THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST RECIVER THAT I HAVE OWNED. IT PUMPS MY JBL HLS820 WITH PURE POWER. POWER THAT IS CLEAN. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH ALL THE FEATURES THAT IT HAD. DOLBY DIGITAL,DTS,32-BIT PROCESSING, ALL THOSE OUTPUTS AND INPUTS, AND THE SONY CINEMA DSP MODE. THE RUMOR ON THE REMOTE IS TRUE. MY REMOTE DRAINS MY BATTERIES WITHIN A MONTHS. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT SONY IS DOING ABOUT THIS? ANYWAY BACK TO THE DA50ES. IT ALSO LOOKS VERY GOOD UNLIKE YAMAHA'S 995. IT DELIVERS LOWS AND HIGHS THAT ARE SO SWEET. ANYONE WHO OWNS THIS RECIEVER KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. IF YOU KNOW ANYONE IN THE MILITARY, YOU CAN GET IT FOR $649 ON POST. THIS IS A GREAT VALUE FOR $649. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS.

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST RECIVER THAT I HAVE OWNED. IT PUMPS MY JBL HLS820 WITH PURE POWER. POWER THAT IS CLEAN. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH ALL THE FEATURES THAT IT HAD. DOLBY DIGITAL,DTS,32-BIT PROCESSING, ALL THOSE OUTPUTS AND INPUTS, AND THE SONY CINEMA DSP MODE. THE RUMOR ON THE REMOTE IS TRUE. MY REMOTE DRAINS MY BATTERIES WITHIN A MONTHS. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT SONY IS DOING ABOUT THIS? ANYWAY BACK TO THE DA50ES. IT ALSO LOOKS VERY GOOD UNLIKE YAMAHA'S 995. IT DELIVERS LOWS AND HIGHS THAT ARE SO SWEET. ANYONE WHO OWNS THIS RECIEVER KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. IF YOU KNOW ANYONE IN THE MILITARY, YOU CAN GET IT FOR $649 ON POST. THIS IS A GREAT VALUE FOR $649. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS.

Hello. I apologize for posting a question. I ahve read a lot of info on purchasing at the MILITARY POST and the discounted costs. I myself am not in the military, but my uncle is a colonel--would it be possiblte for him to purchase it for me? Is there somewhere I can check out what is available? Are other comparable receivers such as the yamaha rx-v2095 availbale also. If anyone has any info I would greatly apppreciate it!!!! ThanksRyan Walsh
rwalsh@umich.edu

Great sound in stereo and Dolby/DTS mode. No complaints here.
Internal audio DAC contibutes the sound with stunning clarity.
Quite easy to setup.
Very good build quality and smart looks.

The remote control is the biggest letdown!
You will have problems looking at it even with 20/20 vision.
Eats batteries quick.. be prepared to spend on batteries.
Not easily programmable for other equipment if not on the preset list.

This receiver is the best all-in-one box with features that would suit almost anybody wanting a upper-end receiver.
Quoted at 100W X 5, with a right set of speakers and sound enviroment,hooked DTS mode, you may die of sound fright!
There's a very good array of video,digital and analog. More than one could ask for. Maybe I could ask for more coaxial inputs (only one coaxial input provided)

In stereo mode, I used the SONY DVP-7700 as a CD transport lined to the coaxial input, it sounded a little forward (Most Sony's have foward sound)with the stunning clarity. The sound suits me fine. I think the receiver's internal DAC is a little better than the SONY DVP-7700 DAC.(which have also received rave reviews for CD sound). Midrange sounds a little more distinct. Bass is less muddled.

I did open the box and sure enough it was using a pair of SanKen SAP15 darlington transistors in the Power Amp section. These transistors are rated at least 150W. No complaints on Sanken components, they are specified in the best amps including Marantz.

Overall, this receiver is a gem! I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a mid to high end one box set!

Power, DSP modes, looks, Build Quality, Sound Quality in Stereo and in HT, features.
Value for money

Remote is hard to read in daylight, even with back-light on, it is pretty useless, it cannot replace any individual remote, because it only contains basic functions (even for Sony Products). I do not know if it is eating batteries as many reviewers have mentioned, as I do not own it for long enough.
Hissing very noticeable at Half Volume and above
One only Coaxial Digital input and for DVD only

Upgraded from a previous Sony - STR 930 because of hissing after two weeks of use.

The STRDA50ES is also hissing but from a much higher volume than the STR-DB930, so it is not really a problem.

The STRD-A50ES has similar features as the STR-DB930, but benefits of the ES Quality Components and built, this is a heavy and powerful beast; it is definitively better than the 930; but to a point only.

I have found something annoying, there is only one coaxial digital input, which is for DVD only; therefore I am unable to plug my Digital Satellite receiver (which has a coaxial digital output only)in an other way than to use analog inputs.

In conclusion the STR-DA50ES is a good product, but for the lack of a second Coaxial Digital input, I will upgrade again to a HK-AVR7000.

If it was not for that I would have been happy to keep it.

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR - DB930

It looks very nice. Dolby Digital-DTS......

Remote Control - Amplifier - No analig to digital conv. internaly

I bought this unit in champagne like color. And it looks very nice. I liked my TA2000ES pre-amp. muck better. I think it is a shame to the SONY ES quality brand. It took me a while to get the information on the amplifiers. It seems from sonys own specifications (recieved from sony) that the main stereo amp. is in fact ES quality, but the center and the 2 rear, is just, from the data sheet, QS quality. I think that sony has marketet an ES produkt that certenly is nothing but QS with ES stereo and looks. The volume control shifts right at low levels. The remote eats batteries on a weekly basis, and can not be programmed (you just have to hope your equiptment is on sonys list of functions) I am not using the remote at all, but use my multi marrantz. Analog input can not be recorded via digital out.... Bad service.

I think sony has marketet a quick and cheap ES produkt, and thrown 3 QS amps. in the packet. All the new models 555-777 has the same data for all 5 amps. at ES quality.

Not to happy about this thing, and the sound it produces, is not very impressive, as sony declare in the brochure.

Now looking for another reciever....................


JN

Similar Products Used:

Sony TA2000 ES

Decent sound, many optical inputs, DTS, good amount of features for the price. Cool blue light in front when multi-channel decoding is detected.

Cool looking remote sucks! It's LCD is not bright enough and it sucks up a 4 pack AA every 3-4 weeks. Lack of an integral RF demodulator = sucks for laserdisc owners.

After a disapointing performance with the Kenwood VR-2090, I picked up the STR-DA50ES. I was surprised by the great sound it put out on my Bose AM-12, for a mere $649. At higher volume, there was no noticeable distortion...maybe a little in the mid range during the bank robber shoot out scene in "Heat", but much improvement from the Kenwood.

Other pluses about this receiver is that it has a butt-load of inputs, including three digital inputs (1 coaxial, 2 TosLink optical) and a digital loop for MiniDisc and DAT recording.

This receiver has 29 built in surround sound mode, but I found that putting it on 'Auto Format Decoding'sounds better. I don't care too much for additional signal processing, I like the sound in its original form.

The downside: THE REMOTE! After my frustration with the joystick-navigating-LCD Kenwood remote, I couldn't wait to get a touchscreen LCD that Sony offered. I should stick to the traditional push-button remotes. The LCD backlight is not bright enough, you can barely see the display if the backlight is not on. And when it is on, it doesn't stay that way long enough. In addition, this remote eats AA batteries. $5 for pack of AA multiplied by 12+ months = get another remote. The remote does have a cool feature though, you can list and select all of your CDs if you have a changer. The problem is that it would only recognize 200 disc out of my 300 disc changer. Bummer.

Overall, I'm happy with this receiver. The DTS is great, especially when I put in the DTS version of "Saving Private Ryan." The sound quality/price ratio is quite good. If you're looking for better sound, spend more money on a high end dedicated amplifier. But if you're looking good well rounded receiver for both music and movies, this is it.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood VR-2090

Excellent power output.

The remote

I really like this unit except for the remote. It is
difficult to read, especially in low light situation. Glare
is also a problem. The remote also drinks battery like a
SUV drinks gasoline. Every three to four weeks the battery
must be changed even if I don't use it for a month. I
bought a universal remote to save on batteries.

various connections possibilities,ease of operation

only 3 video "vcr" inputs

i have used many products over the years and very few have the ability to grow with you and the advancement in technology. The remote can be cumbersum but if you use the supplied pen and pen holder you don't have to use 2 hands to hold the remote. The DTS and AC3 decodersare very good, sound responce is excellent through my JBL's (HLS Seris 820's,610's,center,psw-d110 powered sub).
I have found this to be a very progressive and thinking unit where i don't have to adjust it all the time or for different movies.
Now with the addition of my JVC 60" projection T.V. I now feel I have a TRU home theater.

Similar Products Used:

sony 2000esd,yahama dsp-3090,pioneer 906

sound quality, inputs, performance

remote, remote, remote

I reviewed this receiver months after purchasing it in 1999. Although I HATE the remote, I have found that this receiver produces some of the best sound for my complimentary components, within this pricerange.
I have a medium sized studio, 18x32, complimented with paradigm monitor7, lcr350, and mini-monitors. I am perplexed to see the number of negative reviews that this receiver received based on the remote itself...there are many options for conrol that alleviate the need for the standard remote. I believed that I hated this unit based ONLY on the remote and auditioned several others in my home as candidates for replacement(above mentioned). after NUMEROUS auditions, and several weeks of scrutiny, i found i did not want a different receiver...only a different remote. I found the new RCA commander to fill most of my needs. I honesty, if this receiver was judged for phonic ability alone, it should be considered a 5*. It really is that good.

Similar Products Used:

several, too numerous to list but including: yamaha 2095, denon 3300, onkyo 777, marantz 7700.....