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

[mattsrs]

Why do YouTubers Andrew Anderson come across as an Info Mercial ? It's like he's reading a teleprompter???

lmao well put. I don’t trust anything he says

 

[snowinokinawa]

There are two levels of hiss. With 360SSM off, there's still hiss but it is not audible unless you put your ear next to the speaker and I can live with that. The one that bothers me is with 360SSM on and its too loud even at my sitting position. I suspect having external amp will help with the baseline amp hiss which is not significant IMO

Matt, would you like to borrow my Rotel 1075 (5-channel amp) to see if it eliminates the hissing issue? Not sure where in Melbs you’re located but I’m sure we could work it out...

 

[snowinokinawa]

Just realised I’m a dumb dumb... Australia doesn’t even have access to the ES receivers yet, meaning you have the AN1000, ie no pre-outs. My bad.

 

[techsamurai]

lmao well put. I don’t trust anything he says

He's actually a pretty good reviewer. The problem is that speakers are absolutely fabulous showing very high diminishing returns and making it very hard to knock any down. There are very few absolutely horrible speakers nowadays.

His results are usually confirmed by other folks including Audioholics. His review of my speaker from 15 years ago could not have been more accurate.

The issue we're having in AVRs is a strange one because all these companies have decades upon decades of experience building these AVRs and yet they can't pass simple tests like they used to.

 

[mattsrs]

He's actually a pretty good reviewer. The problem is that speakers are absolutely fabulous showing very high diminishing returns and making it very hard to knock any down. There are very few absolutely horrible speakers nowadays.

His results are usually confirmed by other folks including Audioholics. His review of my speaker from 15 years ago could not have been more accurate.

The issue we're having in AVRs is a strange one because all these companies have decades upon decades of experience building these AVRs and yet they can't pass simple tests like they used to.

What is a point of a critical review if you just say good things? Also as I said earlier he goes softer on some brands to maintain the relationship and keep getting their products. The RZ50 review for example was IMHO overhyped so is the Sony review. At this point, I give him credit for the showman-ship ( nicely edited, well lit videos) and good easy to follow scripts but there’s nothing technical and objective in most of his videos

 

[Descartes]

Looking forward to a review the 360 Surround Sound vs ATMOS will be interesting!

 

[stupidvillager]

What is a point of a critical review if you just say good things? Also as I said earlier he goes softer on some brands to maintain the relationship and keep getting their products. The RZ50 review for example was IMHO overhyped so is the Sony review. At this point, I give him credit for the showman-ship ( nicely edited, well lit videos) and good easy to follow scripts but there’s nothing technical and objective in most of his videos

They way I see it is that in 2023, all AVRs should be pretty dang good. And unless you go really really budget, you're not going to find one that has a lot of bad things to say about it.

 

[kalexan9]

They way I see it is that in 2023, all AVRs should be pretty dang good. And unless you go really really budget, you're not going to find one that has a lot of bad things to say about it.

Excellent point. Personally, I feel that around the $1500 - $2500 one can easily start hitting the point of diminished returns when it comes to a processor (not including amp power). Anything beyond that is personal preference with house sound. I tend to lean towards a lively and energetic "movie theater" type sound so my preference goes in a sliding order from most desired on down: Onkyo, Pioneer Elite, Yamaha, Denon. I love the Onkyo sound, but I'm expecting the Sony ES to best it.

 

[Descartes]

Excellent point. Personally, I feel that around the $1500 - $2500 one can easily start hitting the point of diminished returns when it comes to a processor (not including amp power). Anything beyond that is personal preference with house sound. I tend to lean towards a lively and energetic "movie theater" type sound so my preference goes in a sliding order from most desired on down: Onkyo, Pioneer Elite, Yamaha, Denon. I love the Onkyo sound, but I'm expecting the Sony ES to best it.

Yes “when the tide is rising all boats rises” Subjective reviews are not very useful when they are not founded in scientific data!

 

[kalexan9]

He's actually a pretty good reviewer. The problem is that speakers are absolutely fabulous showing very high diminishing returns and making it very hard to knock any down. There are very few absolutely horrible speakers nowadays.

His results are usually confirmed by other folks including Audioholics. His review of my speaker from 15 years ago could not have been more accurate.

The issue we're having in AVRs is a strange one because all these companies have decades upon decades of experience building these AVRs and yet they can't pass simple tests like they used to.

I think he's a good reviewer as well. I feel that a reviewer should be judged by how his experience lines up with the listener's experience. For example, when I heard him describe the sound of the Denon X3700 (even though I owned the X6700), I said to myself, "omg, that's exactly what I heard/hear with Denon products", and when he reviewed the Onkyo RZ50, I said to myself: "yep, spot on with my experience with the RZ50". Same with the Yamaha sound - I found myself having the same listening experience that he did when I had my Yamaha 3070 receiver. Not only that, but the way he compares the sound of the units he reviews with competing products is very thorough and well done. And the stroke of genius at the end is hearing his wife/gf? offer her analysis at the end to give another (sometimes differing) opinion of the product under review. Top notch presentation from beginning to end.

 

[kalexan9]

What is a point of a critical review if you just say good things? Also as I said earlier he goes softer on some brands to maintain the relationship and keep getting their products. The RZ50 review for example was IMHO overhyped so is the Sony review. At this point, I give him credit for the showman-ship ( nicely edited, well lit videos) and good easy to follow scripts but there’s nothing technical and objective in most of his videos

C'mon, the RZ50 was overhyped? That is arguably one of the best, if the best receiver of 2022! Just me being curious, but what receivers do you have, or have had experience that you liked?

 

[valerianf]

I was tempted with the STR-AZ5000ES but reading the first user feedback and the user manual I hit the stop button.
Here are the first stop marks:
Residual hiss sound.
No possibility to correct the EQ frequencies after room correction.
No audio surround with wide center (equivalent to Dolby Pro Logic music with center spread).
No HDR10+ compatibility.
No Bluetooth APTX for headset.

Now I am looking toward the new Integra 8.4 that will fill all these gaps.
But the MSRP is inflated.

 

[dlaloum]

I was tempted with the STR-AZ5000ES but reading the first user feedback and the user manual I hit the stop button.
Here are the first stop marks:
Residual hiss sound.
No possibility to correct the EQ frequencies after room correction.
No audio surround with wide center (equivalent to Dolby Pro Logic music with center spread).
No HDR10+ compatibility.
No Bluetooth APTX for headset.

Now I am looking toward the new Integra 8.4 that will fill all these gaps.
But the MSRP is inflated.

On preorders there are usually excellent bargains.

I purchased my 3.4 for au$1700 that way, it currently sells for au$2300.

I am hopeful...

 

[techsamurai]

Yes “when the tide is rising all boats rises” Subjective reviews are not very useful when they are not founded in scientific data!

I think they go hand in hand. No one buys a speaker because of its lovely charts.

I just found out the other day about the Fletcher Munson Equal Loudness Contours. Crazy Stuff.

No wonder we set our subs 10db hotter. It really makes you wonder if a flat response is actually what our ears consider the best response. Just because it's flat, we assume that it's better.

One thing the science proves without any doubt is what the equipment is measuring, any conclusion that it's better is itself subjective since we don't know how our ears and brain process sound, isn't it? So the science is objective with regard to its measurements and its conclusions of those measurements but how much they apply to human hearing is itself subjective.

 

[kalexan9]

I think they go hand in hand. No one buys a speaker because of its lovely charts.

I just found out the other about the Fletcher Munson Equal Loudness Contours. Crazy Stuff.

No wonder we set our subs 10db hotter. It really makes you wonder if a flat response is actually what our ears consider the best response. Just because it's flat, we assume that it's better.

One thing the science proves without any doubt is what the equipment is measuring, any conclusion that it's better is itself subjective since we don't know how the ear and brains process sound, isn't it? So the science is objective with regard to its measurements and its conclusions of those measurements but how much they apply to human hearing is itself subjective.

I couldn't agree more. Standing ovation from me.

 

[The Guy who cares]

I was tempted with the STR-AZ5000ES but reading the first user feedback and the user manual I hit the stop button.
Here are the first stop marks:
Residual hiss sound.
No possibility to correct the EQ frequencies after room correction.
No audio surround with wide center (equivalent to Dolby Pro Logic music with center spread).
No HDR10+ compatibility.
No Bluetooth APTX for headset.

Now I am looking toward the new Integra 8.4 that will fill all these gaps.
But the MSRP is inflated.

There is a possibility to adjust EQ frequencies, each channel has setprate independent Bass and Treble Controles. Bass +-10db at 100 hz and Treble at +-10db at 10khz.
And I have over 300 blurays and not one of them are in HDR10+. Funny thing is none of them have IMAX Enhanced Either and only one is in DTS-X.

 

[Hellboy.]

View attachment 270718

What is the different in (AZ5000ES) Rated Power output in Stereo Mode 120W+120W and Reference Power Output 130W+130W.
Thanks.

 

[techsamurai]

What is the different in (AZ5000ES) Rated Power output in Stereo Mode 120W+120W and Reference Power Output 130W+130W.
Thanks.

Yeah, I noticed that the 5000ES has two different 2 channel ratings. It really doesn't matter as 10 watts makes very little difference. We have to wait until it's benched but most units exceed their specs by 10-20 watts in 2 channel. I expect this to be in ~140 and possibly higher, if the past is an indication of future performance.

 

[Krusty09]

I've read some of this thread and find it a little funny that people are complaining about the avr thing let alone anything sony as I work with them in professional broadcast world and they have the same or worse rap . I believe Amir said once or in his bio or something he worked with them so maybe he knows the answer.

Can anyone guess what sony stands for?

Cheers.

 

[The Guy who cares]

I've read some of this thread and find it a little funny that people are complaining about the avr thing let alone anything sony as I work with them in professional broadcast world and they have the same or worse rap . I believe Amir said once or in his bio or something he worked with them so maybe he knows the answer.

Can anyone guess what sony stands for?

Cheers.