New Sony ES receivers

[ACsGreens]

So I do not believe there has been anything posted on here about the new Sony ES receivers, but if so I apologize and disregard this post. I was looking into them and am very intrigued not only by specs and features but also by price. What have opinions been in the past regarding these and if anyone has seen the new line, what do you think? The addition of Control4 to them is pretty sweet, and something I necessarilly didn't see coming into a/v receivers anytime soon. Here is a link.

ES Premium Home Theater | Sony Store USA

 

[j_garcia]

My general opinion: good amplification in the ES line. That's about it. All the features in the world won't change that it is Sony. I have nothing against Sony either, but not a fan of their receivers.

 

[ACsGreens]

My general opinion: good amplification in the ES line. That's about it. All the features in the world won't change that it is Sony. I have nothing against Sony either, but not a fan of their receivers.

So what are your major complaints? I have not had anyone I know have one (clue #1) nor have I experimented myself. Did you look at the new line?

 

[jcl]

I remember Sony ES as being respected up until they tried the 'digital' amps. At first people raved about them, then I think they started having issues. After that they just seemed to fall behind; They didn't have the cache of Rotel/NAD/Arcam or the features of Denon/Onkyo/Yamaha.

 

[j_garcia]

So what are your major complaints? I have not had anyone I know have one (clue #1) nor have I experimented myself. Did you look at the new line?

They like to put so many features that it became a jumble. Some are useful when you need to do something very specific to dial in a setup, but others are pretty much useless. I had to spend WAY too much time configuring my friend's install with his about a year ago.

Only glanced at the info in the link.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I have one word: U ----- G------ L ------- Y.

Can't Sony make a better looking, better organized $2100 AVR?

Little buttons and knobs everywhere and little LCD?

Other than that, I think it should be a fine AVR.

I appreciate the 5 yr warranty, though.

 

[ACsGreens]

Uh Oh...

I have one word: U ----- G------ L ------- Y.

Can't Sony make a better looking, better organized $2100 AVR?

Little buttons and knobs everywhere and little LCD?

Other than that, I think it should be a fine AVR.

I appreciate the 5 yr warranty, though.

I guess receivers are like men's taste for women.....I actually kinda like the looks. Guess i won't be posting a pic of the wife . But seriously, a 699 receiver with independant HDMI 2nd output, that's pretty sweet.

 

[j_garcia]

I thought they used to have a 7yr warranty for the ES line?

 

[slipperybidness]

So what are your major complaints? I have not had anyone I know have one (clue #1) nor have I experimented myself. Did you look at the new line?

I steer clear of Sony if at all possible. IMO, they are bottom of the bucket with the exception of the Playstation and the Walkman.

I have had several Sony products die when I was younger and didn't know better. I had a friend that worked in their customer service department. The management never quite came out and said it, but it was just about the unwritten rule that the customer service reps job was to frustrate people with issues to the point that they never called back.

YMMV, but I avoid Sony like the plague (except I do own a PS3, but I use my XBOX a lot more).

 

[PENG]

I have had two in the past, fantastic AVRs, good looking and I loved that blue light when DD or DTS5.1 is on. That changed with the newer line because I don't like their looks and now I must have Audyssey. Sony likes to do their own thing, that's okay until Audyssey, and I only use Audyssey for bass management.

 

[sterling shoote]

You can see from my signature what I think about Sony ES. I put my most of my HT budget on Sony ES components. Their receivers appear to be as tidy, innovative, and performance minded as my components. My HT was put together from their last offering of discrete components. These components and an array of JBL speakers is simply awesome. I want for nothing. I am satisfied that my HT sound, when driven at moderate levels is as "life like" as anything else I've heard but for less money than I expected I would need to spend for such results.

 

[PENG]

You can see from my signature what I think about Sony ES. I put my most of my HT budget on Sony ES components. Their receivers appear to be as tidy, innovative, and performance minded as my components. My HT was put together from their last offering of discrete components. These components and an array of JBL speakers is simply awesome. I want for nothing. I am satisfied that my HT sound, when driven at moderate levels is as "life like" as anything else I've heard but for less money than I expected I would need to spend for such results.

You have the 9000 series, those are good stuff, even serious audiophiles won't say too many bad things about them.

 

[brianedm]

I'm never buying another Sony product in my life. Worst customer service I've ever experienced. Nothing quite like being told a manager was going to call you only to hear nothing back at all. I decided then and there to boycott them, that was about 2 years ago.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I guess receivers are like men's taste for women.....I actually kinda like the looks. Guess i won't be posting a pic of the wife . But seriously, a 699 receiver with independant HDMI 2nd output, that's pretty sweet.

I've seen a HTM measurement of one Sony ES AVR. It looked great. I've used it as an example to show someone that the Sony ES has better measurement than a $5000 Arcam AVR.

I think as long as you don't use RC or EQ or DSP (like me), the Sony ES AVR should sound great. No doubt in my mind. Aesthetic is subjective. I may not like the Sony AVR aesthetic, but as long as you like it, that's what counts.

 

[TitaniumMan]

I'm never buying another Sony product in my life. Worst customer service I've ever experienced. Nothing quite like being told a manager was going to call you only to hear nothing back at all. I decided then and there to boycott them, that was about 2 years ago.

Gosh, I wish I had known about that awful customer service before I bought all my Sony stuff. I have two receivers, a Walkman, two VCRs, and a couple of disc players. This stuff was purchased from 1985 to 2010, and they just won't die.

I'm sure I'll be greatly disappointed as soon as I require customer service.

I can't recall the model numbers of all the disposable Onkyo and Pioneer gear that has passed through my system.

 

[sterling shoote]

Interestingly, last year, one of my PCM-7010F DAT recorders stopped reading time code in fast forward. I sent the unit to Sony Professional Products Service in Los Angeles CA. I could not imagine it but they were able to repair my DAT recorder, and, for a flat rate, they replaced all circuit boards which needed replacing to bring my unit up to spec again. I was quite pleased to have Sony fix my unit, which is an indispensable part of a $17,000.00 digital editing system used since 1993 to archive radio commercials created and produced by my creative company. Today, I use these units to master nature recordings, mostly thunder showers, and to record audio from the Internet, which cannot be downloaded. At any rate, I've gotten a little off track but back to Sony ES, what little service I've needed from Sony for my Sony ES components while under warrenty has been just as prompt, courteous, and satisfactory as their service for the Sony professional audio products I own.

 

[slipperybidness]

Interestingly, last year, one of my PCM-7010F DAT recorders stopped reading time code in fast forward. I sent the unit to Sony Professional Products Service in Los Angeles CA. I could not imagine it but they were able to repair my DAT recorder, and, for a flat rate, they replaced all circuit boards which needed replacing to bring my unit up to spec again. I was quite pleased to have Sony fix my unit, which is an indispensable part of a $17,000.00 digital editing system used since 1993 to archive radio commercials created and produced by my creative company. Today, I use these units to master nature recordings, mostly thunder showers, and to record audio from the Internet, which cannot be downloaded. At any rate, I've gotten a little off track but back to Sony ES, what little service I've needed from Sony for my Sony ES components while under warrenty has been just as prompt, courteous, and satisfactory as their service for the Sony professional audio products I own.

Wow. Glad somebody got good service out of them. Too late to change my mind though.