Great product..for a few years anyway
Matt from Riverside, NJ on 6/28/2020
This receiver worked great for about 5 years. Now it shuts off repeatedly and isn't usable. It's out of warranty so not much to do but replace it now. I used the Yamaha app on my iphone to play music through speakers that are wired to my back yard.
Pros: wifi control using yamaha app was great
Cons: stopped working after
2 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Jeff from Fort Mill, SC on 4/10/2018
Enjoying the new Sony A/V receiver after my Integra high end amp went out. The overall sound quality is on par with the higher priced unit and the updated features are great.
Pros: price, size, ease of use
Cons: none
3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Trujillo Alto, PR on 4/10/2018
I can't work the machine without the manual, and it's hard for me download it form internet, also the box of the receiver was broken looks like it was wet. This my review and point of view, thanks
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2 of 16 found this helpful
Great value and quality
Crutchfield customer from Montgomry Vlg, MD on 4/1/2018
My first experience with A/V Theater unit. Did not want to spend too much on the first try. this unit fits the bill. Sony quality is evident in the unit. Have it hooked to CATV STB and Blu-ray/DVD player plus TV. Easy to set up with HDMI connections and cables. I have a small room, so using only 2.0 speakers rather than full surround. My only complaint as a first time A/V user is that instructions for all the features are a bit sparse. The browser-based guide from the Sony site helps. Overall, very pleased with the quality for the price.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Great value & sound
Crutchfield customer from Bishopville, MD on 3/29/2018
I use this unit in a stereo only application with my studio music PC, as i needed a dedicated subwoofer output. I do like the sound but took off one star for 2 reasons. It is a bit noisier than the old Onkyo unit it replaced and also it it picks up a click noise when my HVAC unit starts up (It is on a filtered surge strip) . As a contrast that did not happen with my old Onkyo & it also does not effect both of my guitar amps either, so Sony missed something here. The setup was easy & the auto equalizer did a good job but I did end up tweaking the external subwoofer controls for level & crossover point. It term of overall value it was a great deal.
Pros: price
Cons: sensitive to power lines clicks
2 of 4 found this helpful
Great product for the money.
Mike from San Jose, CA on 3/27/2018
Very happy with the product. Not totally high end. No WiFi. No blu tooth. But a perfectly good sounding complement for my Samsung tv. Easy setup.
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1 of 2 found this helpful
Best bang for a buck
Acer from Hamilton, IL on 3/20/2018
Get a lot for the price. Works great for a simple surround sound.
Pros: Sony delivered
Cons: None
0 of 0 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Makawao, HI on 3/19/2018
I'd give this five stars if it had a USEFUL users manual some of the set up and using the receiver were do it yourself hit and miss technique
Pros: Performs well Well woth the price
Cons: Lack of users manual
2 of 2 found this helpful
Big sound!
Dan from Peachtree Cor, GA on 3/18/2018
0 of 0 found this helpful
sub par
Crutchfield customer from Kennebunk, ME on 3/11/2018
I decided to take a chance on this receiver. I was not expecting it to be amazing, but when i looked at the specs it seemed like it might be a decent product for a pair of desktop book shelf speakers. I paired the amp with some Paradigm monitor 7 atoms. Low volume around 55-65 decibels which is a normal conversational volume was ok but lacking some depth. As I turned the volume up, the music still lacked depth and instead picked up a characteristic almost resembling an echo, almost as if i was playing music in a very badly optimized listening area. The music became more piercing as well even at a volume setting of 22 out of the max setting of 75 on the volume control. The source was a 192k/24 bit flac high res music file coming from my pc through hdmi. I wanted to test that it was not my speakers that were the cause of this low quality sound so I decided to hook up a couple of different amps i have. First i hooked up a Marantz sr7008, and then a Denon 1312. The Marantz and the Denon was similar in price to the Sony here before discount. Both the Marantz and the Denon did not have the strange unappealing sound of the Sony. After this testing I concluded the Sony is just very sub par audio equipment compared to its competition. I am returning the model. Its the first amp I've wanted to return because of bad sound ever.
Pros: Cheap, 4k and compatibility with Sony products.
Cons: sound quality sub par. First reciever I have retured for sound quality in 20 years. Bad digital processor and volume control.
6 of 7 found this helpful
Good Value
Bob from Oshkosh, WI on 3/9/2018
Very happy with the end result, but had some difficulty figuring out the receiver outputs for non-HDMI devices. Still working on getting the sub woofer to work. sub has speaker wire output not rca and is not powered.
Pros: good price (or value) adequate inputs for old and new technology simple operation
Cons: poor documentation (download manual better) speaker connections too close to each other (screw posts) cannot adjust individual speaker balance during operation
2 of 3 found this helpful
Read the manual before setup!
Mike from Spring Valley, CA on 3/8/2018
A manual with shorter step by step instructions on how to change internal settings would help. Saw a few highly negative reviews on high electric consumption on standby but there is a hdmi connection that can be turned off to solve that problem. Another negative was unit turning off in 5 minutes which just looks like ventilation problem. Overall pleased with unit and with Crutchfield service.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
GREAT SOUND, GREAT VALUE
Horace from Hampton, VA. on 3/6/2018
An instant hit when I first turned it on. Crisp, clean sound from the TV and CD/DVD inputs. It's also a great value.
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0 of 1 found this helpful
Impressed, best mix of price and performance
Jamie from Fort Worth, TX on 3/5/2018
Well worth the price - Simple but with all the needed features. I needed a simple receiver (and blue ray) to replace an "all-in-one" Samsung in a room that is not my primary entertainment/movie room. The price of this receiver and the blue-ray were same price as the Samsung with many steps up in performance/features. Easy to set up and sounds great. One thing: I have an older Panasonic Plasma with "Versa". Versa and this receiver do NOT play well! Caused the receiver to quickly cycle between mute on/off over and over and over when you press the volume button on remote. Cut Versa off on TV and badda bing issue resolved.
Pros: Features and performance you really need for decent home theater receiver Price
Cons: Does not work well with Panasonic's Versa TVs (but no biggie, cut versa off)
0 of 0 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Baxter, MN on 3/4/2018
I wanted a receiver with HDMI ports to replace my early 90s receiver. The calibration mic is a great touch, but there are minimal options for fine tuning the sound controls afterwards. The instructions and onscreen options for that are also a bit lacking, but for the price I am quite happy overall.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Walla Walla, WA on 2/27/2018
Perfect inexpensive surround sound receiver.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Powerhouse
Mark from Conway, AR on 2/18/2018
I bought this same receiver for an upstairs home theater and loved it so much that I bought another in just days. This thing is a powerhouse and not just for the price. Can't go wrong with this one.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Huntsville, AL on 2/17/2018
The bass can rattle furniture! I have two ancient DLK-2 speakers (1970's bought right after college graduation ;) ), with 12 inch low range speakers. I was concerned that this receiver being lower priced and lower rated power than what it replaced, would wimp out on the low ranges. I was going to get the Harmon-Kardon, but posts said that bass clipped out. Harmon-Kardon is a legend in the industry. They made the first tuner/amp combo (1960's). Back then Sony only made cheap popular tiny transistor radios. Things change after 50 years.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Great price
Sue from Raphine, VA on 2/3/2018
Good product. I love Sony products so for the price it was perfect for me. Not high tech for those who want all the bells and whistles. Easy set up. A little disappointed that I could not set up the remote to my Directv and Sony tv. May be missing something there though.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Brian from Shakopee, MN on 1/29/2018
Not sure if I will keep this or not. For a stereo to have the HDMI hook ups, you would expect more onscreen function. Haven't been able to adjust the sound quality to my satisfaction yet.
Pros: Affordable
Cons: Onscreen functions should be easier to access and navigate.
2 of 3 found this helpful
Easy to set up.
Placido from Kapaa, HI on 1/29/2018
My Yamaha receiver died during the NFC Football Championships. I needed a new receiver so that I could have the home theater experience watching the upcoming Superbowl. I've always loved Sony products and this receiver was available at an excellent sales price. I ordered the receiver Monday night and received it in Hawaii on Friday. Thank you Crutchfield for the fast shipping. I am not an audiophile but unlike my Yamaha receiver, the Sony receiver was easy to set up. I was able to have my home theatre running in 2 hours. This included disconnecting and reconnecting the entire system with new cable wires and a new Sony Blue Ray DVD. My previous system had a Samsung TV, a 10 year old Panasonic Blue Ray DVD and a Yamaha receiver. With the Sony DVD player and receiver I am able to boot up the system faster as the Sony products are able to recognize each other. The Sony receiver remote control is easy to navigate. No extra bells and whistles that you wont use; just your basic home theater components. Highly recommended.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
Great sound
Ron from Irving, TX on 1/28/2018
Love it . updated a 10 year old system with multiple remotes . Now one remote and great sound .
Pros: Love the self adjusting for optimal sound from seating area .
Cons: Wish the osd was transparent on screen instead of having to swap inputs to adjust
1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Bay City, MI on 1/15/2018
Very good performer for a budget Surround Sound AVR.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Tucson, AZ on 1/15/2018
This receiver is definitely a good buy. The shortcoming, however, is that the set-up directions are very inadequate. Initially, I set it up using the microphone and the auto balancing procedure that appears on your tv screen. The balance was good, but the auto-protect circuitry shuts the receiver off at a very minimal volume. I called tech support and learned about the manual setup. By increasing the gain at each speaker you can eventually dial it in to a useable volume. I think the receiver is a bargain and am pretty happy with its capabilities.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Port St Lucie, FL on 1/8/2018
Just what I was looking for so far so good but only had it one day.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Success story!
Linda from New Bethlehem, PA on 1/8/2018
This AV tuner was just what we needed to replace a Panasonic tuner that was 25-30 years old. We tried to do without and just use speakers in our smart tv, but we couldn't understand the words in movies, music or news. Now we can enjoy our tv and music again!!! Being I am 79 yrs old, I knew I couldn't make the correct connections especially since I have the dish box to connect also, so I just called the tech people at Crutchfield and the tech told me how to connect, plus also emailed me a chart how to connect. What a help that was! Success on the first try ??.
Pros: Does Just what I needed. Tech help wonderful.
Cons: None
0 of 0 found this helpful
Nice unit for the price
Jerry from Lumberton, NJ on 1/2/2018
Great receiver for the price. Does everything we needed it to do. The only issue is the booklet that comes with the unit is very vague on the setup. You need to figure it out yourself using the remote. Other than that it is a very nice unit.
Pros: Does everything and looks good.
Cons: Limited setup instructions
2 of 2 found this helpful
What a bargin
Crutchfield customer from Rockvale, TN on 12/27/2017
Great price, Great features, Plenty of power, Simple Remote and it comes with the calibration mic. What more would you want...
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Great overall value
Michael Montgomery from Palmyra, VA on 12/12/2017
I am extremely pleased with this purchase. The price is great and the sound is wonderful. It works seamlessly with my Sony TV and Blueray player. In normal operation I only need to use the TV remote to accomplish what ever I want. Great value for the money
Pros: Price, equipment compatibility, sound
Cons: None
4 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Allentown, PA on 12/12/2017
Receiver works really well and sounds great!
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Carlisle, PA on 12/9/2017
Good power does as it should! Enjoy the multiple hdmi hook ups. Can easily switch between inputs.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Fair Oaks Ranch, TX on 12/8/2017
Great Value, excellent service and delivery...., would highly recommend to anyone looking for basic 5.1 Receiver without most of the frills of a more expensive unit.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
2 years old and still going strong
Tom from Grayling, MI on 12/7/2017
Great sound and lots of it with the 6 ohm Sony SS-CS3 towers. Used daily for 2 years now in a 5.1 Home Theatre setup and couldn't be happier. Did take a bit of juggling to get ARC to work with a new TCL LED TV as I wanted to send the Blu-Ray out directly to the TV by passing the Receiver. As far as I'm concerned no need at present to upgrade to a 4K receiver.
Pros: Still doing its job
Cons: Could have a better written manual, but the online one has all the info you need.
3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from San Juan, PR on 12/7/2017
0 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Nutley, NJ on 12/7/2017
Can't beat this receiver for price and quality. Excellent connectivity with 4k HDMI passthrough and ARC. Only quibble is the onscreen menu is pretty outdated, but that's minor. Great purchase.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Great value, superior performance,
Crutchfield customer from Malden, MA on 11/21/2017
Sony STR-DH550 is an excellent value and performs far better than the affordable price would suggest. While the unit is rated '90w' it drives a 5.1 (+2) with ease and arguably better than the circa 2004 '140w' JVC that it replaced. With HDMI inputs modern connectivity is easier than ever however your TV now becomes your primary information display and complex set-up specifics require your Receiver-TV connection to work 100% before you can proceed. Included Documentation is surprisingly poor and if you have decades of AV experience you will be able to adjust each feature as you require, but if you have never done this before many options will be indecipherable and will impact your listening. Choosing which input to have priority over another at which time, for example.
Pros: - Performs like a much more expensive product - Focused on Home Theater reproduction - Easy set-up with microphone does basic diagnostics quickly
Cons: - Terrible manual - Remote is IR only, not radio (limits range, angle) - Can require your TV to change system settings rather than the LCD display
7 of 7 found this helpful
Good Value
Ray from Metuchen, NJ on 10/16/2017
Love the product. Works great. Documentation could be a little better but once I got through my own stupidity set up was easy. Hunter was great to deal with. He helped me make a selection and get me through the process quickly and easily.
Pros: Great basic unit with all you need for a normal system. Looks good. USB connection on front panel works great.
Cons: No Bluetooth connectivity.
6 of 6 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
George from Brighton, MI on 9/11/2017
I'm no expert on amps, but this one seems to be very good. It was easy to hook up and, for me, has very good clarity. I would have liked it to have come with better documentation, but it wasn't all bad. It looks good in my living room, too!
Pros: Easy to hook up, looks good
Cons: Really needs better documentation. I still haven't completely figured out how to program the radio
6 of 7 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Florida on 9/9/2017
Good clear sound. Very good value for price. Controls are straight forward in design and use.
Pros: Price and value it's a Sony.
Cons: none
3 of 3 found this helpful
Disappointed with Sony
William from Ft Worth, TX on 7/30/2017
This was a replacement unit for a 17 year Sony STR DE935 5.1 receiver that didn't survive our last move. Hooking up the Bose 6 speaker ribbon cable to the new STR DH550 was quite a task. It sounds OK but the menu system for setup is confusing and the user manual not much help. I really regret not spending a little more for the Denon 5.2 receiver which appears to have push terminals plus Bluetooth.
Pros: OK sound Relatively inexpensive Excellent service by Crutchfield
Cons: Speaker binding posts are just awfully close together for connecting a ribbon cable Unhelpful user manual and unclear menu setup options using TV display No bluetooth
1 of 6 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Ft Myers, FL on 7/12/2017
The setup was easy. The hardest part was the 10 speaker wires. The enclosed free wire labels were the key to keeping the 10 ( 5+ the + & - for each) speaker wires separate and connected to the proper terminals. The speaker calibration feature in the receiver confirmed that the wires were connected properly. The system works as I expected. This is the second receiver I've bought from Crutchfield.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Crescent City, CA on 6/22/2017
The original unit arrived and would not work . Your tech support handled my problem and recalled that unit and sent a new one it arrived very fast and we set it up and it works great. thanks for the great service and help.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Get Your Attention Sound
Carl from Cibolo, TX on 6/15/2017
This is my second Sony STR-DH550 the first got fried, good ol' power spike! Yep, did not have it connected to a UPS or even a surge protector . . . and the kicker was I did not buy the 3 year protection plan for that unit. So rewind and do it again, but correctly this time The setup for the 550 is very easy, everything is labeled so just connect to your TV, DVD/BD and video game the out to your TV. I run dual subs, a 15" down-firing 1000 watt and a front firing 10" 500 watt sub for mid bass. I use the Bose double cube speakers but not the Bose sub-woofer. My center channel speaker is an Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-450C Center Speaker. For perfect audio perception be sure all your speakers are at ear level. I found that the microphone auto setup for the speakers is OK but you will want to manually tweak the equalizer for the best over all sound. The Sony STR-DH550 might be considered a entry-level receiver but at 90 watts RMS and 145 watt peak per channel at 6 ohms you will. definitely want to have quality speakers (NO NO-NAME CHEAP-OHS). You will be pleasantly pleased with the sound capabilities of the Sony STR-DH550 receiver. I have this unit connected to my 92" Mitsubishi HDTV with my XBox One and a Sony BDP-S6700 3D BluRay and my cable box.
Pros: The best pro is easy setup and connection capabilities.
Cons: I don't find any
6 of 7 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Aiken, SC on 6/7/2017
Have a 55- inch Sony TV from Crutchfield the and the STR-DH550 provides out standing quality sound. I play ballets, and other classical music and the sound quality is as good as attending a live performance.
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5 of 7 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Williston, SC on 6/6/2017
Great receiver but the paperwork (manual) supplied with it from Sony is pretty poor and the online info is not much better. If you are fortunate enough to purchase it from Crutchfield then you have no worries because their excellent tech support can guide you through almost anything.
Pros: Great sound
Cons: Instruction manual is not user friendly
7 of 10 found this helpful
Sounds great
William from Washington, DC on 5/31/2017
I was all set to purchase a $600.00 onkyo A/V receiver reading reviews pointed me to the new series and stated customer service but realizing I would be paying for a lot I was never going to use, looking elsewhere I kept seeing the words best buy, top choice on a A/v receiver I would never consider one for this price, but at the end of every review they all said it sounds great or good, wow I said to my self thats all want what do I have to lose I have sixty days to return it, in two days it was at my door I began to set it up, 5 b&w speakers oppo103 nad516 after 40 hours of use I knew I would not be returning it, when I listen I feel as though I stole something. If sound is tops on your list and you can forgive quirks , you'll not care as long as can get back to listening to movies or music. Unbeatable price for this amp. BUY IT YOU WON'T BE SORRY
Pros: Looks good,doesn't heat up like others(onkyo) sounds great
Cons: It may change your options although it may have my mistakes
8 of 8 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from D'Iberville, MS on 5/18/2017
Great receiver but the paperwork (manual) supplied with it from Sony is pretty poor and the online info is not much better. If you are fortunate enough to purchase it from Crutchfield then you have no worries because their excellent tech support can guide you through almost anything.
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3 of 7 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
David from Rochester, MN on 5/15/2017
Performs as expected. Easy set up.
Pros: Great Price for a good product.
Cons: Unit lacks bass/treble sound customization.
8 of 11 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Guest from New York, NY on 5/2/2017
5 of 9 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Eric from Chester, VA on 4/24/2017
I'm giving this such a low rating due to the unacceptably clunky menu system that only can be viewed if you connect it to a TV. I spent 20 minutes trying to reset the FM presets and gave up. I manually put it the one station I listen. I'm planning on putting this is in my garage and listening? to the radio otherwise I'd return it.
Pros: Inexpensive; Heavy/solid/quality
Cons: Horrible menu system; cheap remote
7 of 11 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Havelock, NC on 4/24/2017
Awesome piece of gear. I Love it. Easy to set up, and the calibration device works extremely well.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Anderson, SC on 4/13/2017
works great and easy to install got a great price on unit thank you Link for your help
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Quality sound and low price!
Fernando from NY on 4/13/2017
I purchased this a week ago to connect with my older model 46 inch Sony Bravia HDTV in my small bedroom.. I have liked and enjoyed Sony products for decades. I was impressed by the positive reviews, the specs and the sale price! This was too good to pass up! Delivery was quick and packaging was good. The receiver looks simple but classy. Its footprint is small so it fits perfectly in my bedroom setup! The sound is awesome and clean. The bass is powerful and much better than the old Optimus receiver that I was using for several years. The HDMI and other connections are enough for my setup and I look forward to connecting a BlueRay player and a vcr this week in addition to a video camera and a few other devices. I already have my PC connected. Yes it does not have an ethernet connection or Bluetooth but I knew this when I made my choice. The onscreen menu is very simple and a bit disappointing and you have to download the manual online. I highly recommend this receiver for anyone on a budget who wants quality sound.
Pros: clean and powerful sound low price trusted name brand
Cons: onscreen menu is simple and a bit disappointing. You have to download the manual online
3 of 3 found this helpful
AWESOME AV RECEIVER at a TERRIFIC SALE PRICE!
charles from guam on 4/13/2017
Awesome gear at the right price! Needed to replace my 10-year-old Yamaha receiver which just died on me a couple weeks ago and when i saw this sony receiver for a great sale price; i just couldn't pass it up. Having been listening to the sony for about 2 weeks now, I can honestly say that the audio quality is about the same as my old yamaha (which was awesome to begin with), but then again I'm using the sony hooked to the same set of speakers anyways.
Pros: Terrific audio and power to speakers.
Cons: No bluetooth. Front panel display takes a little bit of work to figure out. User operational manual non-existant.
6 of 7 found this helpful
Great 5.1 AMP For Small Setup
Jerry from Alexandria, LA on 4/2/2017
If you have a small uncomplicated 5.1 AV setup, this is a great unit at a great price. I have my audio system completely separate from my video, so this unit handles TV and DVD/Netflix movies. I found nothing about the setup that wasn't intuitive based on a lifetime of working with such equipment. I took off a star because it did not come with a printed manual, you have to retrieve it from the internet in PDF and it is not very well done by contemporary standards. Also, the onscreen menus for setup look like they were designed by someone still using DOS. Sony has always concentrated on performance rather than visual appeal (my last Sony AV amp was ugly and heavy as a tank but lasted nearly 30 years) so I guess this is no surprise. It has a microphone which can help you set up the volume of your speakers, which might be nice but I didn't use it.
Pros: Low cost Easy Setup
Cons: No Printed Manual Onscreen Setup Clunky
6 of 6 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Houston, TX on 3/26/2017
This receiver provides me all I need for my sound system. It was easy to set up.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from New Orleans, LA on 3/16/2017
A very good value. Sub-Woofer hook up info could be better.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Super Sound!!
Tim from New Castle, IN on 3/15/2017
Great Receiver!! Def. Recommend!! High Quality, Great Specs. Super Deal!!!!
Pros: Price, Super value for Price paid!!
Cons: None
3 of 3 found this helpful
Very Happy Gamer
Aron from Southern California on 3/2/2017
This is my first receiver and I did a lot of research for something that was within budget but could handle all my gaming and entertainment needs. This is what I settled on and I love it. I currently run my surround sound out, and I run an Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, and Rasberry Pi into it out to a TV. I don't have any sync issues or audio problems. The menus are easy to use and installation is a piece of cake.
Pros: Easy setup, manages multiple devices through HDMI without loss of quality
Cons: None at this time
4 of 4 found this helpful
Awesome Sound
Lou from Niagara Falls, NY on 2/11/2017
Very impressive hooked this up to a set of Klipsch reference series surround sound with a 12" Sony subwoofer ran the auto set up and WOW it rocks!!!!!
Pros: Auto set up lots of power HDMI accepts banana plugs on all speaker leads
Cons: None that I found
3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Massillon Ohio on 2/2/2017
Perfect starter home theater receiver!!! Plenty of power. Love the manual speaker set up, and the auto calibration works well too. You can change the input names so any one in the family can use it easily. Can't wait to start upgrading all my speakers. I don't even have a powered sub yet and it still pushes plenty of bass through my front channels. Great buy
Pros: Great price, plenty of power 90 watts per ch. looks great. Easy hook up and calibration
Cons: 0
6 of 6 found this helpful
Big stereo sound
Glen from Spring Branch tx on 1/25/2017
A lot of power to 5 speakers I have Bose 301s in front and infinity s in the back.I can really hear the surround
Pros: Great sound
Cons: None
3 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
David from Greenville, SC on 1/18/2017
Great product with awesome sound and really good price.
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1 of 2 found this helpful
Incredible value !
Sam from Waitsfield, VT on 1/18/2017
For the price, this is a no frills, but excellent receiver. Easy set-up, easy to navigate on screen menu. Between this receiver, a projector, and an inexpensive 'home theatre in a box', we turned our recc room into a really impressive sounding home theatre. It's pretty amazing what you get with some an inexpensive receiver.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Brent from Buffalo, NY on 1/9/2017
Very easy to setup and use. Great quality sound.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Virginia Beach, VA on 1/3/2017
it was a very easy purchase thru Crutchfield the reciever is great,thanks
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1 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Jeff from Boise, ID on 1/1/2017
The receiver works good. Setup is pretty painless. A really good value for those people who don't need wi-fi and Bluetooth.
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1 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Philadelphia, PA on 12/31/2016
Great system for the price. Lots of features, HDMI passthrough especially has been really useful. I wish it had a USB port in back for my Chromecast but Google could have also configured it to draw power through the HDMI connection.
Pros: Sounds good. Easy calibration with included mic. Price. 4 HDMI ports.
Cons: A bit of a pain connecting the lower row of speaker wires.
3 of 4 found this helpful
good quality
Crutchfield customer from Everett, WA on 12/31/2016
Easy to hook up and makes great sound. It sounds better than the more expensive one it replaced. The owners manual is online, so no paperwork enclosed. It took me a little while to figure that out, Sony doesn't do a good job of pointing that out. Also, no mention of needing an active sub, replaced my sub and all was well.
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1 of 3 found this helpful
Impressive and affordable
JOSE from Springfield, MA on 12/29/2016
I purchased this reciever as a replacement + upgrade to an older Sony model I owned that played it's last song recently. So far I'm very impressed by the sound quality. The setup was a breeze and I was up and running in minutes after connecting all the speakers and wires. The automatic speaker calibration was actually very accurate and was very handy indeed. My connected devices never sounded better. The only con i have is the lack of support for HDMI 2.0a which only came to my realization after my late research. I wasn't fully knowledgeable on the subject of HDMI passthrough up until my purchase. Other manufacturers seem to be enabling that feature with a software update. Fingers crossed that Sony takes note.
Pros: Great sound quality User friendly interface and settings Plenty of features
Cons: Does not support HDMI 2.0a that would allow 4K + HDR passthrough
5 of 5 found this helpful
Great value! Great sound.
Tic3 from Ozark, MO on 12/26/2016
I ordered this stereo after seeing it while browsing for Christmas gifts. I have been wanting to replace my old stereo for quite a while and this looked like a great value, so I decided to place my order. As always, the sales person was very knowledgeable and helpful and processed my order very quickly. My new stereo arrived two days later! I am very pleased with the quality and sound of the new receiver and it has made a significant improvement to my home theater system!
Pros: Easy to set up, adds great sound to the home theater system.
Cons: A bit tall and heavy.
2 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Bob from Howard Beach, NY on 12/15/2016
Excellent for the price easy hook up
Pros: Ease of installation
Cons: None so far
4 of 5 found this helpful
Home Theatre
Frank from Bremerton, WA on 12/12/2016
Awesome!! Love It!! Great Sound!!
Pros: Easy Set up, Great Sound
Cons: None
1 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Phoenix, AZ on 12/11/2016
Excellent receiver does everything I wanted to great sound quality probably one of the best budget receivers I've ever purchased
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2 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Annapolis, MD on 12/9/2016
this is a great value! it has all the power, and features i want. without a lot of bells and whistles that i will never use. running two subs is an experience.
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4 of 5 found this helpful
great sound
bob from cleveland, oh on 12/8/2016
3 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Koenraad from Cave Creek, AZ on 12/8/2016
Very good AV receiver for the price. A manual would have been nice, but connection to my satellite receiver and 4K HD TV was straight forward so there were no issues. I was pleasantly surprised to have dual sub-woofer outputs as well as having 4 HDMI inputs.
Pros: Excellent features for the price. Ample power.
Cons: None
6 of 6 found this helpful
Great Buy
Crutchfield customer from Los Lunas, NM on 12/6/2016
Good unit for the price. TV doesn't output to the amp/rec, but that is not a problem of the amp/rec.
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Cons: None
2 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Bill from Kettering, OH on 12/5/2016
Nice A/V receiver. For the price it works perfectly for the application it was intended for. Plus its a nice size - fit perfectly into small cabinet we have.
Pros: Excellent features for price value.
Cons: Lack of manual.But setup wasn't bad at all.
3 of 3 found this helpful
A great sounding receiver... and simple
Hal from Waldport, OR on 12/2/2016
I just purchased this Sony from Crutchfield. It's a great unit and has not overwhelmed me like the three previous home theater receivers have. Some of the other HT receivers have just too many bells, whistles, etcetera that I got lost and frustrated. I've been a vintage quadraphonic/4-channel guy for the last several years and tried other HT receivers and returned each one. But this one fits my needs just fine. The unit itself is on the small side and not a monster like some of the HT receivers are. It's got plenty of power, even if you are running 8 ohm speakers (this receiver is designed to handle down to 6 ohm speakers). Anyone who maxes out this unit will develop hearing loss, so don't let the 70-80 watts per channel rating put you off. And you can connect 2 subwoofers to this unit if you want. I have the Chromecast Audio and Chromecast Video units which enable this receiver to be a smart receiver. To get a network receiver, you will have to pay a lot more than the price this unit costs. Just plug 'em into the receiver and you now have a smart receiver/smart TV. If you are looking for a basic but good performing home theater receiver, consider this Sony. It is simpler compared to the others, smaller when compared to the others... and a lot less costly than all the others. As an audio unit, this Sony works very well.
Pros: All the features I want are here Small footprint Simple setup Great audio
Cons: I haven't found any
6 of 6 found this helpful
Incredible surround sound with great base control.
Steven from New York City on 11/20/2016
I have a duplicate amp in the bedroom and I could not be more satisfied with my selection. As I have always said "SONY, NO BALONEY" My first choice is always Sony or Panasoni.
Pros: Everything
Cons: None
1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
gary from Deerfield Beach, FL on 11/3/2016
Good receiver for the average listener. Affordable, easy set up. Important...Use HDMI for on screen settings.
Pros: Crutchfield customer service will bring me back next time I'm in the market.
Cons: none
4 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Oto from Erie, PA on 10/30/2016
Excellent AV receiver for what I needed it for. It has ample power and is extremely easy to use. Does not have a lot of bells-and-whistles but that's what I was looking for. Crystal clear sound. The setup was super easy and short.
Pros: Great price, simple setup, easy operation, great sound
Cons: Can't really think of any
4 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Port Saint Lucie, FL on 10/27/2016
The DH550 has positive reviews and looks nice. But it comes without instructions. Crutchfield is going to send me a copy -- I believe it is lengthily. At present, the unit operates and, I guess that if one spends one's days playing with these units, then operating it would be a breeze. I am old -- 75 --- but well experienced and educated (former reactor plant test engineer and missile systems project engineer, university professor of finance, etc.) I hold three graduate degrees including a one from Wharton. I have written hundreds of trade journal and refereed journal articles and co-authored nine books. But, I am not endowed with the skills necessary to operate the DH550 without instructions. So Sony gets a big F. Shame on Sony. Crutchfield, by contrast, has been very helpful. Their service brings the F up to a C-. Thank goodness there are companies like Crutchfield!
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12 of 31 found this helpful
At the movies!
Crutchfield customer from Guam on 10/20/2016
As one that truly enjoys watching shows and movies in full digital surround sound, the Sony theater receiver is a great buy. Even if it may be the basics of surround receivers, you can enjoy the movie as if watching in a small theater. Digital surround sound allows you to hear things that you would normally miss on regular TV speakers.
Pros: Great picture and sound. Set up is fairly easy if you know all the proper connections.
Cons: None
3 of 3 found this helpful
GREAT
CARL S. from SANTA FE, NM on 10/5/2016
THE SONY IS PERFECT FOR MY NEEDS.
Pros: WONDERFUL
Cons: NONE
1 of 2 found this helpful
STR-DH550
RSL from Staten Island, NY on 9/25/2016
Receiver is working well so far. Too early to tell about reliability
Pros: Provides adequate power to speakers
Cons: Set up is intricate and confusing. Certainly not intuitive. Pigtail connections for speakers are clumsy and difficult to manipulate. A full manual of controls, connections and internal switches might have prevented several hours speaking with technicians and days of delay in getting system running.
6 of 9 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Rocky Mountains on 9/15/2016
For an inexpensive very receiver this performs exceptionally well. No complaints. HDMI all the way switching between devices works well. Love the remote too. This replaced my old Sony 5.1 that died (so glad) so I already had speakers, and this hooked right up. Dolby sound is great. I use HDMI to my Amazon fire TV with Netflix, plus Dish network, and all looks and sounds amazing. I'm really glad I bought this. Crutchfield shipped fast, I received it in 3 days. Double boxed too. Nice touch. One star off for not having simple way to use wireless headphones from back panel. Or maybe I am missing something. Other than that, love this thing.
Pros: All black fish with subtle lighted dials, and they turn off when not used (not a constant glaring led or display). This receiver is very well thought out and you can tell there lots of little cool things that are a result of many generations of refinements.
Cons: Not really a con, but binding posts seem kinda kinda funky and retro, but hey they work well. I like the solid feel MUCH better than the push in clip style speaker connections. But they look like the 60's.
6 of 7 found this helpful
ony STR-DH550 Reviews
mtgman 652 from Charlottesville, VA on 9/14/2016
sleek easy to use .excellent power fomy polk r home systemeasy to use and set up.
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1 of 2 found this helpful
Great amplifier
Mike D from Darien, IL on 9/12/2016
Easy setup. I especially liked the ease of calibrating the surround sound.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Fred T from Oakland, CA on 9/6/2016
4 of 5 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Lincoln from chesterfield,mo on 8/28/2016
great sound good connections
Pros: great system great connections great set up
Cons: need better owner manual
4 of 4 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Georgetown, TX on 8/21/2016
Great product at a good price. Free shipping and Crutchfield support an added bonus Receiver is easy to set up, has an easy to use onscreen setup menu and great sound I really like the bypass feature which allow you to watch regular TV without having to turn the receiver on. That greatly simplifies the process of just watching TV
Pros: Great price, quality sound, ease of use
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8 of 8 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550 Blu-ray Player
RAUL from Sioux Falls, SD on 7/18/2016
A very fine receiver for the money. It provides all of the power that I can use in my apartment. Looks great too!
Pros: Excellent price, great look, easy hookup.
Cons: None
1 of 1 found this helpful
SONY STR
DN from Marana, AZ on 6/20/2016
What a great buy. I was looking at receivers for almost twice as much, but was referred to the specs on this one. It does everything I need. The biggest plus for me is the shuffle mode when playing the music content on a usb flashdrive.
Pros: Sharp appearance. Super simple intuitive operation.
Cons: Remote is bigger than it needs to be, but that's about it.
2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Jason Eugene B. from Duncansville, PA on 6/20/2016
This receiver is the best thing I've bought for my sound system. Completely put it through the roof. 10/10 would buy again.
Pros: It's just amazing.
Cons: Can't think of any.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Excellent
Rich from Hanahan, SC on 3/14/2016
Doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but handles everything I need. An excellent value.
Pros: Easy to set up and provides excellent sound and viewing for overhead projection media room.
Cons: None
2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Richard P from Astoria Oregon on 3/11/2016
Perfect sound, perfect fit in our new console.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Does the job
Phillip from las piedras, PR on 3/2/2016
This is a nice home theater system it has power to pump your speakers and as an audiophile for life would recommend this to any one who has a small budget, like me, but expects great sound and features such as manual independent menu for calibration of each of the six speakers including base . I'm glad Crutchfield had this on their stock listing also free shipping for Puerto Rico and super fast delivery well packed . Thanks I'm an old timer 60+ and always liked how this company has quality products at a reasonable price and the customer support is superb. Thanks Crutchfield ! Keep up the good work !
Pros: Nice clean black looks , very easy to set up and offers extras like a front Usb port. Love this home theater receiver. Also the convenience of PayPal option for paying for me is a must . Gracias!
Cons: None
6 of 6 found this helpful
A decent AVR for under $250
AVR Killer from The South on 2/19/2016
I bought this AVR on sale for 200 dollars and that is what it should cost. I don't believe it to be worth $250, but don't let me lead you to think that this AVR is a bad deal. I purchased this for a small room sound system. There will be video going through it only if my main AVR somehow dies, otherwise it is for music only. Why did I buy an AVR instead of a stereo for music you ask. Good question. I have several reasons. They are all traits of an AVR that you don't find in stereos until you start putting in money, and even then you may not get all the features you need. Here the biggest reasons for using an AVR for music only. 1. All channel stereo. Some AVRs sum to mono for channels, some don't. Since this isn't for critical listening it doesn't matter. I just get room filling sound. 2. The built in crossover. What a wonderful thing to have when your are running four medium sized book shelf speakers. You cancel that low bass that they can't reproduce anyway and use that extra power for more volume or better dynamic power at lower volumes. Good luck finding a low cost stereo with a built crossover. 3. The subwoofer/LFE output. Again good luck finding a stereo with this feature. A sub just makes the bottom end of the sound come to life and makes the book shelf speakers a complete package. 4. A built in equalizer. Most AVRs have more than just the Bass and Treble in this unit. Sony really dropped the ball on this one. A 5 band EQ would have r
Pros: Low price when on sale AVR standard features are great for music too Real binding posts, not cheap clips for speakers A decent amount of inputs to use your playback devices
Cons: Feels cheap Button feel doesn't inspire feeling of quality purchase Menu is cluttered and clunky Menu lacks options that other units in this price range do have Built in MP3 player is not so great. Power output is low when driving four channels Remote isn't much better than the menu
14 of 16 found this helpful
as described
blipin from lewisburg, PA on 2/14/2016
works as described. quite the upgrade from what I had. directions leave something to the imagination, but support was great
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7 of 8 found this helpful
Great system
Steven from cocoa, FL on 2/8/2016
Great replacement for an old Kenwood unit that failed. I really like the Easy setup feature that optimizes your listening area for you.
Pros: Easy to setup. Sounds great.
Cons: None
3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
John from middletown, NY on 2/5/2016
I purchased this unit because it can be hooked up to my HD TV, PS3 and my Blu-ray player and it works great.
Pros: Easy setup, Easy to program and sounds great when watching movies or listening to music.
Cons: None for me.
3 of 3 found this helpful
Great Reciever
In the Great Pacific Nortwet from Washington on 1/9/2016
I really like this receiver. First let me say that I bought from the scratch and dent section so I got an even better price. (just a hint for all you bargain shoppers). Even thought I bought this from the scratch and dent section, the receiver was perfect, no scratches no dents and looked to be in perfect shape. The set=up was straight forward, plug the wires in etc., the antenna set up is typical of other Sony receivers (I have two others that I bought used... So this is my first "new" Sony). The HDMI plugs were the reason I bought this, and they work fine. The speaker connectors are the cap and post kind. Bend the wire and screw it on. I miss the plug and stuff and the RCA type connectors. Once set up with all the wires you can either set have the unit "tweak" the sound to your room, or ignore it. Tweaking was easy, lay out the microphone and aloe the receiver to go though it's noises and you're done. Great looks and Great sound. One bugaboo about the set=up thought the remote takes triple A batteries, the box the unit came in contained double A.
Pros: Easy set up Good looks Great sound Extremely wonderful price.
Cons: Why don't the manufacturers build in a MP3 players that will randomize files for music instead of assuming you have one that will do it. Would be handy. Why does Sony not take the lead and have connections for other sound devices (turntables tape decks tec.) or, at least more than one auxiliary connection?
6 of 7 found this helpful
Love it
Steve D from Florida on 1/3/2016
Only wish I had known the ohms as low for my Boss speakers
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1 of 7 found this helpful
Excellent Easy to Setup Home Surround
troyt from Nevada on 12/24/2015
Easy to setup and will switch audio and video between HDMI devices. Love the auto sound measurement device included.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Crutchfield customer from Michigan on 12/15/2015
positively one of the best products I have ever used !!!
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Good value
Baleguy from Illinois on 12/13/2015
Simple to set up if you are highly tech savvy. If not, good luck. Instructions are extremely basic. No manual. No explanation of buttons on remote. Push a button and take your chances, I guess. They saved money in several ways on this unit. Speaker terminals are cheap, basic and difficult to use. Sound quality is good enough for the average human ear. Still a good value for the price.
Pros: Good value. Good basic unit
Cons: No Manual.
8 of 10 found this helpful
Great Value
edc from California on 12/7/2015
Have not been unable to check out the full function yet. So far the product seems to be solid and meets my expectations. Sound and video are great during a blue ray input test.
Pros: The ability to easily play content from an iPhone or iPod was key to me. I wish my high dollar Sony home theatre receiver offered this.
Cons: None that have surfaced in my limited testing so far.
1 of 3 found this helpful
Easy set up
ChristopherS from Cape Coral,Florida on 12/2/2015
I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy the 7.2 Sony or the 5.2 Sony set up. After reading many pages from Crutchfield, I finally decided to go with Sony's STR-DH550. The box arrived and I was like a child on Christmas morning. After unpacking the Sony and placing it under the TV I was marveled on how beautiful this Sony STR-DH550 really was. Clean lines, front buttons virtually hidden and easy to read display. Hooking the STR-DH550 up was quick and easy. HDMI's clearly marked and easy to read as well. I had no problem hooking up the Sony CDP-CE500, PS4, Direct-TV as well as the speaker wires. My only issue was the speaker hook up. My hands are nimble but it true isn't easy to hook speak wire to the terminals. This fault, if you want to call it that wasn't so bad that I would change my 5 star rating on this Sony STR-DH550. Thank you Sony for making an incredible and cost effective piece of entertainment.
Pros: Clean lines. Easy to read front display. Plenty of HDMI hook ups. Powerful.
Cons: Speaker terminals (if that's really a problem)
6 of 6 found this helpful
Great Value
DruM from New York on 10/27/2015
Easy set up. Excellent build quality and sound!
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1 of 1 found this helpful
replace older amp
ppok from normal, il. on 10/22/2015
Just what it says. Read reviews and talked with tech.sounds great with my dmh speakers. Set up was easy,also got all new monster cables. I replaced a six year old denon amp.
Pros: None so far
Cons: No printed manual
5 of 5 found this helpful
Sony Does It Again
Cooderhead from Oregon on 10/16/2015
I have been using Sony products for all of my home theater and audio needs for several years. Sony has always been very dependable and innovative and the Sony STR DH-550 is no exception. I enjoy listening to hi-rez audio files and purchased this receiver with that in mind. WAV files(44.1kHz /16bit) can be played easily using USB storage devices through the USB port on the front of the receiver. I have a portable hi-rez audio player which plays all levels of files from MP3, WAV and on up to Sony's DSD(Direct Stream Digital) resolution. I can play this device through the receiver by connection via the coaxial input on the back of the receiver. Switching to the coaxial input involves going through menu steps to reassign the input. I have another Sony receiver(STR DH-700) in which switching to coaxial input involves pushing a button. Having to go through the menu to enable the coaxial input as opposed to just pushing a button is about the only drawback. But, it is a one-time operation to reassign the input. I do have the receiver connected to a Blu-ray player and television. The setup is easy. The sound quality is excellent and I would highly recommend this receiver, especially to music lovers who are into higher resolution listening.
Pros: Easy setup. Ease of use involving the USB port to listen to WAV audio files. Ability to connect higher resolution audio player is a major plus.
Cons: Having to maneuver through the menu system to setup the coaxial input is a tiny bother.
6 of 6 found this helpful
Great Bang for the Buck
Jon from California on 10/11/2015
I bought this to replace my out of date Pioneer receiver. I stream 95% of my movies via my Roku3. The HDMI switching allows me to stream movies from my Roku3 through the receiver and into my TV without having to run audio lines from the TV back into the receiver. It makes wiring very simple. So far the sound quality has been great and I haven't noticed any degradation with the video signal. Overall I'm very happy with the purchase and of course the excellent service from Crutchfield. Prompt shipping and they were nice enough to include 4 sheets of labels which made wiring the surround speakers easy.
Pros: Easy to wire. Accepts banana plugs for clean connections. If you have a Bravia TV it will sync with the TV allowing you to use the TV controls to control the receiver.
Cons: I haven't come across any cons.
2 of 2 found this helpful
Excellent product for the price
DonM from Missouri on 10/4/2015
For the price this is an excellent receiver/amplifier. Perhaps my favorite feature of the item is it's passive HDMI connection. Meaning that even when the amp is turned off he dvd player hooked up through it's HDMI inputs can still play movies and simply use the tv speakers.
Pros: Passive HDMI
Cons: None for me.
2 of 3 found this helpful
Sony
John S from Pennsylvania on 9/28/2015
So far i'm very pleased with this product.
Pros: easy to set-up, easy to use
Cons: none yet
0 of 0 found this helpful
good but rather cheap
john from New York on 9/16/2015
you do not get 90 watts per channel... you get 70 watts per channel... sony rates this receiver at 6ohms... very deceptive.... most people have 8 ohms speakers... so beware... you only get 70 watts per channel... moving around the on screen menu is a pain... a no frills receiver... you get what you pay for... not much.... would i buy this again.... nooooooooooooooo.... i gave it to my son... nuff said....
Pros: plays 4 ohm speakers quite easily that is why i gave it a three star rating...
Cons: only 70 watts at 8 ohms... not enough power for my living room stereo... had to buy 110 watt yamaha av...
9 of 14 found this helpful
Great Receiver!
Sue from Pennsylvania on 9/11/2015
Love this Sony Receiver. We had a little difficulty setting it up, but most likely it was us, not the receiver! Would recommend to others.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
solid
Tampa from Florida on 9/6/2015
Overall a solid product. Please keep in mind that this product supports up to 5 speaker surround. I've had HDMI "handshake issues" when connecting XBOX 360 to this receiver and sending signal wirelessly. One has to turn on XBOX360 last in sequence for video to display; this did not occur when hooking up XBOX to Yamaha receiver.
Pros: price
Cons: only supports 5 speakers; HDMI handshake issue not observed with Yamaha receiver
0 of 0 found this helpful
Awesome sound and price
This receiver sounds really nice!
Pros: Good quality of sound, easy to setup
Cons:
0 of 2 found this helpful
Sony receiver 5.2
Kareem R from columbia sc on 6/26/2015
I love this sony receiver this is my first time buying a receiver i had no problems with it the setup was easy and soon as i connected my tv,ps3 cable box, speakers the sounds was great
Pros: Sounds, quality ,service
Cons: Nothing
2 of 3 found this helpful
Home Theatre Update
Bill from Corning, New York on 6/25/2015
I needed to replace my 14 year old home theatre receiver. After talking with Crutchfield's advisors I confirmed that the DH550 would be the best value for my existing and future needs. I used HDMI cable to hook up my cable, Blu-ray, and Apple TV and had no problems starting the receiver up. I had an immediate improvement in picture/sound quality. This is a very reasonable cost unit!
Pros: Very Reasonable cost home theatre receiver. SONY has a long history as a reliable supplier. Easy hookup and fit comfortably in my existing cabinet. Remote control much simpler than older models.
Cons: Finding the User Manual online was not difficult and but SONY did not provide a PDF copy for download.
5 of 5 found this helpful
Excellent Sound
Crutchfield customer from Sturgis, SD on 5/7/2015
Very happy with this product for the price
Pros: Easy to set up
Cons: Goes into stand-by mode too quickly
1 of 4 found this helpful
Great Buy
For the money this is an excellent receiver. I had an Onkyo 5008 ($3,000 receiver) go bad and until the new line of Denon receivers come out I just needed something to hold me over. I have expensive Def Tech speakers, a 9.1 channel setup. I was shocked that this less expensive receiver would produce such good sound. Obviously it's not the same as the Onkyo, but it is surprisingly good. What I learned is that you need to put the bulk of your money into speakers and less into the receiver in order to get the most for your money.
Pros: Excellent sound for the money
Cons: Lacks some power and features, only outputs to a 5.1 speaker system
2 of 2 found this helpful
Great unit for the price.
Tom H from Virginia on 4/20/2015
As always, Sony has another one of the best home theatre systems for the dollar. I am very satisfied with the unit and would recommend it to people on a moderate budget.
Pros: Easy to use remote control. It has a simple to use sound leveling system built in that adjusts the speakers automatically which is a huge time saver. Blends in well with other units I have without a lot of distracting lights and buttons. Crutchfield had it here in a day which was a pleasant surprise!!
Cons: I have not found anything I do not like about it yet.
3 of 5 found this helpful
Great Stereo
JK from California on 3/29/2015
Replacement for my 20 year plus Onkyo Stereo. Connected to my Samsung smart HDTV, Sony Blueray DVD player, Teac CD, book shelf speakers without any issues.
Pros: Great entry level product for todays HDTV and Blueray w/ 4 HDMI inputs and 1 output. Great for customers like me that was looking for easy hook ups w/o all the bells and whistles of the higher end stereos. Fits my needs w/o costing more than necessary.
Cons: Access to initial on screen setup was a bit tricky but understand why they did it this way w/ so many different combinations of audio / video products possibilities. Very helpful when you have older products pre HDMI and need to understand how to hook up.
5 of 5 found this helpful
cheap sony
david from California on 3/28/2015
Ok for the money'will use in the bedroom.Be sure to read what it will play.Does not play super cds But well worth the money
Pros: cheap
Cons: will not play super cds
1 of 7 found this helpful
Sony = Solid
PeteDC from California on 3/22/2015
Great budget receiver with enough power to fill my 12x14 bedroom with clean & loud surround sound. Sony is always solid. Easy set-up with included microphone.
Pros: *Lots of power *Easy set up *Can use two subs *Sounds very good
Cons: *Better sounding receivers out there (cost more though)
0 of 0 found this helpful
Very Satisfied
Very satisfied with the Sony STR-DH550 rcvr! Replaced an Onkyo 750 with a bad HDMI board which eventually fried after 6 yrs. Would not go back to Onkyo. They offered a refurbished unit at half the refurbished price to get about the same power level as the Sony. They may have corrected their board problem but at half the price it was still $100 more than Sony and only a 1 yr. warranty. The Sony matches my tv and b/r player. It performs flawlessly with crisp sound via my Mirage OS3 spkr 5.1 system.
Pros: Excellent Sound control especially the DCS (Digital Cinema Sound) for B/R movies! Plenty of Power. Movies at 55 setting (of 73 max) are very, very loud but clear. No distortion even though the bass does rattle some nearby loose items which are now moved elsewhere.
Cons: On screen menu is sometimes time consuming to get to settings. Only reason I did not give it 5 stars. Downloaded parts of the manual via Crutchfield website. Their site is awesome.
2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony Receiver
Crutchfield customer from Arizona on 3/9/2015
Recently bought to replace an older Sony home theater amp. Relatively simple hookups which actually improve the video signals, especially on my non hi def channels, which is something of an unexpected surprise. Instruction guides should be much more complete/detailed, and like many new amps, does not have a phono connection, so if you need one will have to invest in a separate phono pre amp. Fortunately, I have a separate system for my music.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
STR-HD550
SS from Connecticut on 2/25/2015
Exactly as advertised. Great product for basic home theater system. Remote was very basic, but receiver works perfectly with xfinity remote.
Pros: Ease of set up, Size, Sound quality
Cons: Remote not very useful
2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR DH 550
Don H from North Carolina on 2/22/2015
This receiver suits my needs perfectly. Ability to use the HD pass through is great. Sound quality is good. One major factor in this purchase was the HD inputs and compatibility with Sony products.
Pros: Easy set up. Friendly on screen menu. Sounds great. Looks great. Works well with other Sony equipment. Auto calibration works nicely. Nice price for a good receiver for home use.
Cons: Can not find any in my house. A sound engineer in an acousticly perfect room may need an upgrade. In the average living room it's great. .
3 of 3 found this helpful
Good receiver.
CD from Las Vegas, Nevada on 2/16/2015
Good, basic receiver. Easy to use & set up.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Great addition
Dave from Florida on 2/16/2015
We purchased this receiver as part of an electronics upgrade in our motor home. It had all the features we needed and at a good price point.
Pros: Price, connections, size/power.
Cons: A lot of the features such as radio presets, and setup features can only be accessed by the on screen function on an HDMI connected TV. If you are thinking of using this receiver without an HDMI connected TV this can be an issue.
3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
jsee from the Washington, DC Area on 2/5/2015
This Sony DH550 is very good for the price and I am satisfied with the purchase so far.
Pros: Generally very good for the price, for music and movies.
Cons: But the remote is too basic, and do not know how to use remote for on screen settings. I would prefer a manual with instructions.
4 of 5 found this helpful
5 star Sony
David from Colorado on 2/5/2015
Another very good product from Sony. Easy to set up and works perfectly with my Infinity speakers and sub.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Good basic receiver
Sid from California on 2/4/2015
I received the SonyDH 550 in good time and boxed fairly well. Outside box could have been a little heavier with a bit more tape, but well packaged. The DH 550 was easy to set up and the only caveat is the annoying fact that it does not come with a paper manual. One problem I encountered was the subwoofer was not getting a signal. I called Crutchfield tech assistance after not being able to find a solution on the Sony customer service site. Sony really drops the ball on tech support. A very annoying experience. My call to Crutchfield was almost as frustrating. The gentleman I spoke to could not identify what the problem was, with a little attitude thrown in, and suggested I reset the receiver and start again. I did that and still the problem persisted. It was only after I did more online research that I discovered that the receiver has to be configured manually to the 5.1 setting. That's something basic, but after just getting out of hospital a few days prior, and after a fifteen hour procedure with a lot of drugs, I wasn't as sharp as I would hope for.
Pros: Easy set up without the unnecessary bells and whistle's. Excellent sound and HDMI pass thru. Good value.
Cons: No manual, unimpressive tech support from Sony and Crutchfield. It lost one star for those reasons.
8 of 9 found this helpful
Sony DH550 Receiver
tomhigh from Tennessee on 2/1/2015
Excellent service from Crutchfield and this is a great product.
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1 of 2 found this helpful
Sony Receiver
ap from Chicago on 2/1/2015
This a get what you paid for item. Nothing extraordinary. I use it for my CD player and it works fine.
Pros: Price
Cons: Wish it had more options for 2 speaker sound system.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Worked when the Denon AVRS500BT did not
Mike R from Massachusetts on 1/23/2015
I found that the first receiver I got from Crutchfield, a Denon AVRS500BT, simply would not work with my Comcast X1 box, OR with the replacement box I made them come out and install. In desperation I tried this Sony and it worked perfectly out of the box the first time. Same identical conditions that the Denon would not work under. All-HDMI hook-ups don't always just plain work, but this combo was very happy. So Comcast X-1 customers might want to consider this receiver first, and it's $50 cheaper. No downside. All sounds are crisp and clear and it solved the center channel dialog problem that made us want to do this in the first place. Highly recommended as an excellent value.
Pros: Worked fine with Comcast X1 DVR box on an all HDMI connection, very reasonably priced.
Cons: None for me.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
capnkirk from Washington on 1/20/2015
Exceptional A/V receiver for the money. Sound/power output quality is so much better than I expected from a $200 unit. Simple to use, setup and customize.
Pros: Bang for the buck. Simple menus.
Cons: A little bulky.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Bobbyj from Hillsborough, North Carolina on 1/12/2015
I am simply amazed at the quality of this product for the price. It blows my old 5 .2 system away. The sound & video quality of this unit is amazing & it provides me with all The inputs & outputs that I need. Had no idea how much better sound & video quality this unit had compared to my old one until I set it up. Sales Rep named Troy was great at helping me determine which unit was right for me. I would not hesitate to purchase from Crutchfied in the future. Great prices & customer service with life of the equipment customer support service. So great to order from a company that really cares about their customers. Unit was simple to set up & even though they provide assistance setting it up if needed I did not require any. Many thanks Crutchfield. If a 5 .2 system meets your needs I don't think you could beat this one for the price.
Pros: Great quality unit for the price, very simple & easy to use remote unit. I am completely happy with my purchase.
Cons: None
2 of 2 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Bob from California on 1/10/2015
I got this to replace a 10 year old Sony Home Theater Receiver and to go with my new Sony 4K TV and Media player. Big improvement in quality sound from my old receiver. Very easy to set up with all the HDMI inputs and the HDMI output to the TV. The auto-calibration for the sup pound sound worked very well.
Pros: Very good quality especially for the cost.
Cons: None
2 of 2 found this helpful
Reasonable price; solid product
PTM from Wisconsin on 1/7/2015
I'm pretty much in agreement with all the comments/reviews I looked over on-line, before deciding to purchase. I like the product for the price and would purchase again. Mind you, I'm just starting to enjoy it and don't pretend to be an expert.
Pros: Nice appearance and styling. Good price. Solid.
Cons: Button titles on front are amazingly small and foolish. Product designers need to talk to the market place -- clearly they don't ask for user input. The technical aspects of design are fine, but design the whole package--not just the insides! (This isn't just a Sony issue; nearly every major electronics manufacturer fails in this regard.)
3 of 3 found this helpful
Sony reciever
J traub from Ny ny on 12/30/2014
Great entry level surround sound system at an affordable price. Bought infinity primus bookshelf speakers and sounds great just ordered my central channel speaker yesterday and plan to buy two tower speakers in near future to round out system
Pros: Great sound at an affordable price
Cons: No operating manual have to download it off the net to learn how to program it
2 of 2 found this helpful
Great receiver for the price!
Crutchfield customer from Ok on 12/23/2014
Replaced my previous Sony receiver to be able to have HDMI access with my 5.2 system. great options and easy to configure and use.
Pros: Easy set up, ample power, clean sound at low and high volume, but also is dependent on your speaker system.
Cons:
3 of 3 found this helpful
Great Receiver
JoeV from North Carolina on 12/22/2014
Great receiver without unneeded features. Easy setup and good sound.
Pros: Low price and good audio. Good remote.
Cons: No component connectivity up-conversion for older component peripherals.
1 of 1 found this helpful
budget home theater receiver
Ricky queens, nyc from Maspeth, N.Y on 12/20/2014
I needed an entry level receiver for a pair of book shelf Klipsch speakers that I bought recently. This combo works well together what can I say.
Pros: Great price, well built, looks good and works great.
Cons: One complaint is there is no 5.1 channel in or out. But already knew this. At this price point you can't get everything.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Terrance from delaware on 12/15/2014
Great product and the customer service was awesome. I expect no less from crutchfield. Thanks
Pros: Great have no problems
Cons: None
1 of 2 found this helpful
Not Un-happy - Just Disappointed
AJG from Pennsylvania on 12/14/2014
Bought this as a replacement for an old mid-range Sony receiver from the early 90's that finally bit the dust. Arrived quickly, easily set up, and allows a great deal of flexibility in use. However, I am extremely disappointed in the bass response of this unit. MY fault - didn't research it enough to determine that there are no longer any bass / treble controls on lower end receivers. Just assumed they would be there and I would be able to adjust the sound to my tastes. Only adjustments available are pre-set sound fields and very minor B/T adjustments (+/- 5 db). Using this with a set of Infinity SM 115's that have never had any trouble with low end reproduction. Currently researching weather a powered sub will solve the issue or if I need to bite the bullet and purchase a whole new receiver. Again, a nice unit. Just not what I was expecting.
Pros: easy hook-up and use
Cons: no bass response no bass/treble controls (only pre-selected sound fields)
9 of 12 found this helpful
Sony STR-DH550
Skobro from Murray, KY on 12/8/2014
Excellent Receiver for the price. I have 5 speakers & 2 subwoofers hooked up & it sounds great. Great receiver if you just want a 5-2 system.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Great for the price
Bruce from Texas on 12/2/2014
Great sound and features for the price. Highly recommend.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
paul
boggs from albany ky. on 11/24/2014
receiver works good. not having a operating mauual that you can use while sitting in front of the tv is a pain. i have purchased many sony products this is first one without instruction manual
Pros: works good
Cons: no instruction manual for operator
5 of 5 found this helpful
Great receiver
Kanwar from Cville on 11/17/2014
Overall a great receiver for a moderate sized home theater environment. Easy to use, simple controls. Very nice sound staging, simple set up.
Pros: Sound staging, easy to use, simple setup. Aesthetically pleasing Sony compatibility
Cons: Annoying "boink" sound on startup.
5 of 5 found this helpful