Sony 2023 ES Receiver lineup

[Hattrick17]

Were the 3 shipped repairs related to the bugs or RELIABILITY (take a dump) ?
Reliability. There were defective parts. HDMI and Amplifiers overheating. Both were fixed by George Meyer out of LA on the last shipment.

Most bugs are fixed with firmware updates.
The Bugs I was referring were regarding the AVR30 which was fixed by Arcam with firmware updates. I don't believe the AVR31 has any issues.

If it's due to reliability, I would be more concerned.

 

[Txzick]

The Sony STR AZ5000ES back panel HDMI have two 4k and four 8k, 4k 120hz inputs.

I assume I can use any of the HDMI inputs for HDMI 1080p & 4k in any input. they will accept lower res devices, correct?

From the AZ500ES to Sony XBR X900H using a 10k 8k 4k HDMI Cable 15 FT, Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 Cable 4k 120Hz 144Hz 8k 60Hz 48Gbps 1ms eARC Dolby Atmos HDCP2.3

I'm having sync issues to the Sony XBR X900H input #3 ARC/eARC input saying "No Signal"

Devices- NVidia Sheild Pro, Roku Ultra, UBP X800

 

[Trebdp83]

Does it happen with a particular device or with any?

 

[Txzick]

Just the TV input #3 ARC/eARC input is saying "No Signal"
My hope was if most of my equipment was "Sony" and has "Bravia sync", then I would have less HDMI issues.

Called Crutchfield & they said return AZ5000ES for a replacement.

 

[Trebdp83]

So, all devices are connected to the receiver and “No Signal” is displayed on the TV regardless of the source input selected on the receiver?

 

[Txzick]

Trebdp83
Yes That's correct.
The arc earc input on the X900H has always been flakey.
The receiver arrived Friday and waited to xn on Saturday. When we turned on the X900H TV Friday, got a msg about a new firmware was available, so I allowed it to upgrade. I was using TV streaming apps & OTA antenna for football, toslinked to XMC-1 for sound, so I don't know if the firmware update caused the problem or not,.I never tried the input after the update.
(multiple variables)

 

[Txzick]

Today I direct wired the Sony UBP X800, the Ruku & Sheild and each displayed.

I guess I'll wait until the new AZ5000ES arrives and test again.
Thx so much for your interest & help

 

[Hattrick17]

Today I direct wired the Sony UBP X800, the Ruku & Sheild and each displayed.

I guess I'll wait until the new AZ5000ES arrives and test again.
Thx so much for your interest & help

I have mine arriving tomorrow and will have it configured and setup. I have about a 9 year old 70" Sony Bravia and see if that has issues. I don't have issues with that connection as of now with my Arcam AVR850. However I did a few years ago related to a bad HDMI cable which I replaced. So far no issues.

 

[Txzick]

Man, I like this receiver so far, playing with no real set-up yet, sounds pretty good.
Old 5.2 system was Emotiva XMC-1 (Dirac) + XPA-5 with Monitor Audio Silver speakers and I already like what the Sony sounds like over the Emotiva surround.
Going to use the XPA-5 for the fronts, 2 surrounds and will allow the Sony to power 4 new RSL C34E MKII Atmos speakers.
I'm working my way through the manual, but wondering if there is a way to turn off the 5 main speaker amps that will be powered by 5-ch power amp.

 

[Txzick]

I have mine arriving tomorrow and will have it configured and setup. I have about a 9 year old 70" Sony Bravia and see if that has issues. I don't have issues with that connection as of now with my Arcam AVR850. However I did a few years ago related to a bad HDMI cable which I replaced. So far no issues.

I have the Bravia XBR 65X900H and I believe the picture quality is better with the AZ5000ES connected (even my wife mentioned it). Still have a problem with HDMI input #3, (ARC, EARC), continue to get "no signal" msg. I'm questioning if that input was bad from the factory b/c it always had sync problems. Bought a 48Gbps cable (8k 10k) with no improvement over the 18Gbps.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I already like what the Sony sounds like over the Emotiva…

If the Sony sounds better than the Emo (weak link in chain), then why “dirty” the sound by using the Emo?

 

[Captain Norway]

If the Sony sounds better than the Emo (weak link in chain), then why “dirty” the sound by using the Emo?

Second this. Sell it and spend the money elsewhere. I have no issue with 8 x Arendal 1961 Monitor and 4 x Arendal 1961 Height.

Still working on the noise issue, but that is not related to the amp part.

 

[Txzick]

The processing technology of the surround signal in the Sony is better vs 10 yr old Emotiva technology. Sound is more open & distinct in each channel.
There's nothing wrong with XPA (gen 2) amps, they're a very good value buy & I would buy another if needed, especially if I could find a new XPA 1L or SA250, two of their best sounding amps for the $. XPA amps have very good speaker driver control, no slop, nothing "dirty".
As far as XMC-1, 2-ch balanced circuity playing music, good luck finding better, there's nothing "dirty" about them.
Sold an Anthem AVM60 b/c they're a little too bright for me & it didn't surpass the XMC Burr-Brown dacs.
Audio is all about component matching within the system, especially the speakers, which mine have been & still are Monitor Audio.

 

[Hattrick17]

I now have the ES5000 in my system and am very impressed. My Arcam AVR850 when working was a good AVR and had nice sound quality. But it is now starting to act up per intermittent cut outs of my surround speakers. The ES5000 to me sounds better especially for movies and TV. Today I am going to do an A/B test for analog vinyl, digital streaming stereo only between the two. I have a gut feeling the Sony will be totally on par with the AVR850.

 

[Hattrick17]

AVR850 / Sony ES 5000 Music listening comparison.

The AVR850 I would say slight edges out the Sony here. I find with listening to vinyl, I like the AVR850 a bit more. Certain frequencies stood out more over the Sony but not dramatically. The AVR850 sounded a bit more open but again so very slight. I compared both using the Direct Pure setting and with some processing as well, both stereo and multi-channel. I play around with both processing when listening to music. I find I love to use multi-channel for digital streaming being the music is everywhere in my home being it is so open. Reference songs were School and Bloody Well Right from Supertramp's Crime of the Century played on a Technics 1200GR with a Audio Technica 740ML cartridge > Whest Two.2 dual mono phono pre.

As per digital streaming and CD I would put them even. If the Arcam wasn't showing intermittent failure issues per the surround channels L&R, I would keep it. I find I can't be sending this back for another repair and paying for it being out of warranty. Consensus is the Sony stays and the Arcam will be sold if possible for a fair price. If I find no one is willing to pay a fair price I will keep it and use it elsewhere in my home.

 

[Txzick]

Added an Emotiva BasX A3 amp (140w/ch) this week and it opened up the front stage- dynamics & clarity, especially dialogue.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Added an Emotiva BasX A3 amp (140w/ch) this week and it opened up the front stage- dynamics & clarity, especially dialogue.

Many people here on AH who have been in this hobby for 30+ YR will disagree with you.

 

[lovinthehd]

Many people here on AH who have been in this hobby for 30+ YR will disagree with you.

I'd prefer the word doubt....why he thinks he heard such differences with the amp is another thing....

 

[dlaloum]

Added an Emotiva BasX A3 amp (140w/ch) this week and it opened up the front stage- dynamics & clarity, especially dialogue.

I found this to be the case with my Integra DRX3.4 - I believe it to be caused by the AVR needing to drive speakers with low impedance dips (in my case down to 1.6 ohm) and not being able to provide the current to meet those needs, or in many cases, instability in the negative feedback loops, which can be triggered by low impedance speakers...

Either way, "difficult" speakers are a torture test for amps, and can frequently make different amps, sound different.

The same amps, driving "easy" 8 ohm speakers, all sound identical.

So yes, there is some science behind it, and it all comes down to matching speakers to amps (and vice versa)... amps that can handle difficult speakers, can handle easy ones too... but the opposite is NOT the case.

Most AVR's on the market (with a few high end megabuck exceptions) are current constrained, and have issues driving difficult speakers.

High current AVR's (like previous generation Onkyo SR876, Integra DTR70.4 - which I have owned) handle it fine... current generation Denon AV1 should handle difficult speakers just fine.

One thing all the "heavy duty" AVR's have in common (other than being more expensive!) - is their weight, the transformers and capacitors in the high current power supply typically double the weight of the AVR compared to its smaller mass market brethren - the high current ones are typically circa 50lb / 25kg, where the mass market models are around 20lb / 10kg.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'd prefer the word doubt....why he thinks he heard such differences with the amp is another thing....

I think “doubting” someone can be seen as offensive or even hostile.

Simply disagreeing with someone (agreeing to disagree) might be more amicable.