DVD Coax input, raw power, cosmetics

Crackling in Normal Surround mode with DVD AC3 or DTS, remote is crap

Have owned 2 years now. Should have gone with Denon or Yamaha in retrospect. Maybe Marantz or Denon today. Supposed ES quality is a joke. This unit has been to Sony repair headquarters (they should know right?) twice already and now needs a third visit. REmote is horrible, I had it upgraded, some upgrade, the 6 sec. timeout and battery eating are still too much for me so it has gathered dust for about a year. I have nice JM Lab Cobalt speakers, CA9ES Sony DVD and Sony 550DVD and am not sold on the audio quality. I have tried messing with it for 2 years, adding quality cables, etc and get your basic sound, nothing special. I am not suprised, my supposed ES CA9 CD player has been in the shop 3 times in 2 years. Thats 2 ES components, 5 times to the repair shop. No, I dont crank it up. But I am going to crank Sony and their lousy ES s*#t right out of the house p.d.q. and will never buy another Sony HT item. Except my Wega CRT 32" which is on its best behaviour at the moment. But then again, it isn't ES is it?

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha

DTS and DD sound. Retains individual audio settings for each input. Multiple digital inputs. Reliability.

No onscreen display and the famous remote

So far so good. The receiver has performed flawlessly for about 2 years now. Have multiple digital sources hooked up and the sound is great.

As for the remote, I purchased some rechargeable NiMH batteries and they last about 2 months (with limited use).

For an unbiased review, try the following:

http://thestar.com.my/audio/story.asp?file=/1999/5/20da50

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer Elite, Technics, Harman Kardan

DTS and DD sound. Retains individual audio settings for each input. Multiple digital inputs. Reliability.

No onscreen display and the famous remote

So far so good. The receiver has performed flawlessly for about 2 years now. Have multiple digital sources hooked up and the sound is great.

As for the remote, I purchased some rechargeable NiMH batteries and they last about 2 months (with limited use).

For an unbiased review, try the following:

http://thestar.com.my/audio/story.asp?file=/1999/5/20da50

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer Elite, Technics, Harman Kardan

Has more arsenal of DSP modes than any other.

Power Hungry Remote

First look was impressive. More then enough input connections. Watching movie is never boring with 32 types of DSP modes. But a little disappointing when I switch off all the DSP, Equalization and go staright to I/O for some serious music, it lacks that... you know, a good smack in the chest type of bass.

For Movie, the centre and main speaker settings are a bit to difficult. Not easy to find the right level whenever changing over other DVD's. Have to keep a remote handy at all time. Other then that is a fun set.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha RX-925

Looks, sound, dual voltage enabled, auto video switching, 7 S-vid, 5 toslink, 1 coax, full set pre outs, full set alternate speaker outs, dual subwoofer outs

no R232 port for upgrading to todays 6/7 channel formats

Theres nothing mamby pamby about about the DA50 in my experience. It is this receiver that prompted me to upgrade to the STR-Da777es about a year and a half ago. I kept the DA50 and placed it in a front speaker only setup for the bedroom. This receiver is not quite as dynamic as the 777, but then again very few are. Anyone looking for kick in the teeth sound and performance and can live without the extra speakers to the rear,and can find this receiver for less than $400, buy it.

Similar Products Used:

Fisher Marantz, HK ,SAE, Other Sony ES

Looks, Bi-wiring, pre-out, remote, marketing

Sound quality, DSP, Basically not a Hi-Fi product despite the respectable ES designation. It's a 940QS with a fancy remote.

When I got the upgrade itch from my old all Sony 50ES set, I decided to check out this surround thing I've been hearing so much about. Of course I was blown away by it's DTS and DD capabilities and specs, so I sold my old set and bought the DVP-7700ES and the STR-DA50ES, since they seemed to be the only High-ish End game in town. Of course I gave them a proper break-in period, but as far as 2-channel sound goes, the 50ES is utter crap. It has nothing to do with High Fidelity whatsoever.
I tried everything to improve on the sound quality. I even bought a separate power amp (Musical Fidelity) to regain some control on the bass, and tried a DAC but to no avail. The fact of the matter is that there is no possibility to have a true direct throughput of the cd-sound. The sound has no depth, soundstaging or freshness. Bass is rediculously booming and uncontrolled. Highs are sharp and narrow.
This is a typical consumer electronic device and greatly degrades an otherwise very well respected ES reputation.
After 2 months I sold the set, and was fortunate enough to come across a second-hand T+A set, which showed me what I have been missing all my listening life. Until the surround platform has had some more time to evolve like the cd, I will not integrate HT with Audio. (Unless I win the lottery and go for Mark Levinson, Krell and the likes :))

Associated equipment:
Kef reference series 2 speakers with RDM's as rears
MIT Terminator 2 BiWi
Sony DVP7700 ES DVD-player
van den Hul The First Interconnect

Similar Products Used:

None, just 2-channel.

REALLY GOOD RECEIVER I ENJOY IT IT IS NOT THE BEST BUT FOR THE MONEY IT'S GREAT WITH BUILT IN DD AND DTS IT IS REALLY GREAT, THE ONLY FEED BACK I'M HAVING IS THE REMOTE IT'S KINDA DARK, BUT STILL I'M GONNA GIVE IT FIVE STARS FOR THE VALUE!

I have the 30ES and I love it. I would have gotten the 50ES, but I did not want that remote. I was quoted $649 from Uncle's Stereo on NYC www.unclestereo.com, and sound city in NJ. I got the 30ES at $549 from Uncle's stereo. It was brand new, sealed in a Sony ES box. Everything was wrapped and new. I don't know how they got these prices, but they did, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

This receiver is properly catalogued as "Sony STR-DA50ES". See comments and reviews under that thread.
My comments:

This is the third, and best, Sony ES Receiver I have purchased in the last 10 years. The vast array of digital optical (and S-video) inputs is impressive, and music sounds more brilliant, immediate, and pristine. More frequencies to customize vs equalizers on prior ES units. Video performance also excellent. Setup is easy and versatile to adjust from 2 to 6 speakers, distance, etc. I wound up trying two different units, because first was returned due to inability to restart, after amp was warm (a "PROTECTOR" message would flash on display). Only drawback, is that the remote is a clunker, as others have said, because it is too hard to read . . . I will stick with my Marantz remote. Still, after listening carefully to several treasured (classical/opera) recordings, I can say that this STR DA50ES receiver creates the impression of a definitive product, something I have missed since the good old days of Marantz, over 3 decades ago.

Sony STRDA50ESSony MDS-JA20ES
Pioneer DV717