Sony STR-AZ7000ES AVR Review

[aagstn]

Have to agree that AVRs are not as bad as people are saying. There are some ones that perform poorly for the price like this Sony and the recent Emotiva, but for a surround experience they get the job done in general. I listen to most of my music on my stereo setup, but do use my old Onkyo 5.1 in the living room to listen to the surround tracks on SACDs and Blu-ray audio and it does a fine job. I still prefer those tracks in stereo on a proper stereo amp overall, but the AVR at least gives me the option to experience surround tracks and stuff like quadraphonic from Rhino. I do not have anything modern enough to experience Atmos tracks, but simple 5.1 and 4.0 surround is nice from time to time.

 

[Billy Budapest]

It just IS THIS BAD across the board more or less.

The amplifier performance is good.

 

[Power Pop 23]

I am disappointed that recent introductions to the AVR/AVP market like the JBL MA7100HP, Emotiva RMC-1+ and this Sony AVR have not measured better.

Hopefully the next AVR/AVP measured by Amir can be considered performant for the class.

 

[Mustang]

FYI nobody should pay $4K for one of these. You can get them much cheaper. I got a used AZ3000ES and a AZ5000ES pretty cheap. I'm currently using the AZ3000ES in one of my setups and it sounds really good. It's a 5.2.4 setup. I will say I think they have had some challenges in their calibration that can cause some issues. But in this case I recalibrated and there are no issues that I notice now and it is performing well. I have had another sony ZA3100ES and a Marantz 6013 and this performs better than those although they are both capable.

I'd be curious if I could get a 7000ES for cheap used however, from what I can tell there is very little difference between the 5000 and 7000 other than 2 channels that I don't need. Also the power supply is only slightly larger. So not sure it would be worth the upgrade. Perhaps better to save that $$ to get a Denon A1H or A10H for another one of my setups.

I'd say these are worth picking up if you like SONY ES as I do. But, I wouldn't pay anywhere near retail for them.

 

[ban25]

I sometimes feel compelled to responsibly turn off my 11 amps and not pollute the environment as my TV can actually do a solid job reproducing lots of soundtracks.

Just get solar. I have the opposite problem, I often feel the urge to turn more things on so the power doesn't go to waste!

 

[Oddball]

Just get solar. I have the opposite problem, I often feel the urge to turn more things on so the power doesn't go to waste!

If I only could. Flat involved and not even a infrastructure in garage to charge EV - but working on it.

 

[sealman]

It has a removable panel. On the previous generation flagship that I own, the za5000es, the removable panel and the volume control knob are aluminum. On the az7000es, they are both plastic.
View attachment 478380

Actually looks nice with the panel.

 

[solderdude]

@amirm
Specs only speak of power in 8ohm (which is easily reached).
Seeing the power measurements were done with 4ohm and peak power would probably be higher still (regular transformer PS) the amp most likely would have gone in protection on the pulsed power. This could explain the 3.5W peak power.
Perhaps it could have been measured with an 8ohm load ?

This is interesting as well: (4-8 ohm select see manual)

 

[Billy Budapest]

>4000 $ for this is hardly "sane" money either...

Almost all Sony components—including the ES series—regularly go on sale. Plus, being from a high-volume manufacturer, open box and B-stock units are usually not hard to come by. Most people are not paying full price for these.

About 8 years ago, the za5000es list price was $2700 and I paid under $2k for it.

 

[kyuu]

This is interesting as well:View attachment 478677

What is interesting? Are you referring to the impedance selection? On AVRs, selecting anything other than 8ohm just gets you power limiting.

Setting the A/V Receiver Impedance Selector Switch

This article explores the purpose and function of the impedance switch found on some A/V receivers. Tradeoffs of following manufacturers recommended settings are also discussed. YouTube video inside.

www.audioholics.com

 

[Billy Budapest]

This is interesting as well: (4-8 ohm select see manual)

View attachment 478677

You can select it in the GUI.

 

[solderdude]

What is interesting? Are you referring to the impedance selection? On AVRs, selecting anything other than 8ohm just gets you power limiting.

Setting the A/V Receiver Impedance Selector Switch

This article explores the purpose and function of the impedance switch found on some A/V receivers. Tradeoffs of following manufacturers recommended settings are also discussed. YouTube video inside.

www.audioholics.com

yes, probably limiting the 4ohm output level to around 150W as well.
It seems to have been set to 8ohm while loading it with 4ohm doubling the expected output current hence the high power level measured.
Perhaps for 4ohm loads it should have been set to 4ohm and then peak power measurements could possibly have measured 'normally'.

 

[beagleman]

What is interesting? Are you referring to the impedance selection? On AVRs, selecting anything other than 8ohm just gets you power limiting.

Setting the A/V Receiver Impedance Selector Switch

This article explores the purpose and function of the impedance switch found on some A/V receivers. Tradeoffs of following manufacturers recommended settings are also discussed. YouTube video inside.

www.audioholics.com

Even though I get how they say the settings work and all, and yeah it limits current basically on the 4 ohm setting, I wonder if this is more a limitation when being measured (With steady state sine waves) as apposed to actual music with constantly varying dynamics?

I have seen some AVRs do horrible when measured with 4 ohm loads in either the 4 or 8 ohm setting, but in practice, using speakers, both of my AVRs (Yamahas) can drive 4 ohm loads fairly well and to some decent volume levels, without any signs of clipping, limiting, or distortion.

Again, one of those odd things we all see with AVRs, when measured as opposed to them playing musical content.

 

[EWL5]

My 3800 is thrilled to have such elite company! LOL!

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Maybe the manufacturers are simply convinced that the typical AVR buyer is not actually the »HiFi-est« person one could think of. So they feel no need at all to develop better AVRs.

Typical AVR buyer doesn’t spend this much.

 

[amirm]

@amirm, was the AZ7000 running pure direct?

 

[mhardy6647]

This seems like a lot of badness for four thousand bucks.

 

[Redman43]

Your comment seems mostly for dramatic effect.

You do not "Understand home theater"?
Do you never watch TV or movies at home??

"This BAD", I question this comment as I highly doubt Without reading the results first you could even tell a difference in real listening.

Sadly I think your entire comment is indicative of the disconnect from measurements to "reality" I see at times in this forum.
Myself and several others DO OWN AVRs and do not have any audible issues using them, and most of us also have very high quality 2 channel stuff, so we are not living in an AVR world Vacuum.

I do watch movies and series at home and love them. What I don't love, need or have any use for is 10 speakers around my home with wires and subwoofers just to hear a something sound "from behind my back."
It's a gimmick made to separate people like you from your money

 

[kyuu]

I do watch movies and series at home and love them. What I don't love, need or have any use for is 10 speakers around my home with wires and subwoofers just to hear a something sound "from behind my back."
It's a gimmick made to separate people like you from your money

Stereo is a gimmick to separate people from their money. You get sound just fine out of one speaker, right?

 

[respice finem]

In a way, you're both right LOL.
But it's a hobby, not a flight to Mars or such, so to each their own.