@@wa2368 It has to be Class AB because of the weight. Even the 3000 weighs over 40lbs but is priced at $1,699. Class D can easily be 20-30 lbs for this kind of wattage (1 kilowatt). Usually 40lbs is for high-end models, although the Marantz broke the rule and delivered the most power-per-pound (in weight, not money) in the industry with their 8000 series.
Amazing. You should suggest that Sony allow the HT-A9 to work as the rear four speakers in a future update. I had the STR-ZA5000ES which is very reliable. It replaced a Sherwood Trinnov AVR and is still going strong in my parents’ 7.1.2 system. A Yamaha CX-A5100 replaced the Sony because I wanted Center Lift. As much as people nitpick about room correction/EQ or SINAD, the sound field is the most important thing. Only three systems can tell the difference between an LCR standing shoulder to shoulder, an LCR at 9/12/3 o’clock covering 180 degrees, and an LCR in proper position: Trinnov, Sony, and Yamaha. Anyone who can afford Trinnov probably has speakers in the correct position but that leaves Sony and Yamaha as the ideal choice for multi-use rooms where the rear speakers aren’t in the ideal positions.
2000-2010 I had a Sony receiver. STR DA 50ES. Decent power, no problems to drive 4Ω speakers. Great, truly cinematic sound (it had everything: nuances, impetuous dynamics and spaciousness). Also good with 2.0 music. Poor EQ capabilities - that's the only downside. Built like a tank. Underrated: sonically it was on par with the best. Over the years, the lack of HDMI has become a pain in the ass and had to say goodbye. But after that I missed it for a very long time.
I've had the Sony ES 7000 for about 3 weeks now. I love this receiver so much. It was a game changer. The sound is so much better than I could ever hoped for.
@@usmankhalid990 It is a great receiver and I love it. Truly incredible actually. Checks every box for me. The sound is unbelievably clean. However my massive floor standing towers are very thirsty for power, so for me I think the 7000 is in my future plans. 😳🤣 I’ll give you a great deal on my 5000.
@@usmankhalid990 It is a great receiver and I love it. Truly incredible actually. Checks every box for me. The sound is unbelievably clean. However my massive floor standing towers are very thirsty for power, so for me I think the 7000 is in my future plans. 😳🤣 I’ll give you a great deal on my 5000.
I still have a Sony 2 channel receiver, cd player and cassette deck from the early 80's and all work perfectly. Actually still have a Sony tv from the mid 90's that still works as well as 5 Sony tv's from the early 2000's that all still work. Obviously I tend to like Sony for price and performance. Glad to see they are back with the ES series.
Shane I must wanna say that your videos are always precise and hit the spot whatever questions come into my mind you have answered without asking awesome 👏 channel Please keep covering lower to mid price range components for an ordinary audio enthusiast like me with smaller budgets
Great Receiver. I just replaced it with the AZ7000es. There definitely are some differences and eARC was a big one for me as well as Airplay and Bluetooth.
So for room correction in the $3000 AVR space, it's Sony 360 Spatial Sound Mapping vs Dirac Live vs Anthem ARC. Effectiveness aside, it appears 360SSM will be the easiest and most consumer friendly which may end up winning the day for everyday Joes. By the way, I also have the Sony RS5 surrounds and these things are AWESOME, well built, loud enough and robust as heck - a must have for anyone getting the A7000 soundbar.
Shane, I purchased a ES5000 and I am very impressed. Not a fan of the front screen or the remote but I do really like the unit for both Visual media and music. Selling my Arcam AVR850 because it is acting up again with intermitted surround channels cutting out. Plus in my room is a great room and do not want to use external amplification anymore too much clutter and unnecessary cabling. The 11 channels have plenty of power and clarity being the new ES5000. Thanks for the review it really made a difference on my buying decision.
Sony ROCKS! Im always fan of Sony, i have their 1080, 1070 3100es. Ive tried many from marantz 50, anthem avm 70, onkyo rz. But send them back. I noticed that sony has more volume output compare to those other brands that I’ve returned. My speakers are more lively with sony even with non ES model. Its very easy to setup. Thanks Shane for sharing.
@@totalplonker824 idid but not users friendly, took me 3 days to set it up, mic is not responding at times during my setup, and when i did able to set it up, it sounded like my Sony STR ZA3100es, thats when i decided to send it back.
Ok snap. I returned cinema 50 as well, I felt the bass was severely lacking. How do you feel about bass with this. Also, do you have Xbox or PS5 hooked? If so, would it automatically switch to that port if you turned it on?
My first Dolby Surround Pro-logic receiver was Sony, I bought it based on Home Cinemas 5 star review. Sony and Pioneer were getting a lot of 5 stars for their receivers back then. I used to love picking up my Home Cinema and Home Entertainment magazines back in the day 😊
Yep My first DPL receiver was a Pioneer mid 90s, Then first Dd,Dts was a Sony 30es 1999. Then Pioneer 1014thx 2004 through 2016 All Denon since Pioneer has a lot of work to do if they even care anymore
@@alexxbaudwhyn7572 I went from a Yamaha in the early 90s to a Pioneer SC-87, and then a SC-89. Now I own a Pioneer SC-LX904 11.2, and the sound has a more warmer natural feel to it. The MCACC is much improved, and I can do less fine tuning to get the sound I want. I remember the huge problems that came with the SC-LX901, and I did think Pioneer was going down the toilet at that point in time when they got bought out. But the SC-LX904 seem to fixed all the problems with the previous version. So, far everything has been flawless including the firmware updates.
I bought the DH790 18 months ago as a stopgap until I found something I wanted. This receiver has been surprisingly good in my small room. Would be an easy sell to get to one of these new ES models.
Nice review. I used to have a Harman/Kardon receiver in my old home theater set up, which sounded great and had next-gen connectivity-This Sony receiver seems to embody that. I like the wireless speakers support-My TV is in my living/working space (no room for a home theater) so not having speaker wires is a plus. The next-gen gaming features don’t hurt either.
If this receiver had been around when I was shopping for an upgrade, I would've purchased it. I like the wireless speaker compatibility options, the quick front button selection is excellent, and the user setting options are super lovely. Some might say too much
the wireless options are super cool except when its from sony and im very very worried about the consistency of signal/wifi dropoff like you get with the a9's and soundbar surrounds/subs
Sell them.. Sony is more dynamic, ive tried Marantz 50, Anthem 70 both last nov. onkyo rz last summer. But cant beat my sony 3100es, now sonys back im getting their 7000es. I would like to have dual center and experience the 360.
I’ve had a number of Sony ES series Av Receivers over the years. Although I have a Denon unit in my living room I still have an older Sony STR3200ES receiver in my bedroom and an even older STR2400ES in the kitchen for playing music through. Both have given excellent service over the years although the remotes do tend to pack up/ become unresponsive. Like many others I’ve been waiting for Sony to get their act together and bring out a new ES range rather than their recent budget efforts
I've always loved the sound of Sony AVRs. My first AVR was the Sony STR dn1080. A £400 7.2 budget receiver, I enjoyed it's 2-ch audio so much that when compared to the more expensive £2,000 9.2 Denon (6500) I actually preferred the sound of the budget Sony 😲 But of course with the Denon being a mid-priced AVR, its multi-channel absolutely knocked the socks off the budget Sony. The sound of Sony will always have a place in my heart 💚 Thanks for the memories.
@@dareius9180 the Sony STR dn1080 is only 7.2 Channel receiver. Which means the best you can go with would be two height channels (preferably placed within the middle of the room!) Don't worry about it though, you're really not missing too much. At the end of the day what about the other 95% of you're movie content? IMO this is where is Dolby Atmos as a fatal flaw. When one is listening to a 5.1 movie with the height channels on. One will actually be hearing a movie thats been mastered for 5 base level speakers and yet the same 5.1 signal will be coming out of the height channels 😲 (Messes up the whole 5-ch soundstage) it becomes even worse when listening to 2-ch decoded movie with the height channels on. It's only the fact I'm able to turn my height channels off that I was truly able to verify this! But unfortunately most people using a 7 or 9 ch internally amplified AVR won't be aware of it. If one keeps being told Dolby Atmos is the next best thing to sliced bread one really can't blame them. Conclusion; unless one has got the option to turn the height channels off, I would recommend not upgrading to Dolby Atmos and stick with 5.1. After all the vast majority content is 5.1 or smaller anyway.
@total plonker i prefer having heights even when playing 2 channels like music. I use DTS neural X all the time because what is sends to the top is the ambience sounds which make sound fill whole room and not just from the sides. If budget wasn't an issue i wouldn't restrict myself to 5.1. More atmos content is coming out in streaming
Sounds like an interesting product. I like the idea of wireless options for rental properties. Better integration of sound with the TV is a nice bonus. Price I think is competitive and competition in the market is a great thing for everyone.
I missed understood the first time, i thought i need to use zone 3 for extra center speaker. Thanks Shane. Now instead of ordering 5000es, ill just go for 7000es. So excited with 360 and extra center. I usually lift the speaker up to my 3100es to 3 increments , center which wider the sound of my fronts, cant wait to hear it to the new 7000es. Im always a fan of Sony even back in the 80s. I used to have Sony FH model mini components separates that really sounds good.
Thanks for the review Shane. I got the STR-AZ5000ES instead. Definitely pleased with this system. Love the 360 spatial sound mapping. I have an Andrew Jones Pioneer speaker system with the gimmicky (my opinion) upfiring dolby Atmos speakers and I got to say I can finally experience an immersive sound when playing Atmos movies. Just wish the AVR came with a headphone jack and phono line in. Otherwise happy with this purchase so far.
Have you had any issues with the 360 spatial sound mapping? I have the AZ7000es and when I turn on 360 spatial sound mapping i hear a slight buzz/distortion coming thru all of my speakers so I wound up turning it off.
Looks quite good, but I'm disappointed in the lack of EQ features. Speakers are only perfect in the room they're designed in. Ideally it'd have a 31-band EQ but even a 10-band EQ would be great. I know some "audiophiles" are afraid of EQ and I've never understood why. I also wish they'd publish the all channels driven wattage. I don't care about 2 channels driven. Who's gonna buy a 13 channel receiver to only listen to stereo? I have the same issue with my Denon 11.2 channel thingy. I wanna know how much power can go to each speaker at any given time. I have a feeling that the height speakers get less power no matter what.
Thank you Shane for the great review. As a long time owner of a Sony STR-D1011 I am certainly a fan of their quality. My big question is, for the same money as the 5000 I can get an RZ-50 along with an Outlaw 5000 amp to cover the LCR and 2 additional Atmos, what would you choose for a home theater? Is Sony’s room correction that much better then Dirac or are we talking just small differences? Thanks again!
Thank you for doing this review. I have a question you might be able to answer. How would you compare the 360 spatial vs Dirac? I’m currently using Dirac and love it, but also, it’s my first and only experience with room correction so far.
It would be cool if AVRs and Processors with all these layout options would also include one for dual side surrounds for multi row seating and processed a delay.
@@Darkside_C7 this receiver has front wides, which is more or less what you're referring to? I'm sure in set up it will pan that way for surround effects.
It would be great if configurable for front wide OR dual side surround, esp for theater with multiple rows of seats, even if just duplicating the signal as opposed to Trinnov of Theory Audio re-mapping side information.
Looking on their website at the specs for the STR-ZA5000ES shows it's eq for auto room calibration is a graphic eq, not a parametric eq. If that is correct, that does not sound like a flagship feature.
Hey Shane! I just picked up the receiver from Robert Zohn at Value Electronics a few weeks ago. I am still working on my setup/configuration. The Receiver is amazing, but there are a few things that were better on the older ZA models...For Example, when I chose an Audio Format, it changed the Speaker Display on the front display to MATCH that of the Audio Format so for 2 Channel Stereo it was just show L & R. On this model, the Speaker Display NEVER Changes so it leads you to believe that you are playing audio thru all the speakers that you "setup" regardless of the Audio Format that you selected. I am not sure if this is a BUG or just a design change. I liked it better the way it worked on my ZA5000es. I have a few other Con's, but overall the Pro's most certainly outweigh the con's.......
Wonder how the $1K model compares.Cool that all the new ES receivers are Roon endpoints.Question is if your going for a $1500+ reciver do you want to forgo Dirac because the Sony does a btter job with it's DSP?
Great work on that review. I am wondering if you were too kind here about the voodoo spatial stuff and on Sony as a whole? They have a crazy history of being totally innovative, and then leave products to die. Would you trust them for future maintenance?
Awesome review Shane! I think it is great how you show the many different settings menus of the receivers you review. These new Sony ES receivers have been getting rave reviews, especially for their surround sound performance. Now I'm in a bind trying to decide between the AZ5000ES, the Denon AVR-X4800H, or the Marantz Cinema 50. I'd love to try the Sony, but the option to have Audyssey & Dirac in one receiver is super appealing (minus the added cost for Dirac). Hopefully you will revisit the X3800H now that Dirac is available. It'd also be cool to see how well Audyssey performs with 3 or 4 subwoofers. At any rate, thank you for your effort and keep up the great work!
@Shane Lee, Great review!!! , Good to see that Sony is back in game. Do you know if this receiver is WiSA compatible? There seem to be cases where HT-A9 has Interruptions due to WiFi channel entanglements.
The Sony had great sound, but the dealbreaker was, there was no app for the iPhone 14 to control the receiver, change settings and be able to listen to music through my iPhone so I’m sending it back. I have always had Yamaha receivers and I really want to like this Sony.
sony has an app for their receivers. The web interface nor the app really work unless you change some settings under the network tab (IIRC). Once that's turned on you can launch the web interface and make changes or use the app.
I’ve had the Sony 5700es since release roughly 10 years give or take and it has been an allround work horse but with finesse, this new amp has definitely been long awaited by myself 🎉but is it any better in terms of sound quality (I really hope so)
Thank you for posting this review; I really like your clear and concise style; would you mind telling me how this compares to a flagship from Denon or Marantz (eg 8015 and 8500) sonically? Would you say it is superior or comes close enough, with the new spatial mapping technology? I presume you cannot switch off the individual sections (for pre-out use) like you can on the 8500?
Can this Sony AVR compete with the Rotel RAP 1580 MK2? My 1580mk2 is defective and my dealer is refunding me, so I can look for a new AVR that is similar in SQ to the Rotel.
I feel like they should make a ES processor, at least 15 channels with all the bells and whistles. They have 75k projectors, it’s not like they wouldn’t sell. I have the STR-ZA5000ES currently
OMG…..Finally Sony ES again. I am really excited 4 it. Coming from Maranz 7012 it could be a better option then Cinema 50 or 40. Emotiva XMC 2 would be interesting 2 but the brand is not really present in Germany. Thx so much for this review.
Great review, probaly the 5000 ES would be enough for me. I am curious about the phantom rear speakers because my couch is against the wall. I have a 5.2.4 system so that would be a great sollution for me. How would you compare the new Sony receivers tot the Denon X3800H receiver?
Have a 55 inch LG C9 Oled TV with Yamaha RX-V685 5.1.2 AV-Receiver and Yamaha was my go-to brand since I am absolutely convinced by the center lift feature. I thought no other brand had this. This Sony Receiver seems to be a lot influenced by Yamaha. The center lift feature together with center-sync seems to be the perfect solution. My future upgrade would be a Sony Oled TV with a Sony AV-Receiver with those center features then. (if it comes to Germany)
I have cherished prior Sony ES receivers. I think they sound better than any others. The 5800ES, for instance, allows for stereo to be enhanced with a center channel, so it is still in use for my hi-rez (and low-rez) audio. I've not seen this outside of Sony. The problem with modern receivers is that the technology is changing so quickly that they don't last for very long before the next tech makes them obsolete. Particularly for HDMI. Sony has not been reliable in the market for high-end receivers, so my latest 4k receiver is a Denon. But I tire of buying power amps over and over (and over). I think any future children I wish to sell will go to purchase separates. After all, power is power regardless of the speaker setup. So far I haven't seen an appropriate decoder/tuner that doesn't cost just as much as a receiver, and none of them are Sonys. I am still waiting for a better way.
I ordered this receiver yesterday 5/24/24 and I just found out that there’s no way to full pre-amp mode on and that’s a deal breaker for me. I’m calling Best Buy right now to cancel my order and go with Denon 3800h.
I’m trying to decide on an AVR for my next purchase. I currently have a Sony STR-DH770 that still works perfectly fine. I kinda want to stick with Sony because that’s whats familiar but the Onkyo TX-RZ50 is far better value at $1,200 vs the Sony AZ3000ES at $1,700. I don’t need additional power for an additional amp is not a concern to me. The Sony has all the features I could want or need. I also have a Sony TV so the center lift and all of that would be interesting to try. The Onkyo has Dirac Live and a seems be a solid choice overall with a lot of features. Thoughts?
If you happen to still have the unit; I am looking at buying one and would love to find out if 7.1.6 is possible for the speaker configuration. The documentation suggests so, but I can't get my hands on one to find out for sure.
Hopefully this will finally bring PS5 3D Audio to surround systems, I suspect Sony was holding it back until this series launched with MPEG-H Support (Sony 360 Reality Audio).
So 7.2.6 with three rows of height speakers is not an option on this 13 channel receiver? Was it there and I missed it? Seems like a missed opportunity to compete with the Denon 6700. Wides are great but I would like the option to compare with three rows of height speakers to see which speakers are more valuable in my room.
Kudos on another really informative & useful review. Particularly intetested in seeing & hearing SONY's latest AV amps/receivers, as i'm thinking to relocate & reuse my existing SONY HT-A7000 soundbar, SA-SW5 wireless sub. & SA-RS5's surrounds in a secondary room/zone system in the large wrap-around conservatory/extension. And put together something like a 7.2.2/4 system in the main Hi-Fi/HT room with our SONY Bravia XR OLED TV. If possible using a combination of active & passive speakers. Shame that there doesn't, as yet, seem to be a more sophisticated multi-band room PEQ. And when can we in Europe expect to see SONY's higher-end ES AV amps. at our local dealers?
Hi Shane, I always enjoy your excellent reviews. I currently have Sony STR-ZA3100ES receiver and may upgrade in the future. Do you know if Sony will be releasing a new 4K Blu-ray player?
Thanks, this video is great. Do you have any sense of how the front wides are utilized for music and movies? E.g., does Sony have any up-mixing with all of the other DSP wizardry given that most signals generally do not include a 9 channel mix for the bed layer.
Doesn't look like Sony has the manual on their website yet. Is there any catch with dual centers? Can it do 7.2.4 or 9.2.4 with dual centers or does the feature take up a channel of processing?
Wireless speaker support is a killer, it is much more convenient for creating whole surround space without big work. Nice job. However, I would also like to know if SONY really provides enormous power or high-end (Pre-Out) sound quality of the receiver.
@@shedrickjohnson8473 So far so good but to new to tell. I've experienced HDMI failures form Sony, Onkyo, Pioneer, Denon but Have not heard of any issues with Marantz. I used to like Onkyo because of the cost per performance ratio but their Customer service Reps lack knowledge and are incompetent. Out of the 4 mentioned Sony seems to be the most reliable but Emotiva seems to stand behind their products.
Sony AV Receiver doesn't do Gapless Music playback so if you like albums like Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, you will get annoying gaps between tracks, instead of continuous playback without gaps
@@therealshanelee I have an "Open room" layout. Behind my sofa, I have a long table then past that (5-6ft) I have a bar area that is connected to my kitchen. So, I am thinking that the wireless rear speakers might be the best option to hang them under my bar surface pointing to my listening (sofa) area... Options are few.
Sony missed the mark by not offering compatibility with the HT-9 speakers imo. The RS5’s are too big of a step down from my LCR. I would love to have wireless surrounds in my open floor-plan and take full advantage of the 360 spatial audio with the flagship surrounds.
Also, does the 5000 offer the same features as the 7000 like the spatial surround, lift center height? I will be using all pre outs to power all my speakers anyways. Do they both offer the same sound quality? Also, I’m only going to be running 11.2 speaker set up
*SONY IS BACK! WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN WITH SONY RECEIVERS?*
NOW AVAILABLE AT AUDIO ADVICE: tinyurl.com/y7hjtjms
Is this receiver Class AB or Class D??
@@wa2368 It has to be Class AB because of the weight. Even the 3000 weighs over 40lbs but is priced at $1,699. Class D can easily be 20-30 lbs for this kind of wattage (1 kilowatt).
Usually 40lbs is for high-end models, although the Marantz broke the rule and delivered the most power-per-pound (in weight, not money) in the industry with their 8000 series.
Amazing. You should suggest that Sony allow the HT-A9 to work as the rear four speakers in a future update.
I had the STR-ZA5000ES which is very reliable. It replaced a Sherwood Trinnov AVR and is still going strong in my parents’ 7.1.2 system. A Yamaha CX-A5100 replaced the Sony because I wanted Center Lift.
As much as people nitpick about room correction/EQ or SINAD, the sound field is the most important thing. Only three systems can tell the difference between an LCR standing shoulder to shoulder, an LCR at 9/12/3 o’clock covering 180 degrees, and an LCR in proper position: Trinnov, Sony, and Yamaha. Anyone who can afford Trinnov probably has speakers in the correct position but that leaves Sony and Yamaha as the ideal choice for multi-use rooms where the rear speakers aren’t in the ideal positions.
2000-2010 I had a Sony receiver. STR DA 50ES. Decent power, no problems to drive 4Ω speakers. Great, truly cinematic sound (it had everything: nuances, impetuous dynamics and spaciousness). Also good with 2.0 music. Poor EQ capabilities - that's the only downside. Built like a tank. Underrated: sonically it was on par with the best. Over the years, the lack of HDMI has become a pain in the ass and had to say goodbye. But after that I missed it for a very long time.
I still have my first surround sound sony receiver from 2000. Still works like a champ in my 3rd system.
I've had the Sony ES 7000 for about 3 weeks now. I love this receiver so much. It was a game changer. The sound is so much better than I could ever hoped for.
Glad to hear that. I just ordered the ES 5000 as I could not fit the 7000 into my budget... I am hoping the 5000 is similar!
What is the app to control the receiver with your phone?
@@WhatFunTimes how are you liking the 5000 since you received it?
@@usmankhalid990 It is a great receiver and I love it. Truly incredible actually. Checks every box for me. The sound is unbelievably clean.
However my massive floor standing towers are very thirsty for power, so for me I think the 7000 is in my future plans. 😳🤣 I’ll give you a great deal on my 5000.
@@usmankhalid990 It is a great receiver and I love it. Truly incredible actually. Checks every box for me. The sound is unbelievably clean.
However my massive floor standing towers are very thirsty for power, so for me I think the 7000 is in my future plans. 😳🤣 I’ll give you a great deal on my 5000.
Glad to see Sony hasn't given up on the ES system. Appreciate the great review.
Even after seeing it, it looks like they gave up to me. ES is not what it use to be by a long shot.
@@tbone8839 In what way?
@@tbone8839 in what way?
@@mm-tg8oo Recent so called 'ES' looks almost like entry level DN1080. What a shame...
In what way and why?@@tbone8839
It's about time! I've been waiting for a new Sony for 4years now...I ended up purchasing a Denon...
I still have a Sony 2 channel receiver, cd player and cassette deck from the early 80's and all work perfectly. Actually still have a Sony tv from the mid 90's that still works as well as 5 Sony tv's from the early 2000's that all still work. Obviously I tend to like Sony for price and performance. Glad to see they are back with the ES series.
Me too 👍
I had the flagship da7ES back in the day!!! That was a hellva receiver!!! It’s good to see them back with a nice unit!!!
Still is A HELL of a receiver. I always dreamed for a DA7ES back in the day
Kudos to you
Shane I must wanna say that your videos are always precise and hit the spot whatever questions come into my mind you have answered without asking awesome 👏 channel Please keep covering lower to mid price range components for an ordinary audio enthusiast like me with smaller budgets
🥂
I have the last flagship model, Sony STR-ZA5000ES. I love it. Powerful receiver.
Great Receiver. I just replaced it with the AZ7000es. There definitely are some differences and eARC was a big one for me as well as Airplay and Bluetooth.
I ALSO HAVE THE SONY STR-ZA500ES THIS RECEIVER IS JUST AWESOME
So for room correction in the $3000 AVR space, it's Sony 360 Spatial Sound Mapping vs Dirac Live vs Anthem ARC. Effectiveness aside, it appears 360SSM will be the easiest and most consumer friendly which may end up winning the day for everyday Joes. By the way, I also have the Sony RS5 surrounds and these things are AWESOME, well built, loud enough and robust as heck - a must have for anyone getting the A7000 soundbar.
It'd say so too.
Happy to see Sony stepping up there avrs. Glad I haven't upgraded my old 7.2 onkyo AVR yet definitely plan on upgrading soon
Shane, I purchased a ES5000 and I am very impressed. Not a fan of the front screen or the remote but I do really like the unit for both Visual media and music. Selling my Arcam AVR850 because it is acting up again with intermitted surround channels cutting out. Plus in my room is a great room and do not want to use external amplification anymore too much clutter and unnecessary cabling. The 11 channels have plenty of power and clarity being the new ES5000. Thanks for the review it really made a difference on my buying decision.
Sony ROCKS! Im always fan of Sony, i have their 1080, 1070 3100es.
Ive tried many from marantz 50, anthem avm 70, onkyo rz. But send them back.
I noticed that sony has more volume output compare to those other brands that I’ve returned. My speakers are more lively with sony even with non ES model. Its very easy to setup. Thanks Shane for sharing.
Yeah the Sony STR dn1080 is a punchy little bastard.
I'm surprised you didn't like the sound of the anthem AVR 70
Me too 👍
@@totalplonker824 idid but not users friendly, took me 3 days to set it up, mic is not responding at times during my setup, and when i did able to set it up, it sounded like my Sony STR ZA3100es, thats when i decided to send it back.
@@elmerbais I hear you. Got to be user-friendly, no point otherwise. I've always preferred the sound of Sony compared to its Japanese counterparts.
Ok snap. I returned cinema 50 as well, I felt the bass was severely lacking. How do you feel about bass with this. Also, do you have Xbox or PS5 hooked? If so, would it automatically switch to that port if you turned it on?
My first Dolby Surround Pro-logic receiver was Sony, I bought it based on Home Cinemas 5 star review. Sony and Pioneer were getting a lot of 5 stars for their receivers back then.
I used to love picking up my Home Cinema and Home Entertainment magazines back in the day 😊
Yep
My first DPL receiver was a Pioneer mid 90s,
Then first Dd,Dts was a Sony 30es 1999.
Then Pioneer 1014thx 2004 through 2016
All Denon since
Pioneer has a lot of work to do if they even care anymore
@@alexxbaudwhyn7572 I went from a Yamaha in the early 90s to a Pioneer SC-87, and then a SC-89. Now I own a Pioneer SC-LX904 11.2, and the sound has a more warmer natural feel to it. The MCACC is much improved, and I can do less fine tuning to get the sound I want. I remember the huge problems that came with the SC-LX901, and I did think Pioneer was going down the toilet at that point in time when they got bought out. But the SC-LX904 seem to fixed all the problems with the previous version. So, far everything has been flawless including the firmware updates.
I bought the DH790 18 months ago as a stopgap until I found something I wanted. This receiver has been surprisingly good in my small room. Would be an easy sell to get to one of these new ES models.
Very feature rich, impressive. All those center speaker options really is awesome.
I’m so excited about this one, it pretty much checks all the boxes and for the price having that many channels…
Finally my favorite brand is coming out!
It's about time!! They make good stuff when they want to.
Nice review. I used to have a Harman/Kardon receiver in my old home theater set up, which sounded great and had next-gen connectivity-This Sony receiver seems to embody that. I like the wireless speakers support-My TV is in my living/working space (no room for a home theater) so not having speaker wires is a plus. The next-gen gaming features don’t hurt either.
If this receiver had been around when I was shopping for an upgrade, I would've purchased it. I like the wireless speaker compatibility options, the quick front button selection is excellent, and the user setting options are super lovely. Some might say too much
Me too!
the wireless options are super cool except when its from sony and im very very worried about the consistency of signal/wifi dropoff like you get with the a9's and soundbar surrounds/subs
Sell them.. Sony is more dynamic, ive tried Marantz 50, Anthem 70 both last nov. onkyo rz last summer. But cant beat my sony 3100es, now sonys back im getting their 7000es. I would like to have dual center and experience the 360.
Well well, this is a surprise! Welcome back SONY ! They look very interesting.
Sony came out with a BANG!! Great to see they still got it.
Just got mine 2 days ago.. setting it up this coming Tuesday
Well, how is it after a year?
Looks great! Probably gonna get the 5000ES.
My first AVR was a sony they're great receviers thinking of upgrading in the next year or so have a budget pioneer 7.2 right now going on about 3yrs
I’ve had a number of Sony ES series Av Receivers over the years. Although I have a Denon unit in my living room I still have an older Sony STR3200ES receiver in my bedroom and an even older STR2400ES in the kitchen for playing music through. Both have given excellent service over the years although the remotes do tend to pack up/ become unresponsive. Like many others I’ve been waiting for Sony to get their act together and bring out a new ES range rather than their recent budget efforts
I've always loved the sound of Sony AVRs. My first AVR was the Sony STR dn1080. A £400 7.2 budget receiver, I enjoyed it's 2-ch audio so much that when compared to the more expensive £2,000 9.2 Denon (6500) I actually preferred the sound of the budget Sony 😲
But of course with the Denon being a mid-priced AVR, its multi-channel absolutely knocked the socks off the budget Sony.
The sound of Sony will always have a place in my heart 💚
Thanks for the memories.
Sony's 2 channel is bliss,music and speakers were so alive compared to current denon
What about Atmos movie? I have also the dn1080 but I would liked 4 atmos speakers
@@dareius9180 the Sony STR dn1080 is only 7.2 Channel receiver. Which means the best you can go with would be two height channels (preferably placed within the middle of the room!)
Don't worry about it though, you're really not missing too much. At the end of the day what about the other 95% of you're movie content? IMO this is where is Dolby Atmos as a fatal flaw.
When one is listening to a 5.1 movie with the height channels on. One will actually be hearing a movie thats been mastered for 5 base level speakers and yet the same 5.1 signal will be coming out of the height channels 😲 (Messes up the whole 5-ch soundstage) it becomes even worse when listening to 2-ch decoded movie with the height channels on. It's only the fact I'm able to turn my height channels off that I was truly able to verify this! But unfortunately most people using a 7 or 9 ch internally amplified AVR won't be aware of it. If one keeps being told Dolby Atmos is the next best thing to sliced bread one really can't blame them.
Conclusion;
unless one has got the option to turn the height channels off, I would recommend not upgrading to Dolby Atmos and stick with 5.1. After all the vast majority content is 5.1 or smaller anyway.
@total plonker i prefer having heights even when playing 2 channels like music. I use DTS neural X all the time because what is sends to the top is the ambience sounds which make sound fill whole room and not just from the sides. If budget wasn't an issue i wouldn't restrict myself to 5.1.
More atmos content is coming out in streaming
Sounds like an interesting product. I like the idea of wireless options for rental properties. Better integration of sound with the TV is a nice bonus. Price I think is competitive and competition in the market is a great thing for everyone.
so glad Sony has stepped up
Im so excited to make this upgrade! Thanks for the great in depth review.
Your all videos are very very useful videos,,,,,, 👍👍👍👌👌👌👌👌💥💥💥💥💥😍😍😍🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
I have the sony str-za3100es. I am glad sony is continuing to make AVRs
I missed understood the first time, i thought i need to use zone 3 for extra center speaker. Thanks Shane. Now instead of ordering 5000es, ill just go for 7000es. So excited with 360 and extra center.
I usually lift the speaker up to my 3100es to 3 increments , center which wider the sound of my fronts, cant wait to hear it to the new 7000es. Im always a fan of Sony even back in the 80s. I used to have Sony FH model mini components separates that really sounds good.
Thanks for the review Shane. I got the STR-AZ5000ES instead. Definitely pleased with this system. Love the 360 spatial sound mapping. I have an Andrew Jones Pioneer speaker system with the gimmicky (my opinion) upfiring dolby Atmos speakers and I got to say I can finally experience an immersive sound when playing Atmos movies. Just wish the AVR came with a headphone jack and phono line in. Otherwise happy with this purchase so far.
I just ordered myself the 5000ES as well. Any suggestions for setup? I am very excited.
Have you had any issues with the 360 spatial sound mapping? I have the AZ7000es and when I turn on 360 spatial sound mapping i hear a slight buzz/distortion coming thru all of my speakers so I wound up turning it off.
Looks quite good, but I'm disappointed in the lack of EQ features. Speakers are only perfect in the room they're designed in. Ideally it'd have a 31-band EQ but even a 10-band EQ would be great. I know some "audiophiles" are afraid of EQ and I've never understood why. I also wish they'd publish the all channels driven wattage. I don't care about 2 channels driven. Who's gonna buy a 13 channel receiver to only listen to stereo? I have the same issue with my Denon 11.2 channel thingy. I wanna know how much power can go to each speaker at any given time. I have a feeling that the height speakers get less power no matter what.
The thing is, the front speakers need the most power, and a lot of people actually use their AV-receiver for stereo music as well...
Thank you Shane for the great review. As a long time owner of a Sony STR-D1011 I am certainly a fan of their quality. My big question is, for the same money as the 5000 I can get an RZ-50 along with an Outlaw 5000 amp to cover the LCR and 2 additional Atmos, what would you choose for a home theater? Is Sony’s room correction that much better then Dirac or are we talking just small differences? Thanks again!
Thank you for doing this review. I have a question you might be able to answer. How would you compare the 360 spatial vs Dirac? I’m currently using Dirac and love it, but also, it’s my first and only experience with room correction so far.
Pretty sweet unit.
Thanks!
Thanks! 🙏
Thanks Shane. Appreciate the review!!
🥂
Very excellent reviews. Thank you sir
The King is back Finally where’s Panasonic Flagship TVs ?We really miss them
I don't see that happening anytime soon.
This came out from absolutely nowhere! I've heard nothing about this until I saw this video posted. What the hell Sony, great marketing 😂
They made the product announcement today. You’re hearing about it now and it literally just came out.
Ur fault ure not subscribed to Sony electronics I knew about this few hours after release
This is Sonys marketing.
Typically flagship products don't need any marketing since they're made for a small niche of prosumers.
@@sparkymotive an iPhone is a flagship and it gets marketing
I hope you will get into review the new Denon AVC-A1H
Great review
🍻
Hey Shane , another great review keep it up . Quick question which would you recommend Denon avr 6700H or the Sony 7000es?
It would be cool if AVRs and Processors with all these layout options would also include one for dual side surrounds for multi row seating and processed a delay.
Get a Trinnov.
@@brandonadams7837 lol why didn't I think of that.
@@Darkside_C7 this receiver has front wides, which is more or less what you're referring to? I'm sure in set up it will pan that way for surround effects.
It would be great if configurable for front wide OR dual side surround, esp for theater with multiple rows of seats, even if just duplicating the signal as opposed to Trinnov of Theory Audio re-mapping side information.
Looking on their website at the specs for the STR-ZA5000ES shows it's eq for auto room calibration is a graphic eq, not a parametric eq. If that is correct, that does not sound like a flagship feature.
Agreed. The EQ is definitely lacking on my AZ7000es.
I'm in the middle of upgrading my reciever now, and I was looking at the Denon X8500HA. Head to head would you pick the 7000ES over the Denon?
Yes
Hey Shane! I just picked up the receiver from Robert Zohn at Value Electronics a few weeks ago. I am still working on my setup/configuration. The Receiver is amazing, but there are a few things that were better on the older ZA models...For Example, when I chose an Audio Format, it changed the Speaker Display on the front display to MATCH that of the Audio Format so for 2 Channel Stereo it was just show L & R. On this model, the Speaker Display NEVER Changes so it leads you to believe that you are playing audio thru all the speakers that you "setup" regardless of the Audio Format that you selected. I am not sure if this is a BUG or just a design change. I liked it better the way it worked on my ZA5000es. I have a few other Con's, but overall the Pro's most certainly outweigh the con's.......
Wonder how the $1K model compares.Cool that all the new ES receivers are Roon endpoints.Question is if your going for a $1500+ reciver do you want to forgo Dirac because the Sony does a btter job with it's DSP?
Great work on that review. I am wondering if you were too kind here about the voodoo spatial stuff and on Sony as a whole? They have a crazy history of being totally innovative, and then leave products to die. Would you trust them for future maintenance?
Awesome review Shane! I think it is great how you show the many different settings menus of the receivers you review. These new Sony ES receivers have been getting rave reviews, especially for their surround sound performance. Now I'm in a bind trying to decide between the AZ5000ES, the Denon AVR-X4800H, or the Marantz Cinema 50. I'd love to try the Sony, but the option to have Audyssey & Dirac in one receiver is super appealing (minus the added cost for Dirac). Hopefully you will revisit the X3800H now that Dirac is available. It'd also be cool to see how well Audyssey performs with 3 or 4 subwoofers. At any rate, thank you for your effort and keep up the great work!
I'm so happy Sony is back in the AVR game
After years of using Yamaha 2080 and loving Surround AI it sounds like Sony has incorporated this idea into 360 setting.
@Shane Lee, Great review!!! , Good to see that Sony is back in game. Do you know if this receiver is WiSA compatible? There seem to be cases where HT-A9 has Interruptions due to WiFi channel entanglements.
The Sony had great sound, but the dealbreaker was, there was no app for the iPhone 14 to control the receiver, change settings and be able to listen to music through my iPhone so I’m sending it back. I have always had Yamaha receivers and I really want to like this Sony.
sony has an app for their receivers. The web interface nor the app really work unless you change some settings under the network tab (IIRC). Once that's turned on you can launch the web interface and make changes or use the app.
I got the sony za2100es and x95j tv awsome set
Nice!
I’ve had the Sony 5700es since release roughly 10 years give or take and it has been an allround work horse but with finesse, this new amp has definitely been long awaited by myself 🎉but is it any better in terms of sound quality (I really hope so)
Might be worth auditioning.
Thank you for posting this review; I really like your clear and concise style; would you mind telling me how this compares to a flagship from Denon or Marantz (eg 8015 and 8500) sonically? Would you say it is superior or comes close enough, with the new spatial mapping technology? I presume you cannot switch off the individual sections (for pre-out use) like you can on the 8500?
Can this Sony AVR compete with the Rotel RAP 1580 MK2? My 1580mk2 is defective and my dealer is refunding me, so I can look for a new AVR that is similar in SQ to the Rotel.
I feel like they should make a ES processor, at least 15 channels with all the bells and whistles. They have 75k projectors, it’s not like they wouldn’t sell. I have the STR-ZA5000ES currently
I agree! Shane, any insight into whether or not Sony will be also releasing a balanced 15 channel Pre Pro?
OMG…..Finally Sony ES again. I am really excited 4 it. Coming from Maranz 7012 it could be a better option then Cinema 50 or 40. Emotiva XMC 2 would be interesting 2 but the brand is not really present in Germany. Thx so much for this review.
Warum sollte der Cinema 40 besser sein . Der Sony hat kein AVR . Die Einmessung ist sich nicht anpassbar .
@@stevewithf5847 Mich würde interessieren welcher besser ist im Klang war gemeint.
@@ma3nni689 can't believe it will Sound better or not clear than SR 7012.
Great review, probaly the 5000 ES would be enough for me. I am curious about the phantom rear speakers because my couch is against the wall. I have a 5.2.4 system so that would be a great sollution for me. How would you compare the new Sony receivers tot the Denon X3800H receiver?
Have a 55 inch LG C9 Oled TV with Yamaha RX-V685 5.1.2 AV-Receiver and Yamaha was my go-to brand since I am absolutely convinced by the center lift feature. I thought no other brand had this. This Sony Receiver seems to be a lot influenced by Yamaha.
The center lift feature together with center-sync seems to be the perfect solution.
My future upgrade would be a Sony Oled TV with a Sony AV-Receiver with those center features then. (if it comes to Germany)
I don’t know why Sony is always underrated by these Audiophiles while it really sounds excellent on par with Denon with less price
Being away for 5 years hasn't helped them.
Now I need for Sony to update their speakers
Yeah! I like the DCS sound. I miss the codecs @my Yamaha Receiver....I hope I can buy a 7000 or 5000 here in Europe in near future.
I have cherished prior Sony ES receivers. I think they sound better than any others. The 5800ES, for instance, allows for stereo to be enhanced with a center channel, so it is still in use for my hi-rez (and low-rez) audio. I've not seen this outside of Sony. The problem with modern receivers is that the technology is changing so quickly that they don't last for very long before the next tech makes them obsolete. Particularly for HDMI. Sony has not been reliable in the market for high-end receivers, so my latest 4k receiver is a Denon. But I tire of buying power amps over and over (and over). I think any future children I wish to sell will go to purchase separates. After all, power is power regardless of the speaker setup. So far I haven't seen an appropriate decoder/tuner that doesn't cost just as much as a receiver, and none of them are Sonys. I am still waiting for a better way.
I still use a Sony DA5ES avr in my livingroom. it's using an optical cable and doing 3.1 duty and it's no paper weight
Thanks Shane.
Question... Is there an option to put the receiver in full pre-amp mode where the internal amps are turned off when using external amplification?
No
That’s a deal breaker for me
I ordered this receiver yesterday 5/24/24 and I just found out that there’s no way to full pre-amp mode on and that’s a deal breaker for me. I’m calling Best Buy right now to cancel my order and go with Denon 3800h.
I’m trying to decide on an AVR for my next purchase. I currently have a Sony STR-DH770 that still works perfectly fine. I kinda want to stick with Sony because that’s whats familiar but the Onkyo TX-RZ50 is far better value at $1,200 vs the Sony AZ3000ES at $1,700. I don’t need additional power for an additional amp is not a concern to me. The Sony has all the features I could want or need. I also have a Sony TV so the center lift and all of that would be interesting to try. The Onkyo has Dirac Live and a seems be a solid choice overall with a lot of features. Thoughts?
If you happen to still have the unit; I am looking at buying one and would love to find out if 7.1.6 is possible for the speaker configuration. The documentation suggests so, but I can't get my hands on one to find out for sure.
Did you ever find out. It doesn't look like 6 atmos speakers was an option.
Hopefully this will finally bring PS5 3D Audio to surround systems, I suspect Sony was holding it back until this series launched with MPEG-H Support (Sony 360 Reality Audio).
So 7.2.6 with three rows of height speakers is not an option on this 13 channel receiver? Was it there and I missed it? Seems like a missed opportunity to compete with the Denon 6700. Wides are great but I would like the option to compare with three rows of height speakers to see which speakers are more valuable in my room.
No third height row.
Kudos on another really informative & useful review.
Particularly intetested in seeing & hearing SONY's latest AV amps/receivers, as i'm thinking to relocate & reuse my existing SONY HT-A7000 soundbar, SA-SW5 wireless sub. & SA-RS5's surrounds in a secondary room/zone system in the large wrap-around conservatory/extension. And put together something like a 7.2.2/4 system in the main Hi-Fi/HT room with our SONY Bravia XR OLED TV. If possible using a combination of active & passive speakers.
Shame that there doesn't, as yet, seem to be a more sophisticated multi-band room PEQ.
And when can we in Europe expect to see SONY's higher-end ES AV amps. at our local dealers?
Hi Shane, I always enjoy your excellent reviews. I currently have Sony STR-ZA3100ES receiver and may upgrade in the future. Do you know if Sony will be releasing a new 4K Blu-ray player?
I like that they have all those "bu uns" and you can cover them up.
I got the 9.2 version a huge upgrade from 7.2 pioneer
Nice 👍
Thanks, this video is great. Do you have any sense of how the front wides are utilized for music and movies? E.g., does Sony have any up-mixing with all of the other DSP wizardry given that most signals generally do not include a 9 channel mix for the bed layer.
HDMI auto lock cableสายสัญญานควรจะแบบ HDMI รุ่นใหม่เส้นเดียวแต่แกน สามารถปรับความถี่แบบออโต้ล็อค ใด้คือมีพร็อต อันเดียว เวอร์ชั่นออโต้ล็อค 13:50
Doesn't look like Sony has the manual on their website yet. Is there any catch with dual centers? Can it do 7.2.4 or 9.2.4 with dual centers or does the feature take up a channel of processing?
I just got a Denon 4700h this looks promising. When is it out?
Did I miss something or was there no option to have 6 in-ceiling height speakers?
Hope I can use the “spatial 360” and still keep the sub woofer lower for my neighbors. I am considering getting a JZ 5000 ES.
Can't believe you got one already
How would this Sony compare to Marantz new processors or the Trinnov?
Wireless speaker support is a killer, it is much more convenient for creating whole surround space without big work.
Nice job.
However, I would also like to know if SONY really provides enormous power or high-end (Pre-Out) sound quality of the receiver.
Especially with 6 atmos surrounds and 4 rear surrounds
@@bryanguest2807 Sadly, it seems only 1 pair of wireless speakers are supported.
However, I think it is quite useful for most normal home users.
Would you pick this or the Cinema 40? Which would you say has better sound and bass? I’ll be running SVS 16 Ultra and 4000
I have a couple of Sony ES Receivers but for the price I'll stick with my new Emotiva MR1 at less than 2 Grand.
Roger Hernandez how do the mr1 sound i got it on my list and this sony za7000es. Any bugs with hdmi ports.
@@shedrickjohnson8473 So far so good but to new to tell. I've experienced HDMI failures form Sony, Onkyo, Pioneer, Denon but Have not heard of any issues with Marantz. I used to like Onkyo because of the cost per performance ratio but their Customer service Reps lack knowledge and are incompetent. Out of the 4 mentioned Sony seems to be the most reliable but Emotiva seems to stand behind their products.
@@rogerdjs thanks for the quick reply.
Sony AV Receiver doesn't do Gapless Music playback so if you like albums like Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, you will get annoying gaps between tracks, instead of continuous playback without gaps
The wireless rear speaker option has me very interested in this AVR.
It works pretty good.
@@therealshanelee I have an "Open room" layout. Behind my sofa, I have a long table then past that (5-6ft) I have a bar area that is connected to my kitchen. So, I am thinking that the wireless rear speakers might be the best option to hang them under my bar surface pointing to my listening (sofa) area... Options are few.
I wish Sony Malaysia bring in their ES products. I really want the 5000ES
Hope you review the new Emotiva BasX receiver next pretty coool
Sony missed the mark by not offering compatibility with the HT-9 speakers imo. The RS5’s are too big of a step down from my LCR. I would love to have wireless surrounds in my open floor-plan and take full advantage of the 360 spatial audio with the flagship surrounds.
Pre ordered the 5000 🤘
Nice!
How did you connect the Apple TV to the receiver without the Apple TV turning on by itself? I have mine connected to the TV directly. Thanks
Also, does the 5000 offer the same features as the 7000 like the spatial surround, lift center height? I will be using all pre outs to power all my speakers anyways. Do they both offer the same sound quality? Also, I’m only going to be running 11.2 speaker set up