Sony STR-DH790 (USA, Canadian and Taiwanese versions)

•   Overview
•   Pros and Cons
•   Predecessor
•   Audio Section
•   Video Section
•   Multi-zone Playback
•   Inputs and Outputs
•   Specifications

Sony STR-DH790 was introduced in 2018. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier with 90 W (6 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 7.1 maximum channel processing. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, passes 4K/60Hz video signal.

We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 70 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.

In this section we present pros and cons of Sony STR-DH790.

Here we are comparing Sony STR-DH790 to its predecessor STR-DH770 and displaying the major changes.

UPGRADES	Sony STR-DH790	vs	Sony STR-DH770
Dolby Atmos	up to 5.1.2 or 7.1	vs
Dolby Surround Upmixer		vs
DTS:X	up to 5.1.2 or 7.1	vs
DTS Neural:X		vs
More Advanced Auto Speaker Calibration System	Advanced D.C.A.C.	vs	D.C.A.C.
Automatic Phase Matching		vs
Automatic Phase Matching		vs
Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)		vs
Dolby Vision		vs
HLG		vs
USB DC Out Port		vs

DOWNGRADES	Sony STR-DH790	vs	Sony STR-DH770
Dolby Pro Logic		vs	PLIIx
Dolby Digital EX		vs
DTS Neo		vs	Neo:6
USB Input	1 Rear for Firmware Update and power Supply	vs	1 (Front)
Less Composite Video Inputs		vs	2
Less Composite Video Outputs		vs	1
Front A/V Inputs		vs	USB
Analog Tuner	FM	vs	FM with RDS
More Large Speaker Terminals	2	vs	7

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Sony STR-DH790 vs Sony STR-DH770.

7 channel Amplifier

Sony STR-DH790 features 7 channel power amplifier. It is rated at 90 W (6 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven).

Speaker Configurations

Sony STR-DH790's 7 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

• Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
• DTS:X Configurations: The speaker configurations for DTS:X are the same as for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
• Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
• 2-ch Bi-Amp: Sony STR-DH790 allows you to bi-amp up to 2 main channels simultaneously. During bi-amplification two amplifiers are used for one speaker. One amplifier powers the midrange and tweeter section of the speaker and another amplifier powers the low frequency woofers. Each amplifier is less loaded and performs better. In order to use this feature speakers must have 2 pairs of connectors.

Dolby Atmos

Sony STR-DH790 supports Dolby Atmos. It is a cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound can exist as an independent audio object, free of channel restrictions. They can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in your room, including overhead, to flow above and around you in three-dimensional space. Through the use of audio objects, overhead sound, and all the richness, clarity, and power of Dolby sound, Dolby Atmos turns your room into an amazing place for entertainment. The format supports up to 128 simultaneous independent audio objects in a mix for rich, realistic, and breathtaking sound. It recreates the director's original concept through descriptive metadata to provide customized playback for home theater and delivers sounds above you through overhead speakers, special upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.

• Dolby Surround Upmixer: If the content is not mixed in Dolby Atmos then the Dolby surround upmixer will expand the audio to all channels including ceiling speakers. The upmixer has replaced the Dolby Pro Logic II family with improved upmixing algorithms.

DTS:X

Sony STR-DH790 supports DTS:X. A technique used in DTS:X is similar to the one used in Dolby Atmos. Instead of a fixed number of channels, DTS:X defines object locations from the listener in polar coordinates. An a/v receiver then dynamically renders sound according to the current speaker configuration. The speaker layout employed by DTS:X is the sum of Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D. It has standard 7.1 channel base layer, a 5 channel height layer above the base layer on the front and side walls, and 3 rows of speakers on the ceiling.

• DTS Neural:X: DTS Neural:X is an advanced upmixer that can take non DTS:X content and upmix it to the DTS:X speaker layout. It has replaced the DTS Neo family with improved flexibility.

Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)

Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature allows the compatible TV to send audio signal to the a/v receiver through the same HDMI cable which is used to send audio and video signals to the TV. So one HDMI cable is used to transfer audio signal in both directions. New Enhanced ARC will support uncompressed audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio whereas the previous ARC could support only Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS HD, and PCM.

Sound Processing

Room Calibration

Sony STR-DH790 comes with Advanced D.C.A.C. room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.

HDMI

Sony STR-DH790 features 4 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.

• 4K/60Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K/60p (YCbCr4:4:4) video signal.
• BT.2020 Color Space: BT.2020 or Rec. 2020 is a color standard which delivers a wider color gamut compared to Rec. 709. It covers approximately 75% of the total visual spectrum while the Rec. 709 covers only 35%.
• HDCP 2.2 Copy Protection: All inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.2 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
• 3D Ready: Sony STR-DH790 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Sony STR-DH790 supports HDR (high dynamic range) video formats such as HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma. High dynamic range video has greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video with brighter whites and deeper blacks. The result is greater contrast and more details in dark and bright areas, better color and depth.

• HDR10: HDR10 uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors. It is technically limited to a maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness, however common HDR10 contents are mastered with peak brightness from 1,000 to 4,000 nits.
• Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is a set of technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories for high dynamic range (HDR) video. It covers content creation, distribution, and playback. Like HDR10+, it includes dynamic metadata that are used to adjust and optimize each frame of the HDR video to the consumer display's capabilities in a way specified by the content creator. Dolby Vision allows for a maximum resolution of 8K up to 12-bit color depth, maximum peak brightness of 10,000 nits and a color gamut up to Rec. 2020. It uses Dolby's proprietary dynamic metadata defined in SMPTE ST 2094-10.
• Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG): The Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) is a transfer function developed mainly for HDR live video feed and over-the-air broadcasts. It is an HDR format that uses BT.2020 color primaries and a bitdepth of 10-bit. It is backward compatible with the transfer function of SDR and is designed to be better-suited for television broadcasting, where the metadata required for other HDR formats is not backward compatible with non-HDR displays. HLG defines a non-linear optical-electro transfer function, in which the lower half of the signal values use a gamma curve and the upper half of the signal values use a logarithmic curve.

Audio

• Analog Line Inputs: There are 4 line inputs for analog audio connection.
• Digital Inputs and Outputs: 0 optical input, 1 optical output and 1 coaxial input are available for digital audio connection.
• Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel.

Video

• HDMI:
Inputs: 4   Outputs: 1
8K Inputs: 0

Here we list all the available features and specifications of Sony STR-DH790.

BASICS
Brand	Sony
Model	STR-DH790
Type	A/V Receiver
Country	USA, Canada and Taiwan
Release Year	2018

AMPLIFIER
Channels	7.2
Front Wide Channel Support
THX™ Certification
Continuous 6 Ω Rated
Certified 4 Ω Performance
Bi-amp Capability

AUDIO
Maximum Channel Processing	7.1
Air Studios Monitor Certification
Dolby Atmos	up to 5.1.2 or 7.1
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
Dolby Atmos Music
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Surround Upmixer
Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Digital EX
Surround EX
DTS:X	up to 5.1.2 or 7.1
DTS Neural:X
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neo
DTS-HD Master Audio
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
DTS 96/24
DTS Express
DTS-ES	Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1
IMAX Enhanced
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
PCM	2-ch/Multi-ch Input
DSD via HDMI	2-ch/Multi-ch Input
DSD to PCM Converter
USB DAC
DTS Dialog Control
Dialogue Lift
Digital Legato Linear
In-Ceiling Speaker Mode
OP Processing
Sound Optimizer
Tone Control	All Channels
High-resolution Music Enhancer
Audyssey Dynamic EQ
Audyssey Dynamic Volume
Audyssey LFC
Audyssey Sub EQ HT
Audyssey DSX
Direct Mode
Pure Direct Mode

CALIBRATION
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.	Advanced D.C.A.C.
Calibration Microphone	Mono
Speaker Relocation
Automatic Phase Matching

VIDEO
Enhanced ARC
HDCP Version	2.2
HDR10
HDR10+
Dynamic HDR
Dolby Vision
HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
BT.2020 color space
QMS (Quick Media Switching)
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
QFT (Quick Frame transport)
3-D Ready
Video Signal Passthrough	up to 4K/60p (YCbCr4:4:4)
Video Signal Upscaling
Analog To HDMI Upconversion
isf Certified Calibration Control

CONNECTIVITY
MHL Input
DLNA 1.5
FireConnect
FlareConnect
Music Connect
Remote Monitoring with ihiji
Chromecast Built-In
DTS Play-Fi
Works with Amazon Alexa
Works with SONOS
AirPlay
Apple Product Connection
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue
Ethernet
Ethernet Switch
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth	SBC, AAC
HDBaseT Compatible
HDMI Inputs	4
HDMI Outputs	1
8K Inputs
USB Input	1 Rear for Firmware Update and power Supply
USB DC Out Port
RCA Line Input	4
RCA Line Output
XLR Line Inputs
Phono Input
Optical Inputs	1
Optical Outputs
Coaxial Inputs	1
Composite Video Input
Composite Video Output
S-Video Input
S-Video Output
Component Video Input
Component Video Output
PC In
Multi-Channel Input
RCA Pre-Outs	0.2
XLR Pre-outs
Front A/V Inputs
Speaker A/B
Headphone Out	6.3 mm (1/4")

ZONES
Zones	1
RS-232C Interface
+12V Trigger Output
Remote (IR) Input/Output	0 / 0

MISC
On-Screen Display	Graphical User Interface (Only through HDMI)
Detachable Power Cord

RADIO
Analog Tuner	FM
Presets	30
Digital Radio
Pandora
Spotify
Tidal
Deezer
Napster
SiriusXM Internet Radio

CONSTRUCTION
Speaker Terminals	7
Large Speaker Terminals	2
Color-Coded Speaker Terminals
Gold plated RCA terminals

POWER
Power Supply	AC 120 V, 60 Hz
Power Consumption	240 W
Standby Power	0.3 W

GENERAL
Dimensions (W x H x D)	430 mm x 133 mm x 297 mm 17" x 5-1/4" x 11-3/4"
Weight	7.4 kg (16 lbs. 6 oz.)
Warranty	2 Years

SPECS
Power Output (6 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2	90 W (0.09% THD)
Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 2	105 W (0.9% THD)
Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, FTC)	145 W (0.9% THD)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line)	500 mV/50 kΩ
Rated Preout Level and Impedance	2 V/1 kΩ (Subwoofer)
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	105 dB (500 mV)
S/N Ratio (digital)	100 dB (20 kHz LPF)
Frequency Response (Analog In)	10 Hz - 100 kHz/+0.5 dB, -2 dB
DSD Sampling Rates via HDMI	2.8 MHz
Bluetooth Version	4․2
Bluetooth Frequency	2.4 GHz
USB Terminal	Type A, Ver. 2.0, 5 V, 1 A
FM Frequency	87.5 MHz - 108.0 MHz

* - 480i/576i and 480p/576p only
** - 480i/576i only
*** - no 1080p/24 upconversion
**** - 1080p signal is not converted