Sony STR-AZ5000ES 11.2 Channel 8K AV Home Theater Receiver - The Best Bang for Your Buck AVR?! 🤔

[@cbrunhaver]

You’re should show it with the magnet cover (hiding all the buttons). This makes it look super clean and is great for parents and custom installations where you can keep fingers from accidentally hitting something

[@AudioAdvice]

Good point, yes it is very clean with the cover on. Thanks for sharing

[@nickrich6968]

It's great to see 11-channel AVRs becoming more affordable!

[@AudioAdvice]

Exactly, this has a whole lot for its price

[@alternativemusicandbeyond6519]

I use my Sony-az7000es as a Preamplifier for the 5 main channels and only using the receivers amps for the Atmos channels. As a result the unit never even gets warm but sounds excellent.

[@Shogun_1973]

very useful, thank you. Can you please make a comparison video between 5000ES and Marantz Cinema 50? thank you

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelglenn2399]

Love the content Audio Advice puts out! Great overview here, and the Sony is certainly a worthy contender for those seeking an AVR upgrade.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thank you! Yes, Sony has pretty much nailed it with this new model

[@UdomPrasertpong-m5h]

ลำโพงเซ็นเตอร์ ควรจะมีระบบยืนยันตัวตนก่อนใช้งานแบบใดก็แล้วแต่คุณ 5:05

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for watching!

[@WillAnderson4]

Can you compare the onyko RZ70 vs the 5000. Dirac live vs sony 360 spatial mapping?

[@AudioAdvice]

Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to go over the differences and help decide which is best for your needs. Thanks for watching

[@tymo3391]

Hey Will, did you get a comparison between Dirac Live and 360 SSM? It would be awesome if you could share it with us!

[@jasonmc6997]

I had the 3000ES version and ultimately returned it for the reasons listed as cons below. Pros: Excellent sound and placement of objects. One of the best and quite frankly easiest setup procedures with the on screen display and while not really needed, a laser measuring tool makes it even easier. Integration with Sony wireless speakers is pretty good. Cons: main display is far too small to read at distance, HDMI switching worked on my streaming box and Blu-ray player, but not my Xbox Series X (Sony's own tech support said "it's not magic" so I said don't advertise then), on screen display also did not display volume when using the Xbox, it worked fine on streamer and Blu-ray player. The Sony music center app is horrible. I would've kept it and had every intention of doing so until the HDMI switching issue and super imposing osd while using the Xbox showed up. Had the Sony app been on par with Onkyo or Pioneers remote app I may have been able to overlook the volume osd, but the HDMI switching was the real deal breaker for me. Maybe Sony has patched this so it works now and if so I might consider revisiting these as they do sound that good.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for sharing, interesting on the XBOX, we have not had reports of that. That almost seems like a setup issue but we will test for ourselves and get back with you as the unit does sound very good.

[@milehighboost5521]

Good thing i have a ps5. Would hate to deal with this type of issue like my old Yamaha

[@GizmoDuck34]

Awesome. That’s really important seeing as I’m 99% Series X. And I would want it to automatically switch ports when turning it on.

[@GizmoDuck34]

@@AudioAdvice Did y’all test it with the Xbox? What results did y’all get?

[@MrViper7121]

My 1100es works flawlessly. Xbox One and 360 consoles never supported CEC to begin with so I'm not surprised if it's finicky with their series consoles.

[@bootneylee9802]

Yes. Please do more "common folk budget " reviews like this. 👍

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks, we have done a lot of receiver overviews, and appreciate you comments!

[@martinarrieta4536]

I’m stoked for Sony’s room EQ calibration as they’re sinking R&D money into it. The HT-9 was nice but has connectivity issues, especially in a home with a lot of wireless connectivity, but the EQ was pretty good. Im a big fan of competition and adding another room EQ that can compete with Audyssey and Dirac Live.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for sharing, it works quite well.

[@abefroman.]

I wouldn't say Sony's Room Correction completes, as you have zero parameters to adjust. It takes measurements and that's that. All you get Bass/Treble per channel. No curve's. There's zero bass management, so you have to get a miniDSP if you care about balancing your subs.

[@martinarrieta4536]

@@abefroman. The zero bass management isn't an issue for me since I do use a MiniDSP 2x4 HD but can see the downsides if one isn't willing to go down that route. I only stomachaed it due to MSO wizard and even that took watching about 2 hours worth of videos to get multiple subs dialed in.

[@scottmanley8744]

Good overview. One thing you didn’t really get right is the TV as a center option. The assumption that you shouldnt do it is not a good one. With a Sony Oled TV it is fantastic. I use an 83A90j as the TV center. This replaced a Klipsch 504C. No comparison. The center sound comes from the screen vs from under it. It has no problem keeping up with the 8000F fronts in a 7.2.4 system. The Oled acoustic surface audio is the perfect setup for center sound. It’s probably my favorite feature of the system

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for sharing. We are curious where your 504C was placed. If it was in an enclosed space under the TV, it could have been limited. Glad to hear you are happy with the result.

[@scottmanley8744]

@@AudioAdvice No not enclosed. Less than 1 inch below the screen on a stand. Open on all sides except bottom and tilted up. As good a placement as possible. All my other floor level speakers are at ear level. The center was not. Now with the Oled as center it is as well. Something that is not possible otherwise. I had my doubts but tried it and frankly blown away at the change

[@AudioAdvice]

@@scottmanley8744 Thanks, very interesting.

[@scottmanley8744]

Final comment on this. I have my doubts on using this with an X series led TV vs the Oled acoustic surface audio. Maybe in conjunction with a center would be ok. Mine is an 83A90j. I assume smaller Oled sizes would also work well but have no personal exp with them. Also the connection between the AVR and TV is a proprietary S- Center Sync that integrates with the calibration system. The AVR knows that it is connected to a Sony TV center and sets it up appropriately

[@martybrazill7935]

11 channels onboard is very strong. I have heard really good things about the room correction and 3D speaker mapping.

[@AudioAdvice]

It was extremely impressive, thanks for watching

[@AudioElectronicsChicago]

So Nice

[@AudioAdvice]

Thank you!

[@javidtaghiyev4628]

Thanks for the great video!

[@AudioAdvice]

You are welcome, we are glad you liked it

[@heathermcmillen]

Nice to see an update on the ES line!

[@AudioAdvice]

Yes, finally! Thanks for watching

[@GizmoDuck34]

The right side of my living room is open. I plan on running 11.2 With two floor, a center, 2 in wall height. Focal, 4 ceiling that will be angled toward where I sit, and 2 in wall rear height. The raising center with height caught my attention. And I’ll be using the SVS PB16 and PB4000 in each corner. 99% Xbox and 1 % PS5. How would y’all recommend this for me. I’m currently coming from a 5.2 Yamaha Virtual Cinema Front. So I’m sure this will blow me away I just want good sound and killer bass, Would you recommend this for me?

[@AudioAdvice]

Reach out to our team of experts at audioadvice.com and they can help you decide what would be best for you! Thanks!

[@Em_Dee_Aitch]

How would you compare it to the Onkyo RZ70, at 800 bucks more?

[@AudioAdvice]

We thought you already ruled it out due to the subs :)

[@garyblais8602]

Hi Harrison: lots of Yak and chat but 1) where is the Phono input and 2) The Big One $$$$Price. I,m glad your so into it.

[@AudioAdvice]

There is no phono input. We had to stop listing prices in our videos as they change so much and people would get upset when the video had one price but a year later, it was actually more. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@dennissimiyu3109]

this or the marantz cinema 30

[@AudioAdvice]

Both are great. Please reach out to us at www.audioadvice.com to discuss. Thanks for watching

[@Deltax5]

Any reason to put HDMI 2.0 if HDMI 2.1 can do the one's lower? Ill probably put a older console on the lower ports. Still thinking in future proofing. Will be hooking the PC as well. Do receivers handle 120hz refresh rate?

[@AudioAdvice]

On this one inputs 1-4 support 4K/120. Thanks for watching

[@tstfam]

Debating between this and the Onkyo to-rz70. Which is better?

[@AudioAdvice]

Our team of experts at audioadvice.com can help you make the best pick! Contact them via phone or chat or email!

[@CraZnes]

I have the az7000es, do you mind sharing calibration tips you found to make the experience better?

[@AudioAdvice]

If you purchased your 7000 from Audio Advice, please reach out to our team to get yours. That is one of the many advantages of purchasing from Audio Advice.

[@truckguy9413]

When listening to music, is there an option for just the 2 main channels and sub?

[@AudioAdvice]

You would need to use the music mode for the sub to work. In two channel mode, no sub works.

[@WeBuild4Life]

Whats the RMS per channel all channels driven? I can't find it anywhere

[@AudioAdvice]

That is a hard to find spec from most home theater receivers.

[@scottmarkel7037]

Is there a way to power on/off the receiver through the Music Center App?

[@AudioAdvice]

Not that we are aware of. Our expert at audioadvice.com may be able to look into this further if you'd like.

[@MrDashpilot]

So does this replace the Cinema 50 as your $2000-$3000 price point AV receiver?

[@AudioAdvice]

This one is very good and it will depend on what you are looking for. Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to talk about which one might be best for your system needs and budget. Thanks for watching

[@ThetaxDeltax]

There where some forums that said that to look for a 8k home theater for the c1. I see 4k connections. Does it actually matter? Manual in the Denon one i saw says the 4k connection supports 4k 120hz fine. IDK what full bandwidth will do. Kinda want the HDMI splitter mostly. Got the speakers already.

[@AudioAdvice]

Hi there, you should call or chat with our team of experts at audioadvice.com and they can sort out any questions you may have. Thanks!

[@ThetaxDeltax]

@@AudioAdvice i live in a different country. Not local. Maybe someone random can help me. in the chats.

[@emanchris7384]

hello, are the two subs are independent?

[@AudioAdvice]

They are not, that was the one con we found. But with so many new subs coming with room eq, its less of a big deal than it used to be. Thanks for watching

[@emanchris7384]

thank you for answering and great review

[@AudioAdvice]

@@emanchris7384 Thanks!

[@dougbulldog9947]

This is a little disappointing to see, in these latest models, I seriously wonder why they left out independent sub outs, even with built in sub eq's or mini dsp.

[@genuinejake9851]

Does it process and tune the two sub channels?

[@AudioAdvice]

Reach out to our team of experts at audioadvice.com for more detailed info!

[@andrewhuang4ever89]

Sony flagship AVR the best, but a bit expensive

[@AudioAdvice]

They are very nice. Thanks for watching

[@aaronfrench8322]

Does anyone know what DAC the new line of ES receivers have in them?

[@AudioAdvice]

Sorry, we do not know the exact DAC but it is new and is 32 bit.

[@bretts1]

Have a laser tape measure, 2 front hanging speakers, a soundbar, rear overhead speakers by chairs , speakers behind the chairs and a 500 watt sub. A Denon would time out and could not drive speakers. Was so light and had to taken Denon Back and use older Yamaha

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for sharing! Hope it worked out!

[@bretts1]

@@AudioAdvice Yes sir it did. I wished the Denon would have had the power to have driven the speakers

[@percybedford6266]

I am thinking about getting this and replacing my current processor with it. Use the pre out with my amp for the 7.1 and use it's internal amps to power my 2 atmos speakers.

[@AudioAdvice]

That will work out well. We hope you will support our small business and make your purchase from Audio Advice where you will have a lifetime of our great support.

[@percybedford6266]

@@AudioAdvice will do. Love your channel and your whole approach to the community.

[@ronaldbulatao]

Hello, does it have pre amp modes just like denons?

[@AudioAdvice]

Reach out to our team of experts at audioadvice.com to find more info. Thanks!

[@madcrabber1113]

What is the large knob made out of?

[@AudioAdvice]

Plastic.

[@D8099.]

I just need to know what brand works best with APPLE TV?? Also more catered towards voice and brightness, NOT BOOMY LOUD SOUND. lol. I still have PTSD from Covid, all the riots, gunfire and skyrocketing crime. I don’t need my home theater to scare me. Those days of “so called movie experience” are hopefully behind us. Even 15 years ago I went to a theater in LA where the seats vibrate during adventures. FKKING hated it. Was so awful and uncomfortable. I don’t want so much stimulation my body actually believes we are at war. It’s already on that line.

[@AudioAdvice]

You are able to do a lot of customization with this model and tune it directly to your taste. Thanks for watching and if you do end up purchasing, we're sure you'll enjoy it!

[@TsZen876]

Could you ship one to the UK?

[@AudioAdvice]

Sorry, we can only ship in the US. We appreciate you watching

[@TsZen876]

@@AudioAdvice it’s such a shame Sony don’t sell them here. I’d have to travel just to buy one

[@GunnyPhillips]

I've heard great things about the Sony's sound but I use a Pre/Pro and would want XLR outputs. I wonder if Sony will ever get into this space.

[@AudioAdvice]

That would be cool!

[@totalplonker824]

Shielded cables would be a good alternative! That's if one really cares about a low noise floor (background signal) noise)

[@jimwilliamson7798]

Sony put it all into this beast. Nice review.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks! We appreciate you watching

[@Pickle312]

Too bad it doesn’t have an additional pair of pre outs to have 13 channels… I’ve been waiting on getting an atmos receiver so I can power my 3 pairs of heights plus the 7.1 on the ground level without spending a crazy amount of money

[@AudioAdvice]

Yes, that would make it an even better deal. 11 is still a good sweet spot. Thanks for watching

[@robinv1485]

This is exactly why I'm having issues with the AVR choice. I wanted the sony for the better spacial audio since my main use will be movie watching, but only the AN (7 channels) is available in Europe. @@AudioAdvice

[@AudioAdvice]

@@robinv1485 Sorry, we are not familiar with the models available outside of the US.

[@robinv1485]

np, all the info you give is still a tremendous help. Fingers crossed they release their new avrs, not just the AN here in near future@@AudioAdvice

[@rrururydydy7570]

Terrific overview. Love my previous Sony.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks!

[@sethfm9773]

The new ES line of receivers is a great value.

[@AudioAdvice]

Yes, they are!

[@Carl-iw9sy]

I really need to personally experience the spatial audio on this AVR to see (or hear) what's all the hype about.

[@AudioAdvice]

We hope you get a chance to hear it. Let us know what you think. Thanks for watching

[@totalplonker824]

Personally IDK what's worse spatial music or Dolby Atmos music. Maybe it's because I love listening to the imaging from my two channels 😁

[@robinv1485]

Noone uses that. Stereo for music, surround for movies. Its the movie experience ppl rave about@@totalplonker824

[@jeffdimatteo402]

Thrilled that these have finally hit the market.

[@AudioAdvice]

yes, we are too, its about time!

[@HemanthVlogs]

How is it compared to denon x6700h & Anthem mrx1140 ..

[@AudioAdvice]

Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss which of those would be best for your system needs and budget. Thanks for watching

[@abefroman.]

Anthem 1140 is much better. I dumped the Sony due to hissing issues and am happy I did as it moved me to the Anthem.

[@cpg8000]

@@abefroman. hey, sausage king of Chicago- have you had an issues with fan noise on the MRX? Been seeing reports of this, and don’t quite know if it was a bad batch of units, or if it is by design. Many thanks

[@navamaniguru555]

Include speaker?

[@AudioAdvice]

No, it does not include speakers

[@codychavarria6088]

I need everything this has but also phono and tape

[@AudioAdvice]

The tape option has pretty much disappeared from AVR's. Thanks for watching

[@codychavarria6088]

@@AudioAdvice Phono?

[@AudioAdvice]

@@codychavarria6088 There is no phono input, but you can buy good external ones for sub $100

[@dspchapeski1545]

How about twlling us the price

[@AudioAdvice]

We have the link to the web page with the price in the comments. We had to stop listing prices in our videos as they change so much and people would get upset when the video had one price but a year later, it was actually more. Thanks for watching

[@dspchapeski1545]

@Audio Advice since when do stereo product prices go up, during a production run of a product? Thank you for the reply

[@AudioAdvice]

@@dspchapeski1545 they have usually do not but most products have a multi year cycle and prices will change and people will still watch this video in the future to learn about it.

[@GizmoDuck34]

How would you compare this to the Marantz Cinema 40? Is the bass better? And how is the handshaking with Xbox Series X. And the CEC features?

[@AudioAdvice]

Good questions! Reach out to our team of experts via chat or phone at audioadvice.com and they can look into this for you :)

[@GizmoDuck34]

@@AudioAdvice too late. Just ordered it. I’ll find out

[@dennissimiyu3109]

@@GizmoDuck34 How is your experience?

[@GizmoDuck34]

@@dennissimiyu3109 I returned it. It had a hissing sound, but that could have been due to the amps. I didnt like how the CEC wouldn’t work for Xbox. Right now I’m considering between the 7000 and the Cinema 30

[@dennissimiyu3109]

@@GizmoDuck34 i am also thinking of getting the Cinema 30

[@chadl1142]

Very flexible

[@AudioAdvice]

So many great features!

[@chrisgargiulo304]

Impressive!

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video

[@taylorrasmus1905]

Amazing!

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks very much!

[@xander2753]

The powers supply in unit looks really bad. I am not saying that receiver is bad, but just looking at power supply shows that savings are done on that part. The whole inside looks a bit messy.

[@failingup4907]

Good review.. Nobody mentions that these receivers don't have bass management. That is a deal breaker for a lot of people.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thank you. They actually do have bass management. They just do not have multiple indepedent subwoofer outs like we are starting to see on others. But they did sound very good in our testing

[@failingup4907]

@@AudioAdvice Thanks for the reply. That's good. The Sony seems to have everything covered. When Andrew Robinson reviewed the 7000, he said you could barely see the display, it was too dim. He didn't say anything about being able to turn the brightness up.

[@D8099.]

I love how Apple TV has the option to reduce loud sound right on screen. I hope it works with this.

[@AudioAdvice]

Haven't tested it, but we don't see why it wouldn't still work with this.

[@D8099.]

Sadly thier new QDOLEDS get burn in just after one year. We were so close.

[@AudioAdvice]

We have not had the chance to test that claim yet. Thanks for sharing.