Fine unit for the price
Pros:
Auto-configure is simple. Multiple sound fields are nice. Hookup was trivially easy.
Cons:
Primitive equalization. Autoconfigure ignores subwoofer. Remote does not support Dish network.
The Bottom Line:
It works well, it sounds good, and it's fairly inexpensive. If you're budget is between $200 and $300, buy it.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I bought the DG600 about a month ago, replacing an older Kenwood A/V receiver.
Setup was easy. Connect the speakers to their respective spots (banana plugs are much easier than bare wires), connect video and audio sources, and it all pretty much works, including automatic determination of analog or digital sound sources for DVDs, etc. Then, using a supplied microphone, you press the "auto calibrate" button on the remote -- and then leave the room for a few loud, hiss-filled minutes. Caution: do not attempt this while your spouse is in the same room reading the newspaper. It's not worth it.
There are inputs for most sound sources, and outputs for most recording devices, in both analog and digital (the latter in both coaxial and optical) formats. Conspicuously absent is a phonograph input, so vinyl lovers are out of luck.
On to sound quality. I have found it to be quite clean, driving a mid-priced Polk 5.1 speaker system well enough to fill my living room to uncomfortable levels with the volume setting on 50 (out of 74). At that level, movies rumble when needed without being boomy at the wrong times.
One negative on the sound: other than bass and treble, there is no user-adjustable equalization. This is compensated for, somewhat, by a plethora of sound fields with different delay and equalization settings which simulate a half-dozen listening environments such as clubs, concert halls, and three different movie theaters.
All features are available through the remote, which has a decent layout, although I found it less than satisfactory in the dark during movies. One major flaw in the universal remote (for my needs, at least) is that it has no control codes for Dish Network tuners or DVRs, despite having codes for virtually every other component on Earth.
For non-High-Definition television the video switching works fine. One slight downer is the inability to watch TV silently while listening to another audio source, e.g., FM radio while the TV is on the Weather Channel. On the upside, the receiver automatically determines whether you are using analog or digital sound sources, and automatically upconverts standard NTSC video signals into S-Video.
One nice convenience in the remote implementation is that if the unit is off, pressing a sound-or-video source button automatically turns it on.
If you've read reviews elsewhere, you will get the impression that the manual is mediocre. That's partially true -- in some places it simply documents what you find on the unit's display without explanation. Example: we are told how to get to the video delay compensation, a very nice feature; but we are not told how the numbers actually relate to the delay. In general, though, the manual gives you the information needed to use the unit.
Although I have pointed out some negatives (being duty-bound to do to) I am very happy with the STR-DG600, and would both repeat the purchase and recommend it to friends.
