Good quality construction, lots of inputs, clean sound.

No subwoofer output with soundfield off. Remote sucks!! cramped dynamic range, use of poor quality components in signal path, low quality op-amps.

I've owned and listened to tube and mosfet equipment. I was in the market for a receiver with lots of inputs and not cheap spring loaded speaker terminals. I saw this unit at GoodGuys for $399.00, open box. I bought it and have been listening for a month now. The sound was dull and lacked the dynamics and details I'm used to. I've replaced the op - amps on the main circuit board with BURR-BROWN OPA2134. The Sony used M5218's. The sound improvement was a 100 X better. The details just popped out with the new op amps. Mark you the Burr-Brown Op amps are $2.67 each compared to probably less than a dollar for the 5218's. I will replace those on the pre-amp and digital boards also. Sony uses cheap ceramic caps and carbon resistors in the signal path. Those I will replace with polystyrene or polypropylene caps and metal film resistors. The mail powersupply has only 15000UF per rail. Probably accounts for the less defined bass. I will increase it to 21800UF.

Overall the unit works fine. The remote is a bit bulky and needs to get used to.

Similar Products Used:

None

It's heavy

It sounds bad and the remote does not work, not even with my sony tv

From day one this unit did not work. I called sony on the phone to help me set it up and they said the unit was fine it just needs time to warm up. I never knew that. My friend bought me a DTS cd and when you play it the first few seconds of the cd does not play. I called sony again and they said it was my cd player. So my brother put another cd player in my room and the same thing. I called sony again and they said it was the cd not the cd player.

So I put the cd in my brothers' machine in his room and it worked fine.

I called sony for the 5th time and they told me to unplug the unit and wait a few minutes. The sony rep stayed on the phone with me and when I plugged it back in a bad smell came from the unit. It smelled like rubber burning.

sony asked me to sentd the unit back. Well back it went. I'm so sorry I got this unit. I feel like crying. So many people take advantage of women when it comes to electronic things. sony was not nice to this woman. This is the last sony electronic product I should own,

Similar Products Used:

Luxman receiver

Layout, Power, Features, Price

REMOTE, Display,

Well after doing my homework for about a week, I decided to get the 555ES. I am very impressed with it's features but I was a little disappointed in the display. The older Sony Units had a parametric eq that you could customize and Actually SEE. Also, a personal thing, I think they could have made the DOLBY and DTS Logo's a bit more DRAMATIC than just a couple of small tiny letters, but that is just my opinion. The heat problem was solved by buying a small fan at an electronics store and putting some rubber feet on it and throwing it on the top. Works great! Used it for years on my old technics. The remote is mediocre but the previous people are right...go get a different cheaper one that will do EVERYTHING! I like the Spartan look about it with all the "busy" buttons behind the panel. The power is great, layout is great but the remote needs work and Sony needs to go back to the drawing board for their displays. Overall I would give it a 4.5.

Similar Products Used:

Technics 910 (1991)

Very impressed with the power and sound clarity.

I have still not figured out the remote.

I have had the baby up and running for about 3 weeks now and am generally impressed with both stereo and surround sound quality. I especially like some of the pre-programmed sound modes.

I just need help with the remote. Will I ever get comfortable with it?

Similar Products Used:

Sony db-930, Onkyo

Power, Clarity, Auto Format Decoding

Remote, Remote, Remote, did I mention Remote, fixed position digital inputs

I've used this receiver since August around when it first came out, and have been very pleased with it, except with teh piece of trash remote, which is just a battery hungry, glorified cheap universal remote. That thing is just terrible! I'm going to be replacing it with a Pronto pretty soon. Well, I'm going to mostly disregard that on the overall review. Musically, the receiver sounds great. On recordings such as Livingston Taylor's Good Friends from Chesky sounds way better than it should when you consider the price of my receiver and my Monitor Audio speakers. The sound is very clear and the high power can really control the speakers better than my previous receiver. When compared to my high end PS Audio Stereo amp and pre-amp there really isn't too much of a difference other than price. When it comes to movies, this thing really surprised me. I wasn't expecting it to sound as good as it did! I put in the more laid back yet fully encompassing Shawshank Redemption DVD in Dolby Digital 5.1 and was treated to an incredibly natural experience. The wonderful score came from the front sound field and rear sound field about as perfectly as it could. When I put in the Saving Private Ryan DTS Sound DVD, I was absolutely blown away. That thing didn't let up a bit when I cranked it to well over 100 db. The whole movie came across incredibly. The bullets whizzing over my head in the opening shocked me more than once with their power. Tomorrow Neve Dies in Dolby Digital 5.1 was also incredibly solid. 5.1 Channel concerts such as James Taylor's Live at the Beacon Theater and Dave Matthews Band's Listener Supported DVD's sounded incredible. This receiver has given me a new love for concert DVD's. The only other minor frustrations I had were the fact that the digital inputs were where they were, and couldn't be moved around from input to input, bass management make's me, ah, uncomfortable, no second zone support, and, of course, the previously mentioned "wonder remote." The auto format decoding works great. I can't wait to hear Jurassic Park in DTS Sound on DVD on October 10. It's going to be incredible. I'd recommend this receiver to anyone looking for high end music sound and powerful movie sound at a reasonably affordable price. I'm giving it a 5 on value and 4 overall mainly because of remote and othe minor qualms, but it should be about a 4.5.

Similar Products Used:

Amfi Amfitheater1 Pro-Logic Receiver, PS Audio Stereo amp and preamp

High quality construction, breathtaking sound, digital inputs, palm pilot like remote, NO HISSING!

manuals, when my cabinet doors are closed, they block out the infra red port. Now I have to get up off the sofa to open the doors :-(

I recently purchased a strdb930 (Jan 2000). However, as it is well documented countlessly in the reviews of that model (on this web site), it suffers from bad hissing even at low volume levels. At first, I was just going to live with it. But after I just spent $1000 for the reciever and almost $3000 on new Paradigms speakers (God, I love these... 2 Monitor 70P's, CC-350, and 2 Atoms v2's..yeah baby!), this hissing became intolerable. So, yesterday, I decided to take the unit back for a replacement like many other reviewers of the 930 did. Well, after auditioning 2 other 930's, it quickly became apparent they all suffered from hissing at low to moderate levels..urrgh!!. My old seven year str911 pro logic reciever even had less hiss.

Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed. I really did not want to spend another $600+ to upgrade to the 555es. However, once I listened to it, I was sold. It has everthing I wanted, including discrete power to all 5 channels, CD Optical in, separte power supplies for the display and sound, and everthing I didn't want, namely hiss...at any level. Finally satisfaction, albeit at a significantly higher price. Nonetheless, I am now sold on the es series.

As far as the remote goes, I like it. It reminds me of my Palm Pilot that I love so much. I do agree that the display disappears to quickly, but you get used too it. I also find that it is 100 times quicker in communicating with the reciever then the 930's remote. That remote, as it is also documented in the reviews, has a huge time delay when communicating. I also like the 555es's easy to choose Icons that represent the various functions. Also worth noting is the fact that the remote displays all current eq, soundfield,etc. settings on the touch sensitive screen thereby eliminating having to look at the actual reciever when making adjustments.

So in a nutshell...I am extremly happy with my decision to upgrade to the 555es instead of settling with the hissing 930. Even has more a bit power to boot!..Do yourself a favour get this reciever and to all those unhappy 930 folks, you may want to trade up as well. You wont be disappointed...

Similar Products Used:

strdb930

Powerful amps, great mid-range, surprising detail and imaging.

Remote Control.

I must give Sony credit - this receiver has startling musicality, and plenty of muscle and detail on 5.1 channel material. I hooked it up to my Definitive Technology speakers (4 ProMonitor 80s and 1 ProCenter 100) and my Atlantic Technology Sub (162 PBM). The 555ES drove these speakers effortlessly, while producing lush, detailed sound. The opening minutes of my Star Trek First Contact DVD proved the versatility of this unit, as Jerry Goldsmith's rich horn and string overture lapsed into the contrasting, pointed sounds and effects of the Borg Cube battle. The 555ES sounded terrific on this DVD. Popping in a music DVD, Fleetwood Mac The Dance, I was blown away on track 19 (Go Your Own Way) by the pinpoint imaging and placement of instruments around the room. DVD after DVD, this receiver sounded incredible. I couldn't believe I was listening to a Sony product! I believe this was a great purchase, and am especially pleased with the 5 year warranty. About the remote control... well, there's always next year's model.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR-3300, Yamaha RXV-995.

clean sound, tons of features, lots of inputs, good build, cosmetics, 5 yr warranty, remote (cool factor)

no on screen display, remote (usefullness), Sony's apparent lack of quality control, almost too much to set up

Let me start with my gripes. You would think an ES product would have been inspected so closely that 1 in 1000 would escape quality control. As many of you have stated in other reviews, the quality control people are asleep or on drugs. I was so excited when I got my new 555ES. I couldn't wait to hook it up. When I did, I heard an awful static noise in the tuner. Nothing would fix it. Then I heard the same noise when playing a tape. Also every time I did anything with the remote the sound would cut out for about 2 sec then come back on, very annoying when trying to set up the EQ and other settings, or you turn up a movie to hear the words and the sound goes out. So after only owning it for a couple days I took it to the Sony service center. 3 long weeks later I got it back. I was told they had replaced the digital board and both the static and remote problem were fixed. The static was but the remote still cut out the sound. I also heard a hum with the soundfields on and no input sound. I was told this is a defect on 1 in several hundred models. Now my one month old reciever was refurbished and I had only used if for several days in which it didn't work. I was faced with it being gone at the service center for another month. I explained how sorry it was of Sony to let this one go and how much trouble I was still having to my dealer. Luckily he let me switch it for a new one. Now the good news.
This one works great. The sound is very clean. It's my first mid/high end reciever. Many of you call sony's DE line crap. I didn't notice enough difference to agree with that but the ES does sound better. DD, DTS, prologic, and DSP processing are all very impressive. I like the look of it and it's abundant features. (there are almost to many). The front and back are both layed out well for easy setup. The remote is very cool and the more I get used to it the more I like it but I almost think a plain push button learning remote would be more convient. If you want to do something quickly you have to fool with all the menus. The EQ is kind of a pain to set up but I've gotten used to it and it's no too bad. I just wish it had on onscreen display. This reciever let's you tweak everything and it would be easier to set it up with a good onscreen display. I don't like setting the EQ individually for each sound field. It's just duplicating the work. The sony sound fields are very good. Now that my reciever works I love it. It easily drives my PSB 600i's, 200ci, and Alpha A/V's. They are efficient speakers buy this reciver has power to spare. It hurts my ears, so I've never even gotten the volume up all the way. I would reccomend this reciever to anyone (unless you like a simple set up). I can't lie, I primarily bought it because everything else I own is Sony and it's components work well together. I suggest you look at the Onkyo 777, Denon 3700, and the Yamaha's. They are all great recievers and you really can't go wrong with any of them. I give sony a 2 for quality control but that doesn't directly affect this rating since most have no problems. For the remote and complicated setup I give it a 3, but for build quality and great sound (which are really what count) I give it a solid 5. I'll average it out with a four both in value and overall. It's a great reciver but it doesn't deserve a perfect score.

Similar Products Used:

Sony D865, Sony DE935, JVC 788k, Technics 930

Excellent build, modern remote, good pre-amp/amp

For the money , none.

I am here to back up Sony on this one. My buddy who is a casual listener owns one and I have auditioned it extensivly, as well as taken its top off for inspection.
I am going to compare it to my 3300 since I have alot of experience with it.
First off the 555ES is not a reciever that I considered in my search for recievers, due to my previous experience with Sony products.

The build quality is better on the Sony than my Denon, most notable is the better binding posts, and overall construction, not that the Denon is poorly built, the Sony is just better.

The amp section is even slightly better than the Denon, bass is better and it has a very good pre-amp , as quiet as my Denon.
The Sony has a better amp than the Yamaha 995.
The sound from the Sony is bright and Dynamic.
The sound from the Denon is clean and warm, lacking the Dynamics of the Sony.
I feel responsible to at least put in my 2 cents because I am a former anti-sony person.
I will include Sony in my next auditions when chosing a Receiver.

Similar Products Used:

Denon 3300(I own one), Yamaha 995,Marantz sr7000.

Overall sound coverage and performance.

Downloading to remote and sound field equalization (adjustment)

Overall I am pleased with the total package.
The feedback the receiver provides about the signal it is processing is neat.
Plenty of power.
I am using it with a Bose Acoustimass 15 speaker set-up and the room rocks.

I would highly recommend this Receiver to anyone who wants a solid piece of equipment with good features at a reaonable price.
Shop around, there are some good deals out there.

The only apparant deficit is the remote. Not so much the lighting of it nor the functionality, but for some reason I can not get it to receive signal (download) from the receiver. Everything is controlled OK, but no feedback, i.e. tuner stations, speaker level adjustment, etc.
I was hoping someone else had similar symptoms and could direct me to a fix (short of bringing the unit in for repair). I have already tried replacing the batteries...no luck.
email me at graphicomp@cfl.rr.com

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR-1050 (1993)