Need a stereo receiver -- anyone have experience with a Sony STRDE185? (1 Viewer)

[Angelo.M]

I agree w/ both John and Scott with respect to buying refurbs, which is, in my mind, buying someone else's problem. But other folks 'round here have had good luck with them, to be completely fair.

Good luck w/ your new stereo receiver.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

John, the Onkyo came packaged in an original box, but it had a label stating "minor cosmetic defects", or something to that affect. However, the remote was just laying in the box, and there were no batteries packaged with it, as the manual stated there should be. It's quite possible that the unit was returned because of the defective IR remote sensor and was never retested when it was "factory reconditioned".

Anyway, this was my first experience with a refurb product. Like you, I will probably avoid such products in the future based on what happened. As Angelo stated, others here have had good luck with refurbs, but this one problem is enough for me.

 

[JerryMa]

Scott,

If its not too late, I will join the minority (of one??) and recommend that you get the Sony. I just retired a Sony stereo receiver which I purchased in 1996 in favor of an NAD T762 because I want to do home theater. I forget the model number but the unit still functions beautifully and for your needs, I don't see a problem with your first choice.

At the risk of being flamed, but with all due respect to everyone on this board, I think those recommending other brands do so out of an aversion to the mass market juggernaut that is Sony as much as out of the opinion that Sony makes inferior product. If you like the Sony sound and feel comfortable with the unit under consideration and its price, go for it.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Thanks, Jerry. I did pick up the Sherwood model yesterday and installed the unit in the bedroom. For $80, it's hard to go wrong. It's sound quality is decent (certainly better than I expected for the price), and the receiver was surprisingly heavy -- much heavier than the Onkyo that I am returning. As long as the unit is reliable, it should be adequate for the bedroom. As I said originally in this thread, any critical movie viewing or music listening is done with our main system.

FWIW, if I did not have an old universal remote available, I probably would have opted for the Sony anyway just for the ease of use, since the other components are also Sony.

 

[WillKTaylor]

Scott

Feel good about your purchase. My mother has a Sherwood stereo receiver which I got her for Christmas 7 years or so ago for about $150. Can't recall the model number. Matched with Klipsch bookshelf speakers, it's non stop, has a ton of channel presets, sounds decent (enough for her purposes), easy to operate including the remote, and she's able to fill a 400' square room with more than adequate sound using about 20% of the receiver's power.

For the money invested, call me a proponent.

Regards

 

[NicholasTS]

I can't believe no one recomended the Sony! It would have been perfect for your application. I have yet to find a receiver that is easier to use than the 185. Also, you say the majority of the other components are Sony... Your family already understands Sony; now they have to learn a new brand. I will admit the sound quality doesn't meet the needs of people who are used to much better, but I was sitting here reading this thread and couldn't help but think that this receiver would have been perfect for you. But hey, you found another deal! Good for you...
The yammie would have been very nice too. It was even a bit much for what you wanted to do. There really is not much that is going to make Optimus speakers sound spectacular anyway...

 

[Stelios]

It is really sad when you read commends such as, "avoid Sony, don’t buy Sony, stay away from Sony...etc". How can you say statements like that, just because you had a bad experience with one product or if you do not have a Sony Receiver? I tell you for every 5 people here complaining about Sony, there are 5000 or more that are happy with theirs but they do not have the time or the means to post here and tell us about it. Any brand has a low and high product depending on your budget. Also any brand can develop faults. You are the one who is going to decide what is best for you and your pocket. I tell you I hear guys here telling me that the quality of a certain Sony brand in no good and when I eventually hear it at the store and compare it to another brand that they so praised, it sounded exactly the same. So don’t pay much attention to people who “advise” you not to purchase a Sony receiver.

Stelios

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Actually, these Optimus speakers were highly regarded for good sound quality at a low price. They are shielded LX-5 Pros with the lineaum (sp?) tweeter. Radio Shack discontinued them some time ago.

For the record, I have owned numerous Sony products (including a DA50ES receiver that I enjoyed for 3 years), so I was not scared away by the comments here. I was looking for opinions and alternatives, and received some great input. Since my wife was familiar with the old Marantz RC2000 MKII universal remote that I recently retired from our main home theater, the ease of use requirement by going all Sony was removed from the equation.

The only thing I really do not like about the Sherwood so far is the cumbersome manner in which radio station presets are set and scanned. Since we rarely listen to the radio, though, it's not a big deal. Heck, I do not think we used the tuner in the old Sony DPL receiver at all.