New Sony ES 8K AV Receiver Line STR-AZ7000ES STR-AZ5000ES STR-AZ3000ES STR-AZ1000ES

[RWetmore]

Looks like someone over on AVS forum is really digging his Sony AZ5000ES and praising it over the Denon 6700H that it replaced. Seems particularly impressed with music.

My experience of over 20 years is that Sony ES receiver amps are the best for music through the 2 channel analog inputs via 'pure direct' or 'analog direct' mode (though of course it is subjective). I've owned most of the major brands. If you're someone who has to have his/her receiver do double duty for music and movies, Sony ES is the way to go IME.

There was a guy over at AVS a few years back that auditioned all of the top models in his set-up for its 2 channel 'pure direct' analog performance, as he had a high demand and needed the AV receiver to do double duty just as an amplifier, and he returned them all and kept the Sony ZA5000ES.

 

[GXAlan]

Looks like someone over on AVS forum is really digging his Sony AZ5000ES and praising it over the Denon 6700H that it replaced. Seems particularly impressed with music.

It would make sense if the reliability was there. The older *ZA*5000 was already similar to the X7200W when Sound and Vision measured it. The Sony SINAD at medium power was better than the X7200W although the Denon flagship had power at peak and lower noise floor at lower powers, but in the middle, the Sony did better. It was above the Anthem MRX710, Denon X3400H and MM7055

But very clearly, there are duds in this first batch of units. Definitely should be cautious when buying these AVRs in the short term until it's figured out if it's just a bad initial batch or what.

 

[joeblo]

No such thing as burn in for software problems.

If it is not saving your calibration settings, the memory chips could be corrupted. I am expecting a recall.

It might be worth running everything through the web interface if you haven’t given up in frustration. Push the IP button on your AVR and then open a web browser to that IP. You can run the full setup routine even from the web browser.

Maybe there was a bug in the final remote interface that isn’t a problem when going through the web interface.

Tried your suggestion and no luck. Sony Tech support actually called me today. He said he reached out to the Sony engineers in Japan today to see if he can get some clarification on the issues. Without doing testing on their own units, they are leaning towards just a bad unit on the line. He told me to return the unit and reorder. He would have done an exchange but they don't have available units for that yet. So I am going to do that. I really do think if this unit is working properly, it's going to be a great receiver. Plus my experience with Sony tech support has always been fantastic. The new unit will be here 3/10.

 

[GXAlan]

Tried your suggestion and no luck. Sony Tech support actually called me today. He said he reached out to the Sony engineers in Japan today to see if he can get some clarification on the issues. Without doing testing on their own units, they are leaning towards just a bad unit on the line. He told me to return the unit and reorder. He would have done an exchange but they don't have available units for that yet. So I am going to do that. I really do think if this unit is working properly, it's going to be a great receiver. Plus my experience with Sony tech support has always been fantastic. The new unit will be here 3/10.

Yeah, it's promising that they gave you a follow-up call! Good luck!

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Did you allow for a break in period. Some Recievers need up to a week. Leave it turned on 24 hrs for a week. Then try setting it up.

You are kidding?

 

[Randomdude]

Looks like someone over on AVS forum is really digging his Sony AZ5000ES and praising it over the Denon 6700H that it replaced. Seems particularly impressed with music.

Please provide links when making references to info.

 

[dlaloum]

The AZ7000ES uses Sony's own digital cinema calibration IX and 360 spatial sound mapping, you input the measurements of your room, the distance your sitting from the screen, and height from the floor to your ears in your seated position then it takes three-dimensional measurements of your room using a 3D mic that you position at different height levels in your room. According to the reviews I watched this works incredibly well, and it's one of the best auto calibrations that's available currently.

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The AZ7000ES will not support 15 channels

It doesn't support HDR10+ but almost no movies use that HDR format.

Interesting - but what ceiling height do you enter for a cathedral ceiling?

 

[xpistofep]

Please provide links when making references to info.

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/sony-is-back-with-its-all-new-es-8k-av-receiver-lineup.3266678/post-62375142

 

[mattsrs]

I ordered another AZ5000ES from Sony. Hopefully this one works fine. Should get it tomorrow I believe.

 

[kalexan9]

I ordered another AZ5000ES from Sony. Hopefully this one works fine. Should get it tomorrow I believe.

Fingers crossed.

 

[RWetmore]

I ordered another AZ5000ES from Sony. Hopefully this one works fine. Should get it tomorrow I believe.

Glad to hear and do give at least a few days, if not a week, or more for the caps to break in.

 

[mattsrs]

Glad to hear and do give at least a few days, if not a week, or more for the caps to break in.

Are we still talking about "break in"?

 

[RWetmore]

Are we still talking about "break in"?

Well yes.

 

[mattsrs]

I ordered another AZ5000ES from Sony. Hopefully this one works fine. Should get it tomorrow I believe.

Interesting that this time they shipped from Texas and not NJ

 

[Randomdude]

I ordered another AZ5000ES from Sony. Hopefully this one works fine. Should get it tomorrow I believe.

Interesting! What prompted this sudden 180 degree switch in mindset that you are giving it another shot?

 

[mattsrs]

Interesting! What prompted this sudden 180 degree switch in mindset that you are giving it another shot?

Its not switching mindset. The first unit (or its mic) was faulty. I want this to work if it is as good as people say in surround sound processing. I game and watch movies the most so this is an important feature for me

 

[ArturoKiwi]

@kalexan9 Is it arrived your unit?

 

[kalexan9]

@kalexan9 Is it arrived your unit?

I ordered the AZ7000ES. I have no idea when it will arrive.

 

[ban25]

Regardless, I see ANY former regular manufacturer who re-enters the market a good thing. Even if it takes them a cycle or 2 to get up to speed we all should welcome it. Over the years we've lost Harman/Lexicon, Sherwood, Pioneer (exists in name only now), we almost lost Onkyo, and we thought Sony was lost. Who wants a state of little competition and just a handful of player? We already are seeing the result of lower quality production and prices that are almost double. The only way to combat this is healthy competition and returning to the days of having more of a choice. Onkyo shook up the industry 2 years ago with, not just a revival, but being the first main stream maker to include Dirac at an affordable price, and pressured D+M to step their game up. I say welcome the return to true competition even if it means having to be a little patient.

100% agreed and very happy to see another entrant in this market. I hope they stick with it.

 

[Randomdude]

Its not switching mindset. The first unit (or its mic) was faulty. I want this to work if it is as good as people say in surround sound processing. I game and watch movies the most so this is an important feature for me

Forgive me but you wrote:

Overall, not impressed at all and going to pack today and return it. As someone mentioned above, it looks like they moved a lot of soundbar tech to this and they have not invested in proper room correction. The errors it gave throughout the setup and the noise error at the end added to the mediocre experience. Like I said even in Pure Direct mode (which should not be impacted by any warnings in room correction), it didn't sound as good as my Denon to me. Overall build quality (despite the heft), doesn't seem very solid on the exterior. Its all plastic. So yea thats my experience with this unit and hope Sony's return process is not painful.

Not going to bother troubleshooting with Sony to be honest. Just filed for return. I don't think its worth the hassle as I now think my 4800h is superior.

I checked results of the setup process (even with the noise warning) and the distances (of the speakers) and db adjustments were correct. I couldn't find a way to see eq changes as result of room correction.

Ultimately, user experience is an important factor of owning a piece of tech. If I have to find workarounds (that are not explained anywhere in the manual and I am not a noob in this hobby) for all the issues I encounter in the first hour with the receiver and still get subpar audio (even in Pure Direct mode as I noted), then this thing is going back to Sony.

Would love to do it but it’s already packed for return and my rack is under stairs in my basement so not easy to set it up again. I had a Call of Duty tournament last night and was excited to play it with the Sony avr but after that experience, had to switch back to my Denon. Hopefully someone else or a reviewer does an objective measurement of the room correction part

That was just a few of the quotes. If you now ordering another Sony is not a bipolar change of previous mindset then clearly I have some reading comprehension issues.