I's heavy

Everything

Trouble with this product from day one.

Hum in rear L/R
Remote does not work
Cross-talk
DTS & 5.1 (7-9)second loss, on music and movies at start
Sound is not of good quality even in bypass mode
Bass is not EQ'd the right way too boomy even in bypass
No TRUE bypass on unit
Only one digital coax input
Too much NOISE with DSP modes

Unit sent back for a second time still have same troubles. Remote sent back 2 times also still does not work.
WARNING!!!! DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!! WARNING!!!

I would give lower then one star if I could

Of all the other eceivers I have owned Carver, Yamaha, Luxman they all worked and still work well. How SONY can sell such poor products I just don't know. Wish I could have read here befor I purchased! I always will now.

Similar Products Used:

SONY ES50 (another bomb), Luxman (good) , Yamaha (Super), Carver (Wonderful)

Construction,# of soundfeilds, power, remote, quality,

no component inputs/output, no on-screen display

Let me start off by saying WOW. I have been an audio enthusiast for over eight years now and have had a chance to listen to many receivers. This is one of the best sounding you can buy for @ $500 or less. I just upgraded from an Onkyo (575 series I beleive) dolby digital receiver to this on a few weeks ago and I am extremely happy with my purchase. This unit is far, far superior to my Onkyo. This unit is heavy (about 50lbs), quality construction. I did not have to read the manual to hook it up or operate it. This unit is spectacular for listening to home theater with 120 watts per channel, I only have to have my sub-woofer up the eight o'clock position to feel the floor shake. Although it is powerful, there is no distortion in the sound so I can have the main volume up half way (which is more than enough 95% of the time) and the sound is loud, without sounding loud. The dolby digital and cinema modes are outstanding (I haven't tested a DTS movie on it yet but I'm sure it will sound just as good). This receiver is also just as pleasing playing music. My digital cable music station (with non-digital hook-up) sounds great. My CD's, which are played on my sony DVD player (optical hook-up), sound even better. The remote takes a little getting used to, but after that it's fun to use. It is pre-programmed and can work everything I have except for my digital cable box. It runs a little warm, but so does my sony str de805g (excellent pro-logic receiver by the way) which is almost 5 years old and still running great in my bedroom. I only have two thins that would make this receiver even better. On screen display: although the 2 way remote can serve as the OSD, I still like the OSD to be on the TV screen for easier navigation, plus it just looks cool. I would also like them to add component video switching: although my current TV doesnt support component video (or S-video) , I plan to upgrade by the end of the year to a big screen and would like to run it through the receiver. I hear Sony's new ES line supports both. My brother has a Denon AVR3601 receiver, and my strda555es sounds just as good for less money (although it is a somewhat inferior receiver to the Denon in features, it costs about $200 less). Overall, I rate this receiver as excellent and I would have been satisfied paying $600+ for it.

My set up:
Sony STR DA555es Receiver
Sony DVP S3300 DVD Player
Sharp VC-S101 SVHS VCR
GE 31 inch TV
JBL Northridge ND310 Front
JBL Studio Series S Center Speaker
Infinity Reference 71 MKII rear

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo 575 series,Denon avr3601, sony str de805g

Great clean, powerfull amp. Lots of functions and adjustments. Serious Build quality.

Remote

I previously wrote a NOT to favorable review. Since then I took my receiver to the Sony service center.

It turns out that you should NOT connect the A11 control (looks like a headphone connector) from the DVD player to your receiver. Shure enough the two way remote control works again, and I can edit the soundfields from the remote. I am like a kid with a new toy.

The only complaints remaining are the backlighting does not stay on and the fact that it can not control my sony camera.

I have also bought a subwoofer AR 300 and the receiver can shift the cutoff frequencies and levels very nicely.

I have a AR Sub
Infinity monitors 100 fronts (old but nice)
NHT 6.1 ceiling speakers for the rear
BIC 63 center

But this Receiver has the versatility to make my Frankenspeaker setup sound great.

Similar Products Used:

other stuff

Incredible power and clarity. Price. Quality construction.

The infamous remote.

Well I probably should have done this review first since this is what started it all. I was scanning Ubid about a month ago looking for computer equipment and saw a "Final 45 minutes" message for the Sony 555ES. I scoured the net looking for information on it, and stumbled onto this site. I read the reviews and decided that if I could get it for under $600 I would buy it. Once I had acquired the 555ES I had to complete the whole HT experience which in my case meant DVD, Center, Surrounds, Sub, and CD Changer. Oh well, I am very pleased with the new system and the advice I received from this site on all of my purchases. Enough background, onto the review.

I am not an audiophile so I won't be quoting Hz's, Khz's, or db's. I do, however, enjoy my music and my home theatre as much as the next guy. The 555 has everything I could want in an AV Receiver (power, clarity, tons of hook-ups, DTS, Dolby Digital, and on and on...). I have read the reviews here and agree with most of them.

My take on the remote is that Sony went out on a limb to make something cool, and it snapped on them. It is an interesting concept with bad execution. I will live with it for now, because I don't hate it enough to spend $2-300 for a replacement.

In summary this is the only piece of equipment that I didn't do rigid comparison shopping for, but am extremely pleased anyway and would recommend it to anyone wanting a great AV Receiver.

Similar Products Used:

Nothing even close to this. Old Philips Pro-Logic AVR.

Features, functions, digital connections, sound and build quality, value

LCD Remote

First I must thank everyone that supplies input to this forum for the help that it provided to me in selecting this receiver as well as the speakers which I recently purchased.

I have owned the STRDA555ES for about two months now and I am convinced that I made an excellent choice. I have found that the quality of the sound is excellent, far superior to a "top of the line" Pioneer Pro-Logic receiver that it replaced. Plenty of power to drive my new MA Silver5's and ASW210 sub that I will review later once I feel they have been fully broken in. The 555ES has all the digital connectivity I need and would want in the near term. Installation was fairly easy as the back panel is cleanly laid out. The manuals aren't the greatest but anyone who with some common sense who takes the time to read them should have their components hooked up in no time. While I don't think I will ever use most of the DSP settings, I have found the built in equalizer to be a bonus for tweaking the sound in my listening room that is not "acoustically friendly". While the other two receivers (Denon AVR-3300 and Nakamichi AV-10) which I shortlisted are excellent products as well, I feel there was better value in the Sony. The Denon would have cost me at least $100 more, and the Nakamichi about $250 more than the Sony. I applied the savings to the speakers. Those of you that visit this site frequently know that Sony gear has been harshly criticized (and deservedly so) for poor quality in their DE series of receivers. That is NOT the case with the DB line, particularly the DB930, or the ES series. I opted for the ES over the DB for the added power and the 5-year warranty.

So, what don't I like? The now infamous LCD remote leaves a lot to be desired. It falls short in the following areas:

1)The LCD is difficult to see without the backlight being on
2)The backlight only stays on for 5 seconds if you don't select anything (holding the pen in an open area on the tablet will keep it on)
3)The remote is pre-programmed for various components but fails to fully handle some of my non-Sony gear
4)The remote chews up battery life, probably because I have to use the backlight as often as I do.

But it does look cool! And I did NOT buy this receiver because of the remote. I bought it for all the reasons I mentioned above. I understand that the STRDA777ES has a programmable remote but I don’t know if it is compatible with the 555ES. According to Sony, the 777ES won't be available until January, but a few have somehow gotten out into the market. Overall, this is an outstanding receiver that is worth an audition for anyone considering DD/DTS receiver in the $600-650 range.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR-3300, Nakamichi AV-10, Pioneer

Lots of power, great sound, 5 year warranty, integrates well with my other Sony components

Remote is a poor implementation of a great idea. Remote is also not learning, which could cause problems as new gear comes out not in the current database.

I really like the reciever. I listened to lots of other gear, and really hard a hard time making the final decision. It came down to the truly musical sound of the 2 channel stereo performance of this amp and the superior integration with other Sony components I already have (Wega TV, DVD, VCR).

I found setup to be easy, but on screen displays would have been nice. If the remote was easier to view, this would not be an issue as all the info is shown there. I plan on purchasing a Pronto sometime soon anyway, so this remote will probably just end up sitting in a drawer.

I am off to continue basking in the wonderful sounds flowing from this beauty. I'll probably be back in a month or so to provide a more detailed review and to complain about any shortcomings I find other than the remote.

Similar Products Used:

HK AVR25 MKii (unit it replaces), Denon 3300, Pioneer 26TX, Onkyo 777

features.. the ability to customize up the wazoo

remote background colors.. the fact that its an ES reciever and the rear inputs aren't gold plated

Hi all,
I just got this reciever via mail order (I got a very good price for it). When I found out that it had arrived I wanted to leave work right then and there to play with it. But right after I got back from work I went right to the box to open it. its now past midnight and I have still been playing with it. In fact I don't even really want to go to work tomorrow because of it.

But on to my review. In searching for a receiver I had to out do the one that I had before... and I knew that in order to do that I would have to spend atleast 2x what I paid for my previous one ( and I did really like my old one) But this one does almost everything that I want it to do. it has enough inputs to keep me busy, The receiver is loaded with goodies, you can set the size, location, and distance of each speaker. You can mess with the ew all day and all night.. and still not be done. For me the more things that I can customize the better. That is one of the biggest reasons that I like this receiver. Another goody is the 2 way touch sensetive remote. In my opinion its totally badass. it doesn't compare to the (HK/Madrigal Microsoft remote) or to the Marantz 5000.. but it comes with the damn receiver.. and when my friends come over I know they will envy the badassness of it all.

anyways if there is anything bad about the receiver is that for the next couple of weeks I will be lacking sleep, and I will probably be ignoring everybody. Ohh well..

In conclusion I give it a high 4 stars. the reason that I don't give it 5 starsis 1) no gold plated connecters in back and 2) I don't like the background color of the remote but for paying what I paid for I would have to spend2x as much on that Yamaha DSP a1.. and im not in the mood for that yet

Similar Products Used:

Owned Sony Str De 915 played with just about everything else

Good power, bigger bass extension, features gallore, plenty of digital and analog inputs, cool touch screen remote.

Remote is subject to break within 1 year,
555ES is not as refinded as some other pieces
2 digtal coax inputs would have been nice
advanced features can be difficult for new users, old ones for that matter

The Sony STRDA555ES is the newer twin of the 50ES. The differences include a supposedly "fixed" remote and 6 channel input. While Sony is not as refined as some others such as Denon, Yamaha, or Onkyo, this model is more than decent. But To be very honest, I would only reccomend this unit to someone who has everything else Sony such as TV or existing Sony stereo/video equiptment.

Well, at any rate on the musical side the 555ES is very bassy. The low end seems to extend a little longer than many other amp/ recievers I've heard. For me this isn't a bad thing at all since I listen to deep bass guitar riffs and rap music as well. For someone who tends to be more of a classical buff, this reciever may be a litle too heavy for them. And thats ok, because as a musician, I understand everyone is looking for something different in their music.
The 555 is filled with lots of features and sound effects. While I prefer the effects of Yamaha's DSP's, Sony's are also adequate and some even pretty good such as the "cinnema" and "studio".

I reccomend to everyone however to not shortcut the buying proccess on this unit. The internet is a useful tool, but buy this from an unautorized and/or "uncertified" dealer whether it be net affiliated or mail order could be a dire mistake. As you've read about the remote, as cool of as it may be, it is a very volatile one. The 5 year waranty from Sony (or anyone else for that matter) doesn't cover remote controls. But it just so happens THIS TIME Sony knew they made a crappy remote that didn't last 4 months and they SEMI recalled it by giving you a new one. Now, if you didn't buy the 555ES from and AUTHORIZED dealer...............YOU GET NOTHING.........ZERO. Sony will NOT recognize you as one of their customers. Example, Crutchfield IS an autoroized dealer (and you'll notice their pices are M.S.R.P, $999.99 in this case). Uncle Sam's Audio.com who might sell it for $728.54 is NOT autorized by Sony. Buying from them renders all warrany and priveleges VOIDED in full.
So be careful, Some tell you they ARE autorized when in fact they are not. Let the buyer beware.

Also, if you buy from THE GOOD GUYS, OR CIRCUIT CITY, I strongly recommend the store warranty's. You see, 4 or five years from now should that unit fail, they are not going to be able to fix it because it would be too old. These particular stores will give you store credit ($999.99 in this case) equaled to the amount you paid, and let you get the new model which I'm sure will be the STRDA555555555555555 1/2 unit for FREE!!!

The 555ES is a good piece. I'm not a Sony Audio fan, but recommend it to someone who was. I myself like Denon, but that doesn't bias my review, especially since I make my living with this stuff. Take care.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha RXV 995, DENON AVR3300, KENWOOD VR2090, HARMON KARDON AVR85

Well built; best buy for the money

The remote is difficult to use at best. The manuals need work.

I spent many hours at my local audio store comparing the Dennon and other Sony pieces. After reading the reviews on this site, I decided on the 555ES. Although the remote leaves something to be desired, I'm not sorry with my choice. Setup was relatively painless, despite the poorly written manual.

The sound levels output by the 555 rock the house. My CDs never sounded so good. I hooked this up to Klipsch RF-3's, CC-1, SS-1 and a KSW-12 sub.

I also purchased an 850D 200 disk DVD juke box at the same time. The DTS and Dolby Surrond is phenominal. I don't think that I'll visit a movie theather again. I'll just wait a few months for the DVD. I'll post a review of the DVD 850 after I get a chance to play with it a bit more.

Similar Products Used:

Dennon 3300; Sony DB930

Quality of build ( this things heavy ) Believe or not, I like the remote.

Runs a little warm - solved with a $18 4" fan from radio shack.

I have to say this reciever is awesome. I don't understand why anyone would not like it. It has lots of gadgets to play with, and It really sounds good. Polk RT-2000's work very well with this reciever.
If you know someone who works for Sony in any division, (my brother does) you can get one for $519.
I have a Sony 7700 DVD, two VCR's a CD player,MD player/recorder, and WEB TV all hooked to it and it works flawlessly. One word of advice about the remote; It doesnt work as well through a glass door.

Similar Products Used:

STR-DE-825