Sony has announced five new AV receivers that are going on sale in the U.S. soon, including a new Elevated Standard series that seems to be targeting the market for custom installations, plus a more consumer-focused STR-AN1000 model that’s aimed at home cinema setups.
Within the ES series there are four models to choose from, starting with the STR-AZ7000ES that offers 13.2 channels and 150W of power in 8 ohms. Next is the STR-AZ5000ES with 11.2 channels and 130W of power, followed by the 9-channel, 120W STR-AZ3000ES and the 7.2 channel, 100W STR-AZ1000ES. Sony explained that all four of these models are “designed for integrators” and have “optimised configurability, flexible connectivity and advanced IP control compatibility with leading control systems”.
Sony’s ES series AV receivers rely on a frame beam base chassis that the company says will ensure improved accuracy and less distortion, and support systems such as Control4, Crestron, Savant, and OvrC. They also support further fine-tuning capabilities and support Works with Sonos for those with relevant sound systems.
Standing alone from those offerings is the STR-AN1000, which offers a more conventional 7.2 channels with 165W into 6 ohms, plus many of the same features found in the above models. For instance, it supports 8K and 4K at 120Hz. It’s also much cheaper, making it a more suitable choice for home cinema setups that probably won’t require the extensive custom support and fine-tuning.
The introduction of 4K/120Hz support should be welcome news to console owners, as it means they can take full advantage of the capabilities of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Sony is also introducing its own take on 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, and there’s support for surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Other features include 360 Reality Audio and DSD support, and Bluetooth connectivity for services such as Chromecast, Apple Airplay 2 and Spotify Connect.
The long list of features in all five models includes 8K1 and Imax Enhanced, as well as Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG to ensure the original picture quality is preserved for most content. There are multiple HDMI 2.1 ports, with the number of outlets varying according to the exact model, that can enable Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low-Latency Mode. Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode is supported on compatible Sony Bravia TVs, and it’s also possible to integrate the AV receivers with Sony TVs via the Acoustic Center Sync, resulting in improved dialogue quality, the company said. Sony’s wireless SA-RS5 and SA-RS3S speakers and SA-SW5 and SA-SW3 subs also play nicely with the AVRs.
So far, Sony has only announced availability in the U.S. and Canada later this month, with no mention of a launch in the U.K. or Europe, though they could well be released there at a later date.
The 13.2-channel STR-AZ7000ES is the most expensive, with a price tag of $3,299, followed by the STR-AZ5000ES at $2,099, STR-AZ1000ES at $2,099, STR-AZ3000ES at $1,699, and the STR-AN1000 at $899.
