after recall, mine sounds awesome!!!!! no more problems

Beautiful design with simplistic front panel layout. Attractive looking remote and very easy to program. The surround imaging is superb.

- For some reason, the DA5000ES doesn't have much dynamics w/ the bass response on my vintage speakers compared to my old integrated amp, also the mid sounds harsh on some CDs. - Increasing or decreasing volume is sluggish and painfully slow (perhaps Sony intended this way so people could not hear the drastic volume change when watching movies at high volume level!) - When turning the EQ knobs(i.e treble), there's this blip between increments (again this could be the digital amp thing that I'm not used to) - The speakers connectors' posts are cramped close to each other therefore connecting wires presented a challenge to big hands.

Excellent for home theater. Overly bright for music that resulted in listening fatigue with some CD(despite w/ EQ setting to flat).

Great sound. Very dynamic. Very flexible. Tons of hookups. Looks very clean.

No HDMI or DVI switching. Remote is a little confusing at first. Other than that, none so far.

I have had this reviever for about three months now and love it. I agree with the last reviewer who mentions other people complaining about output issues. The displays says it goes up to +20.0. I've had mine at about -19.0 and it is blazin' loud. I don't know who is cranking this reviever all the way up, but they are nuts. Sound quality is very good for a digital amp. You can't really expect a ton of warmth from it considering, but I can't believe the sound when listening to quality cd recordings. Having great speakers helps too. The accuracy is amazing. Very clear and open sounding. I hope mine doesn't develope video issues like some of the others. One time everything was coming through in black and white, but I unplugged the S-video cable, then plugged it back in and it has been fine since. Thanks god for a five year warranty. DSP functions are cool, but not all that usable for me. For video games or when watching sports they are nice, but I would not use them during movies or music. Overall I would definately recommend this reciever for music or home theater. Probably suited better for the later considering it's all digital. Great deal if you can find one for what I paid for it.

Dynamic Range, clarity of the reproduction, and power.

None noted.

Excellent Unit! It is incorrectly listed, it is a STR-DA5000ES. Complaints from other reviewers about lack of power are untrue. Sony like other Mfgs, should seriously consider putting an AGC circuit on their pre-amp inputs. I could never get a consistent pre-amp level input from any of the program sources such CD, DVD's, or Cable HDTV w/DTS encoding. I'm using all Fiber Optic Toslink connections. Being an EE, I'm thinking about developing a AGC ckt for this sony. Noise levels are non existent in between silent passages. Love that Blue Fluorscent light for DTS encoding! I'm driving a 7.1 setup with 6 Optimus RCA LX5s and the LX55 Center Channel. The digital amps(Class-D) on this unit drive those Linaeum Tweeters on the LX5s/LX55 to some magnificent levels of clarity and presence! My Subwoofer, an SVS 20-39 PCI along with the Linaeum units and this Sony make for an unbelievable music system as well. I'm going to hook up a pair of ESS AMT-1Bs, I bought in 1978 and in the process of refurbushing the woofer and radiaters. This will be my B speakers. Overall, I would highly recommend this unit to any audiophile. It has more hookups and capabilities than anyone could ever ask for.

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Kenwood, Marantz, Denon

easy to use,looks good, has good sound, good warranty,set it up and enjoy.

not sure on the sound sometimes. Is it the cd quality?

I've had my 5000 for 1 yr and so far so good. The sound is good and it seems to depend more on the quality of the cd/dvd/sacd that is playing. If the quality is good than with my 2 front speakers and my sub on the sound is very smooth and tight I would say. Now with less of a cd the sound can sound like a bad am radio? don't no why? Movie's do what they are meant to do. Crank it as far as u can stand. I've read lots of reviews on denon,onkyo and others. Seems like u just go with the brand u like and buy it. So there u are. I matched my 5000 with the 777es dvd player-they work great. I use b&w 602's for my fronts and b&w asw 675 sub.

Incredible pure sound with external amplifier(the best receiver sound ever tested),easy to use,and looks pretty.Perfect to movies and music really impressive sound quality and purity.

Really needs external amplifier,poor equlization(only 5 presets memory and only bass and treble,ecxept center channel with five bands),do not have auto equalization.

This is my second review,i replace my 5000 for a Yamaha RX-V2400...the sound is very good to music and movies but i try to test my 5000Es again to compare,but this time i put a ADCOM GFA-7607 external amplifier because the 5000ES amplifier have much noise. The sound is absolutely incredible,pure and datail.So i just sold the Yamaha to my brother. I was making many tests last 3 days between STR-DA5000ES,Yamaha RX-V2400 and Sony STR-DA30ES. You can trust,the 5000ES is the best but you need to put a external amplifier,otherwise you cam to buy the Yamaha.i try the Yamaha with external amplifier too but sony is better if using external amplifier,the sound is better without external amplifier too,but have higher noise its incredible on quiet moments on films you will hear chchchchchchhchchchc!!!

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"Little better" than Yamaha RX-V2400(used last 2 months) with no doubt,but much more expensive,and sound much more pure than SONY STR-DA30ES(used last four year).

Advertising of the "ES" line

faulty video upconversion, poor dynamic range. Evasive tech support and warranty service.

All hype and liitle substance. Poor sound quality, limited dynamic range and irresolvable video problems led me to give up after two units and one factory warranty service. Sony recalled these units from the shelves and apparently did not inform the consumers who had already purchased this shoddy merchandise.

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Replaced it with a Denon 3805 -- I love it!!

Audio, Input / Output options.

Video problems

Love the 5000 sound and input / output options. I matched it with Aperion speakers. Problem - I am on my 3rd replacement because of video problems. After about a month the video starts to 'blink out' on my VEGA tv. If I bypass the 5000 all is OK. This is from any video source.

Tons of Power, component video up conversion, SWEET SOUND, Silver front panel Looks great

Remote, assignable video source.

The new Sony STR/DA5000 has met all of my expectations as a hi end A/V receiver. I replaced an Onkyo 797. And other than assignable video sources. This receiver kicks but. I think that the sound is much sweeter than my Onkyo, (I've owned Onkyo receivers for 10+ years) It just sounds more natural. Plenty of power (170 watts) video up conversion, built in EQ, and looks fantastic. But the best thing is the sound. plenty of dynamics, very musical. best receiver I've purchased so far.

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Onkyo 797, 901,

Great looks

Hissing noise on every speaker when volume turned up...poor amp design

This is a follow-up to my earlier review...Im afraid that I must drop my review rating down a couple of notches. You should not have to turn any receiver up to full volume for proper enjoyment. I can only assume bad amp design. Not happy as reviewer below.