TechRadar Verdict
With great looks and good all-round performance from a big-name brand, the DAV-SR1 is a sure-fire winner
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The DAV-SR1 is a chip off the old block, building on the success of Sony's much-lauded DAV-SC5 (now sadly discontinued). It upholds the brand's reputation for sophisticated styling, with a slender main unit of brushed aluminium and silver and some of the slimmest satellite speakers we've seen.
When it comes to surround sound, the DAV-SR1 boasts some great features. It's Sony's first one-box system to handle 6.1 Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES soundtracks, for even more realistic surround sound with an additional rear speaker (purchased separately). Moreover, it can play back high-resolution SACD discs. The audio performance is practically flawless, with the smart-looking subwoofer particularly impressive with bass.
Picture-wise the Sony isn't quite so well provided for, in that it doesn't have a component video output - a slightly surprisingly admission at the price. But this matters little when you come to check out pictures via its RGB Scart output, as they're very respectable.
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