Yes, the remote sucks batteries. My only major complaint is that I cannot get it to play Dolby Digital in the LD portion of the Pioneer DVL-909 DVD/LD player. I purchased a digial coaxial cable for the LD part and a digital optical cable for the DVD portion. I hooked everything up and while I get Dolby Digital with DVD's, I only get Dolby Pro Logic from the LD part. Is there something else that needs to be purchased? HELP!

Some of you may know my name as it has appeared in dozens of audio magazines over the past fifteen years. I am the past President of California Audio Labs, now retired. I only give that preface to lend some authority to my comments. I purchased the 50es recently to use with my home theater system. Given the mail order price of this unit I feel that it offers an outstanding value. I purchased this from Samman's for $620 plus freight ( pretty remarkable if you think about it). There service was excellent and timely. The product is a marvel of modern digital technology and provides extensive features and users controls beyond, I fear, what the casual listener can handle. No matter, just ignore some of the extensive setup adjustments if you like and the receiver will choose one of its generic settings which is quite good enough for most listeners. The overall performance of this product is superb and rivals products selling at much higher price points. What more can you ask of a six hundered dollar receiver? Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention the remote. I recall a few ill conceived products I have been involved in developing so I can understand how this idea looked good on paper for Sony. The remote is hard to see and not great to use, but it does the job (yes I have the "new" remote). In an effort to "fix" their battery life problem Sony has seen fit to eliminate the user control for back lite time out. The remote turns off quickly and I do find this annoying. Without re-engineering the remote I fear it was their only solution. If it bothers you buy a good quality universal remote. No you shouldn't have to do this, but it is the only solution if you can't live with the supplied remote.
Other than the usual complaints about the remote, I feel the 50 is a great value and a quality product with enough power and sound field settings to bring solid home theater enjoyment to most listeners.

i purchased the sony 50 es it sounded ok but i had to take two of mine back within a two month period, the remote was the worst thing i have ever used if you are thinking of getting a reciever at this price point get the yamaha 995 it is a lot cleaner and a lot better remote and on screen programing

I love the sound and the user interface of my 50ES. I also had the dim display/short battery life problems with my remote. I sent the remote to Sony for the upgrade and got it back several weeks ago. The display is much brighter, although you can't change the timeout on the auto power off anymore. So far the batteries have lasted over 3 weeks. Only time will tell how much better it really is.
I would definitely buy this reciever again, even with the remote problems.

I got my 50ES with the 'new improved remote' from Sound City about a month ago, and I love it! Sound quality is excellent in normal, DSP, and DD modes. One of the things I like best about this receiver is it's capibility to reassign all of the inputs except TUNER and PHONO. This thing has flexability like no other receiver I've ever seen! The 'new improved' remote still sucks the life out of Duracells in a hurry. Otherwise, it's concept is very cool, and it does everything imaginable. I picked up a used RM-LJ301 remote (from 30ES/DA925) for $68, and use it the majority of the time. I wouldn't want to spend $140 for a new one, but it's a GREAT remote and well worth buying if you can find one at a good price. It will do most of what the original RM-TP501 will do, and the rest you can do at the receiver. But so much for remotes (remember when you had to walk over to your audio equipment to operate it?). The 50ES is a fantastic receiver, and I'd recommend it to anyone!

www.pioneerelectronics.comthey just updated the elite series webpage. 4 out of 5 receivers have thx. sony has none with thx. looks like pioneer elite is in the drivers seat now. i have the 50es but will be getting a pioneer.

I purchased mine almost a year ago. We have the European version, which has the 5.1 input. I am pretty pleased with its performance. I normally have the volume knob set at 9 o'clock. I have used it on both DD and DTS materials and I am pretty happy with it. DD and DTS auto-decoding is pretty good. Like the others, I had a problem with the remote as well. But it has been fixed, not by Sony though. Email me if you want to know how I fixed it. Good receiver for its price.

I also own this unit. I personally didn't want to own another Sony. Since I was going to replaced my old Sony STR-1011S, which I didn't even like. I figure this is the ES line, and it should be better. Glad I made the right decision.
I'm using this unit as my "average" setup in my master bedroom HT setup. Originally I had Polk Audio satellite setup, but now I'm using full tower Acoustic Research 5.1 (312HO, AR4C, AR15, S500). For the price and performance. You just can't get better than this. Yes the remote is lacking in some area. I just wish I can fix the contrast problem when using it during daylight. Any one??

The unit has LOTS of DSP modes. I personally don't use them, but have played around with them. Some effects are more noticeable than others(specially the Music, Etc...). I personally can't really tell the difference using the Sony Digital Cinema Sound.

Lots of Optical input, and one optical Output, but unfortunately they can't be assign to different source, as they are preset. There is only 1 Coax which you need to share with DVD or LD. Joe Abram mention he can't use his LD with AC3. Just to let you know; information is available in the manual as well. If you have a LD player with a AC-3 RF out, you need to get a RF converter. =)

Video in/out is plentiful as well. All with Svideo and composite. I believe it has a total of 5 video i/o. Too bad you can't mix svideo and composite input to the monitor output.

There isn't much I don't like about the unit. My only complain is that I can't turn off the EQ from the remote, unless of course I'm missed it somewhere . The other complain would be the lack of contrast while using the unit in day light. The two way communication on the remote is really lacking too. You have to be in a direct line of sight with it. Half the time I get the stupid alarm beep because it can get info from the receiver.

In any case, if anyone have special mod to the remote to get better contrast during daylight, please email me! I love to get that mod.

I am intrigued at the reviews posted on this page about this sony reciever. The only problem I have had with my remote is that it doesn't learn. For $650 dollars you just can't beat the performance and sound quality you get out of this unit. I listened to several Yamaha offerings and Denon, well Denon doesn't have an equivellent model at this price range. I have the energy take 5 system (I was looking for highest quality for a low price) and the performance during DVD playback is unbelievable. I would definetly recommend the STR-DA50ES, and definetly the energy Take five system. Together they reproduce sounds I never heard with my Kenwood 1080. The remote isn't that bad either, and its definetly better than what "almost" everyone else is offering. So for 1500 dollars (with the take five) I have no complaints.

I bought my DA50-ES a while ago, and i'm very pleased with it! After reading all info on this receiver I knew exactly what I bought; a solid surround receiver with everything you need on it. The European version rates 5x120Watts and i've never even turned the volume up half-way! Also nice on the european version is the 5.1 inputs, so it is future-proof. Everything performs just the way i'd hope it would. (the remote too, unfortunatly. But enough said about that, at least it works). The receiver does get a little warm, but not to hot. And the main reason for that must be that my laserdisc player directly stands on top of the Sony, which causes very little 'breathing space' for the Sony. Still it's not been a problem, and when my new audio-rack arrives i don't think the unit will run even warm then. Setting-up the system is not complicated, but it does cost a good amount of time!
Overall:

Good points:
-power enough;
-inputs enough (thank you Sony for the Phono input, also thanks for the 5x video (S-video & composite) inputs) and the 5.1-input);
-decoding enough (DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround, Stereo);

Bad points:
-2way LCD remote (it doesn't work the way it (quite cool) looks, and my Marantz DC-82 DCC deck can't be programmed);
-no AC-3 RF input for all my present and future Dolby Digital LaserDiscs

All & all: i'm a happy man!