (especially effective with 5.1 channel discreet sources).
- Virtual Multi Rear: Uses 3D sound imaging to create 3 sets of virtual rear speakers from 1 actual set.
- Virtual Multi Dimension: Uses 3D sound imaging to create an array of virtual rear speakers positioned higher than the listener from a single pair of actual rear speakers.
- V.Semi-M. Dimension: Uses 3D sound imaging to create virtual rear speakers from the sound of the front speakers without using actual rear speakers. It creates 5 sets of speakers surrounding the listener at a thirty degree angle of elevation.
- Virtual Enhanced A: Uses 3D sound imaging to create 3 sets of virtual rear speakers without using actual rear speakers.
- Virtual Enhanced B: Uses 3D sound imaging to create 1 set of virtual rear speakers without using actual rear speakers.
Music Surround Modes:
- Small Hall
- Large Hall
- Opera House
- Jazz Club
- Disco Club
- Church
- Live House
- Arena
- Stadium
- Game
Auto Format Decoding: Automatically detects the type of audio signal being input (Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic, 2 channel) and performs the proper decoding without adding any effects.
Bass management:
- Front Speakers: You can select LARGE or SMALL
- Center Speaker: You can select NONE, LARGE or SMALL
- Rear Speaker: You can select NONE, LARGE or SMALL
- Rear speaker place: When using rear speakers this setting is used for proper operation of virtual rear settings, you can select SIDE, MIDDLE, or BEHIND
- Rear speaker height: You can select LOW or HIGH
- Subwoofer: You can select YES or NO
The level can be balanced between rear and front speakers.
The rear, center, and subwoofer level can be adjusted from -10 to +10dB in 1dB steps.
Depending on the Mode you select, you can adjust the following parameters:
- Speaker distance: You can select feet or meters
- Wall Type (wall material simulation): 17 steps from hard to soft
- Effect (overall presence of sound field): 21 steps
- Reverberation time: 17 positions
- Screen Depth: Allows you to shift the sound of the front speakers "into" the screen. You can select OFF, MID or DEEP
- Virtual Speakers: Allows you to turn the virtual speakers created by various sound fields on or off
- LFE Mix: Lowers the LFE channel, you can select Mute, and from -20 - 0dB in 1B steps. Note that this effects only the LFE channel, not the bass sent to the sub through bass reduction circuitry.
- D. Range Compression: You can select OFF, 0.1-0.9, in 1 dB steps. Enables or disables dynamic compression for less variation in volume
Equalizer:
Three band equalizer (Low, Mid and High frequencies) with the following adjustments:
- Front speaker bass adjustment: Level can be adjusted +/-10dB in 1 dB steps. Frequency can be adjusted from 100Hz to 1kHz in 21 steps
- Front speaker midrange adjustment: Level can be adjusted +/-10dB in 1 dB steps. Frequency can be adjusted from 500 Hz to 5kHz in 21 steps
- Front speaker treble adjustment: Level can be adjusted +/-10dB in 1 dB steps. Frequency can be adjusted from 1 kHz to 10kHz in 21 steps
- Center speakers: Same bass, midrange, and treble adjustments as noted above for front speakers
- Surround speakers: Same bass, midrange, and treble adjustments as noted above for front speakers
Separate DSP engines are used for Dolby Digital decoding (24 bits) and for the acoustic soundfields (32 bit) for maximum performance.
Dimmer: You can select 3 levels of display brightness, plus you can turn the display off (control from the front of the unit only).
5.1 Channel Input: Although this unit features built-in Dolby Digital and DTS processing, it also has a 5.1 channel input for use with external multi-channel decoders, including potential future units such as DVD Audio players.
Station and Source Indexing: Preset stations and Program sources may be indexed by having up to 8 characters assigned for each preset or program source. For example, two VCRs can be displayed as 8MM and VHS.
Analog Direct: Bypasses all digital processing. Note that ONLY the volume control works in this mode, all EQ functions, surround functions, etc. are bypassed. This mode is used for listening to high quality analog audio sources, such as Super Audio CD, etc.
The multibrand remote has a 1.125" x 0.75" LCD display that is backlit at the top. Under this are the basic function buttons. The lower 1/2 of the remotes front folds down to reveal more buttons:
- number pad
- cursor arrows
- level controls
- test tones
- center and rear levels
- menu
Sources are selected from the remote by scrolling on the display and pressing the enter key once the desired source is selected. Soundfields are selected in the same manner.
There is a system standby key on the remote which will turn off Sony components.
The factory setting of
the function buttons can be changed, except for the TUNER and PHONO.
The remote transport, volume, channel, and preset up/down keys glow in the dark
(green).
For Sony TVs with picture-in-picture functions, the remote also controls the following functions:
- POSITION: Changes the position of the small picture
- SWAP: Changes the small and the large picture
- P in P: Activates the picture-in-picture function
Macro Play: Up to 2 macros (each with a maximum of 8 steps) can be stored in the remote allowing you to perform a series of operations at the push of one button.
Front panel:
- Standard gold plated headphone jack
- (Under a mechanical lid): Gold plated S-Video, composite video and RCA stereo input (video 3)
Rear panel:
- Digital Inputs/Outputs:
- DVD/LD Coax digital input: (This is NOT AC-3 RF, if you are using a LaserDisc with AC3-RF output you will need to purchase a demodulator!)(Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM)
- DVD/LD Toslink input (Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM)
- TV/SAT Toslink input (Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM)
- MD/TAPE Toslink input (Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM)
- MD/TAPE Toslink output (PCM only)
- FM coax input
- AM spring clip
- Phono: RCA input and ground screw
- CD: RCA input
- MD/Tape: RCA input/output
- TV/SAT: RCA audio/video and S-video input
- LD/DVD: RCA audio/video and S-video input
- Video 2: RCA audio/video input and output
- Video 1: RCA audio/video and S-video input and output
- Monitor: RCA and S-video output
- Control: A1II minijack output
- 2 Control S: Minijack inputs and 2 Control S minijack outputs
- 5.1 CH Input: Consisting of Left and right front and rear, center and subwoofer RCA inputs for use with external multichannel decoders (for video use it is used with any of the Video inputs on the unit)
- RCA Preout outputs for front and surround, left and right, center and two subwoofers (total of 7)
- Impedance selector switch (4/8 ohms)
- Binding Post outputs for A and B, Center and surround speakers (collar prevents use of spade lugs and it is not compatible with dual banana plugs so this is not a five-way post) front
- 2 switched AC outlets (120W/1A max)
You must use 8 ohm speakers if you use A and B speakers simultaneously, and can only use A speakers when using surround.
All the settings are retained in memory and linked to the sound field they were adjusted for. These settings are retained in memory for about 2 weeks in case of a power outage.
The DVD/LD Toslink and Coaxial digital inputs are compatible with 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, and 96kHz sampling frequencies. The other digital inputs and output are compatible with 32kHz, 44.1kHz, and 48kHz sampling rates frequencies.
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