Sony STR-DA4ES (1 Viewer)

[Robert McClanahan]

It can be beat period.

 

[Zack_R]

Of course, the 7.1 Sony ES model that replaces it in that price point should beat it.

 

[Diallo B]

Rob,
Please help all of us unfortunate 4ES owners and tell us what receiver beats the 4ES at 619.00 shipped. I am pretty sure that all of us that could would immediately return our 'beaten machines' in a mad rush to get your recommendation. Please provide manufacturer and model. I am waiting in desperate anticipation.
I am dead serious. Tell me a receiver that can beat the 4ES at 619.00 shipped and you can have mine for your bedroom and I will buy the one you recommend. Of course, after I demo your recommendation.
Eagle Scout's Honor.
DJB:star:

 

[Robert McClanahan]

My point is not what particular product will beat the 4ES,but everything sounds different to everybody.If you are simply buying the Sony for bells and whistles than I guess you win this debate.I personally strive for sound quality,and to MY ears the Sony is seriously lacking.I own the Rotel RSX-1055 and chose it because of the sound quality for the dollar.Especially in two channel listening.

 

[NickSP]

I personally strive for sound quality,and to MY ears the Sony is seriously lacking

Well it's good that someone made a receiver to satisfy your requirement for sound quality.

 

[Robert McClanahan]

Yes it is good.

 

[Diallo B]

Rob,

I like you. I really do. But you refuse to let the facts stand for themselves. Comparing the 4ES to the Rotel RSX-1055 is comparing apples to oranges. These are two completely different price ranges/points. We all know that generally speaking in HT and Audio price USUALLY (not in all instances) establishes quality. But I digress.

The point that has been made in this particular thread is that for 619.00 shipped it is exponentially difficult to beat the 4ES. The 4ES is one of those instances where quality and performance is provided at a very nominal price. (i.e. sub $1000.00, $2000.00, etc.........)

I asked you to provide the manufacturer and model of a receiver that is capable beating the 4ES at 619.00 shipped. You replied with, "If you are simply buying the Sony for bells and whistles than I guess you win this debate." Well WE 4ES owners also win this debate in the performance arena as well.

Rob, once again, please help us 4ES owners by telling us what receiver beats the 4ES at 619.00 shipped in features and PERFORMANCE. If it is out there pleeeeease educate us 4ES owners. Also, to remind you, I don't think you can find a Rotel RSX-1055 for less than $1150.00 or something in that price range.

By the way, I am not a Sony lover by any stretch of the mind. However, after much research, debate and auditioning I could not find any receiver that could beat the 4ES at 619.00 shipped.

Last, unless there is something interesting enough to comment about in this thread I have retired writing about this subject. I find this extremely humorous.

Toodles,

DJB:b

P.S. Rob, how do you go from, "I auditioned a 4ES and liked it but didn't love it," to "I personally strive for sound quality,and to MY ears the Sony is seriously lacking." See Rob, even you LIKED the 4ES.

 

[NickSP]

I have owned many brands of receivers including receivers from Denon (AVR-3000,3801,4802), Onkyo, Sony ES, etc. I know a good receiver when I hear one. I am using the 4ES as a prepro but before I made the switch to the 4ES I had the 4802. The 4ES on the strength of it's own amps beat the 4802 hands down in HT. Music was a toss-up. The dialogue sounded muffled on the 4802 but were crisp on the 4ES.
I tried almost 8 receivers and the Rotel and Outlaw prepros and went with the 4ES because I felt it was the best. I am saying this only to reinforce Diallo's point that not only does the 4ES give higher priced receivers a run for their money but at $620 shipped is an unbeatable value!

 

[Ian C]

Not to add heat to the fire...well, okay...I am...but I recently read about the H/K 525 being available for $618 shipped (forget where), and it is entirely subjective as to which beats which.

To say that the 4ES cannot be beat at it's price is entirely an opinion...and you just can't say it is fact. While it is certain that it offers tremendous value at that price, there are certainly other options in the price range...especially if you just don't like the Sony sound.

Ian

 

[terence]

I have a question for you NickSP. You are useing your 4ES as a pre/pro. What amp or amps are you running it on and how many channels?

 

[NickSP]

Terence, I am using the 4ES as a prepro with 2 AMC 2100-3 amps rated at 150W X 3 each. So I have 6 channels running currently which is perfect for the room I have.

 

[stas]

After testing the 4ES against the Rotel, I agree that the 4ES is hard to beat for the price. It is only personal preference that I am going to spend some more $ to get better stereo sound, but for HT the Sony nearly matched the Rotel for 1/2 price. Real value.

 

[BrunoB]

I bought Saturday a power surge suppressor and AC power filtering (Monster HTS1000). I haven't done rigorous A/B comparison yet, but the stereo sound of my Sony 4ES improved a lot: more spacious soundstage, more details and smoother, softer treble.
Has anyone in this forum experienced similar improvements?
I guess every amplifier would benefit from power filtering but probabbly differently, dependending on their power supply design.
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Updated Jan 23th 2003:
I did an A/B comparison and did not find a significant effect when using the AC power filter described above. So, I take back what I said above.
Bruno

 

[Jose T]

I've had my ES-4 for 2 months and its great for the price.As other post have already stated do and seach and listen for yourself. Thumbs up for this reciever.

 

[Greg Liverman]

Members stas and Robert McClanahan both indicated that the 2 channel sound from the 4ES is not up to the quality level they were looking for.

Question for stas and/or Robert:
Did you audition the ANALOG DIRECT mode?

I have found on my 4ES that it reproduces analog inputs out to two front speakers a more cleanly than the AUTO DECODING or 2CH STEREO (or any of the various sound field modes).


Greg

 

[Brad Newton]

Any of you 4ES owners applied the software pach that is available? What does it correct? Does the 4ES have the same decoding problems as the 5ES? The 5ES' patch seemed to fix its decoding problem, from what I have read.

 

[Serge Ch]

Does the ES-4 have the All Channel Stereo mode? And how do you like the midnight sound mode?

 

[Greg Liverman]

Brad,
RE:

Any of you 4ES owners applied the software pach that is available? What does it correct? Does the 4ES have the same decoding problems as the 5ES? The 5ES' patch seemed to fix its decoding problem, from what I have read.

Another post here indicates that software patch is for certain serial numbers. I have not seen a confirmation of this info or its provenance. But perhaps that will help you...my DA4ES serial number is outside this range, and I will check the version numbers tonight and see if mine is already at the rev level of the patch.
Greg

 

[Greg Liverman]

Serge,

RE:

Standard 2 channel stereo sources completely bypass the sound field processing and multi-channel surround formats are downmixed to 2 channel

Is this what you mean by All Channel Stereo mode or do you want a two-channel input to come out of all the speakers in a 5.1 setup? If that;'s the case, then the DA4ES offers CHURCH, OPERA HOUSE, JAZZ CLUB, DISCO/CLUB, LIVE CONCERT, ARENA and STADIUM modes.

Greg

 

[Serge Ch]

Greg, I mean the second thing you mentioned - "two-channel input to come out of all the speakers in a 5.1 setup". But exactly to come out of all the speakers in a way that the left channel sound comes out of Left Main speaker, and Left Surround speaker, and the right channel sound comes ot of Right Main, and Righ Surround; the center channel would mix two. In some receivers (Dennon, Yamaha, Onkyo, Pioneer) it's called 5 or 6-channel stereo, in some - "party" mode. I did not think though that "CHURCH, OPERA HOUSE, JAZZ CLUB, DISCO/CLUB, LIVE CONCERT, ARENA and STADIUM modes" are all channel stereo modes. Those are some type of DSP or Dolby modes?