It’s been over a decade since Audioholics has executed an intensive bench take a look at assessment on a Sony receiver, however that’s about to alter… Certain we’ve coated Sony’s different releases of merchandise like their HT-A9 House theater in a field system and new Sony applied sciences like their Object-Based mostly ‘360 Actuality Audio’ Format. However now Sony has introduced a slew of immersive 8K receivers with a brand new immersive audio room correction expertise. The brand new receivers from Sony are their first to function 8K & 4K/120 assist in addition to Sony’s new ‘360 Spatial Sound Mapping expertise’. The brand new ES line options 4 new fashions constructed primarily for customized set up and the STR-AN1000 which is created for customers seeking to improve their present dwelling theater system.
2023 Sony ES AV Receivers Overview of Distinctive Options – 360 Spatial Sound Mapping!
Sony’s Elevated Normal (ES) sequence’ AV receivers had been designed from the bottom up and from what we’ve seen, look to be the most effective receivers Sony has made but. Enhancements like a body beam base chassis (FBB chassis) has been developed by combining a traditional body beam chassis with a transformer base which ought to present a stiff and extra steady design for higher sound with much less distortion. With this, the general thickness of the ES sequence has been improved, together with a backside plate that’s 200% thicker and aspect partitions which might be 120% thicker than earlier fashions. The ES sequence function assist for the main management methods from Control4, Crestron, Savant and OvrC and all 4 ES fashions include a graphical consumer interface, or entrance panel show. These are merchandise designed for the Customized Integrator in thoughts.
STR-AN1000 7.2 Channel 8K AV Receiver
The buyer mannequin STR-AN1000 is a 7.2 channel receiver, comes with Sony’s new 360 Spatial Sound Mapping Expertise and is priced at $900. Sony says the STR-AN1000 is “designed to provide you an immersive encompass sound and top quality visible with easy arrange.”
We’re very excited to share the information of our extremely anticipated receiver lineup. We’ve been part of the customized integration channel for over 30 years, and we’re wanting ahead to providing streamlined integration for our companions, whereas additionally delivering unbelievable efficiency. We are able to’t await customers to expertise our new STR-AN1000 mannequin! It’s excellent for our clients on the lookout for an immersive dwelling theater expertise like by no means earlier than.
–Tyler Ishida – President of Client Enterprise Group, Sony Electronics Inc.
The massive information from Sony is their “revolutionary” 360 Spatial Sound Mapping expertise that’s designed to create a singular and immersive cinematic expertise. 360 Spatial Sound Mapping can place a number of phantom audio system across the room to create a wider listening area for a extra genuine cinematic expertise at dwelling. By using the positional data measured by Sony’s Digital Cinema Auto Calibration, a number of phantom audio system are generated throughout the room. The newest auto calibration expertise developed by Sony can right the space, angle, sound strain and frequency response of every speaker by measuring the speaker placement in 3D utilizing the provided calibration microphone.The brand new calibration expertise will work alongside Auto Part Matching, which aligns the part of various audio system. This implies you possibly can compensate for difficult speaker placement, delay, or part shift to really feel totally immersed in a film.
Widespread Options of the ES Receiver Line and the STR-AN1000 Mannequin
Sony STR-AZ7000ES: 13.2 CH A/V Receiver
All 5 receivers will function the inclusion of video applied sciences like HDR10, HLG, Dolby Imaginative and prescient and newly supported 8K, and IMAX Enhanced on the ES sequence and STR-AN1000. Likewise, all of the receivers will assist the most recent codecs, equivalent to 4K/120, Variable Refresh Fee (VRR)8 and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) in HDMI 2.1, for smoother and clearer motion for responsive gameplay. The AV receivers will even pass-through Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Style Image Mode on suitable BRAVIA XR TVs for a greater gaming expertise on the PlayStation 5.
The ES sequence and STR-AN1000 additionally helps DSD (Direct Stream Digital) native playback, with no conversion concerned, so DSD content material could be loved shedding not one of the authentic high quality. The AV receivers supply easy accessibility to music purposes. Not solely with STRAN1000 but in addition ES sequence, customers can simply join good units to the amplifier through Bluetooth and companies equivalent to Spotify Join, Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 and Works with Sonos. So, it’s by no means been simpler or extra handy for music followers to get pleasure from their favourite artists.
Middle Channel Configuration Choices
When related to a BRAVIA XR TV with Acoustic Middle Sync, the ES sequence and STR-AN1000 mix audio from the TV with the audio from the middle speaker. Sony says with this pairing, “Dialogue will seem to return straight from the characters on the display creating a way more immersive expertise.” The AV receivers additionally combine with the BRAVIA Fast Settings menu, permitting you to alter options such because the sound discipline of the amplifier simply by utilizing the TV distant. The STR-AZ5000ES and STR-AZ7000ES fashions supply a center-channel lift-up function that makes use of the entrance peak audio system to assist increase the middle channel sound location for conditions the place the middle channel should be positioned decrease to the ground underneath the show gadget. Each fashions additionally present a Twin Middle Speaker operate that permits for the usage of a prime and backside middle channel speaker to enhance the middle speaker expertise on very massive display shows.
As well as, the AV receivers may also join wirelessly to Sony’s non-obligatory audio system, together with wi-fi rear audio system SA-RS5 and SA-RS3S and non-obligatory wi-fi subwoofers SA-SW5 and SA-SW3.
| STR-AZ7000ES | STR-AZ5000ES | STR-AZ3000ES | STR-AZ1000ES | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Rankings |
150W + 150W | 130W + 130W | 120W + 120W | 100W + 100W |
| Amplifier Channels |
13.2 | 11.2 | 9.2 | 7.2 |
| HDMI Inputs |
6 in / 2 out | |||
| 8K & 4K/120Hz HDMI Inputs |
4 in / 2 out | 4 in / 2 out | 4 in / 2 out | 2 in / 2 out |
| HDMI 2.1, ALLM, VRR |
Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Dimensions | 17 in x 7 3⁄4 in x 17 3⁄8 | 17 in x 7 3⁄4 in x 17 3⁄8 | 17 in x 7 3⁄4 in x 17 3⁄8 | 17 in x 6 1⁄4 in x 13 1⁄8 |
| Weight |
48 lb | 42.6 lb | 41.15 lb | 20.9 lb |
| Value | $3,300 | $2,100 | $1,700 | $1,100 |
What we expect…
The two prime fashions are a hefty 48lbs, 42 lbs, respectively, which is an effective signal that Sony goes again to their audio roots and placing some meaty amps and energy provide’s of their merchandise. The massive query is the brand new 360 Spatial room correction. Dirac has their spatial room correction answerwhich abandons the previous methodology of
correcting one channel at a time, as a substitute utilizing each speaker in a system
concurrently to optimize the replica of every enter channel. Trinnov lately launched their Trinnov Optimizer to compete with Dirac Reside, and now Sony has their 360 Spatial Sound Mapping expertise. To say we’re ” in Sony’s new line of receivers is placing it mildly. If Sony’s spatial correction can deliver good outcomes with straightforward arrange like Sony claims, the bottom mannequin STR-AN1000 at $900 can be an unbelievable worth for the quantity of expertise out of the field.
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