New Sony HD AV receivers - the definitive guide!

[professorhat]

Octopo:Not sure myself, but it means basically all manufacturers abuse their customers in order to compete with their direct competition.
I don't really understand that either to be honest...

 

[lee37]

i think he meant they release there products early without fully testing them and now its the customers that have to suffer messing about with an update.

just to be first on the market with the next generation of receivers

lets hope my local practical hifi will be able to sort it in house ( str dg820)

otherwise i will be one very unhappy sony customer

 

[lee37]

or he meant the fact that they havent a clue what they are releasing or when its coming out or refuse to tell the people that are actually buying there stuff

thats really good organisation isnt it and excellent customer service

yet they know when a blu ray film or ps3 game is coming out a 6 months in advance

maybe the sales people at the call centre are just really really thick and dont give a toss

 

[Gort1951]

Sony design these amps according to the specs. for each model.

The hdmi over-ride was part of the orginal specs. and if you wanted to get digital sound from another source you'd have to buy a more expensive amp.

Sony didn't seem to realise that satellite and cable do not carry 5.1 sound over hdmi in the UK which is one of the main reasons for buying an amp - any other brand or even earlier Sony models could do it - that is get the audio from a co-ax/optical input.

If nothing had been done about it then a lot of amps would have be returned to Sony.

It will now cost Sony money to sort this out which is what happened in the USA with the str-da5300es.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Andrew Everard:
Octopo:It's an ongoing dodgy schematic.

Whatever that means...

Ask Jack Bauer.

 

[Andrew Everard]

lee37:
maybe the sales people at the call centre are just really really thick and dont give a toss

Or maybe they are just that - people at a call centre - and can only pass on the information they are given from above. If there is no information, they run short of options.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:
Or maybe they are just that - people at a call centre - and can only pass on the information they are given from above. If there is no information, they run short of options.

The people in the call centers and those that have to reply to emails are, like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed on ......

What I always find amusing is that on the 26th June Sony revealed their line-up and full spec, including the manual which I have downloaded and read, yet they still want to keep mum about delivery dates. Is it really that hard to work out a release date and if something goes wrong change it. Without a release date I might have to change my mind and get that Denon AVR 1909 which is for sale, a man can only hold on to his budget so long before the urge to spend overtakes him....

 

[Gort1951]

Hear!, Hear! as the posh people say. (I don't though but thought I'd try it out)

 

[lee37]

lord brian exactly the point i was making every other company can give tentative release dates except sony what makes them so special.

people will just spend there money elsewhere

and in my job i have to keep ahead of the times with new product info etc why do the people at the call centres not get memos, look at the internet, or even look at the what hifi site or buy the magazine. i would if it was my job so i would not look stupid.

they may not find a release date but at least they would know the model numbers and have some vague information

customer service thats what its all about someone should tell sony

 

[Gort1951]

$$$$ky call centres are just as bad.

A few weeks before the launch of Freesat I got a call from $$$$ky asking if I wanted to update my package. (TV channels that is)

I said I didn't want to pay £10 a month for HD and will see what Freesat has to offer.

Freesat - yeah we have that, no, it's a new free satellite service by the BBC and ITV says me.

He laughed at me, like $$$$ky does with our money. He said to be honest mate it'll never happen.

But I've been to the website and Comet and Currys will have them soon, it's buzzing all over the internet, magazines, TV and it's been in the newspapers

HaHaHa. he said, no one can complete with $$$$ky tv.

After putting the phone down I thought to myself , "What an arogent ****".

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew, any hint from Sony when the DG820 fix will be available, I'm getting twitchy as it has been almost 2 months since I got mine, and no sign yet of the fix. But of course the DG820 does not exist yet, it's still not readily visible on their web site, in fact their receiver choice on the Sony UK site is now vastly reduced to just

DG520, STR-DA5300ES, STR-DA3300ES, STR-DA1200ES, what happened to all the rest, and of course the new ones in the field.

 

[Gort1951]

The rest of 'em went to N. America. i.e. USA+Canada.

We get 'em on the way back.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Not at all sure what that means...

 

[kingnothing83]

Any ideas on a possible review date of the 2400es yet Andrew/Clare?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Will check with the review team and come back to you.

 

[kingnothing83]

Great! Although if its rubbish its back to the drawing board for me - looking for a reasonably priced HD AV amp with pre outs

 

[Gerrardasnails]

kingnothing83:Great! Although if its rubbish its back to the drawing board for me - looking for a reasonably priced HD AV amp with pre outs

Same here - either this one or Denon 2309 or 2808 for me.

 

[Anonymous]

Just paid the local shop a visit, apparently the 2400 at least is being shipped out on the 26th September.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

OldGregg:
Just paid the local shop a visit, apparently the 2400 at least is being shipped out on the 26th September.

Which shop would this be and I take it it's the fixed unit that is being shipped?

Cheers

 

[Gort1951]

What I meant was is that the USA gets 'em first and after a few months or more then we get them hence on the way back.

I have noticed the str-da3400es advertised on 3 UK sites and in stock. Cheapest was £649. Seems expensive, £250 more than the 2400.

Will these have the hdmi over-ride fix or maybe they didn't need it?

 

[Andrew Everard]

OldGregg:
Just paid the local shop a visit, apparently the 2400 at least is being shipped out on the 26th September.

In which case we'll endeavour to get the review online by then.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:
In which case we'll endeavour to get the review online by then.

Well I started off looking at the 820 then, because that was not in stock the 2400. Now I see the 3400 has twin room AV. Damn you Sony and Gort1951 as your telling me there was stock of the 3400 made me look at the spec. Now this twin room AV sounds interesting as having a feed in my smoking room would mean no more pausing, if I understand it correctly.

Will the review include 3400 ?

Why is the 3400 only for sale at a few places, does this mean gray import ?

Am I right in thinking that Multi room video will allow live tv, etc in the second room or will it just be dvd stuff ?

 

[Anonymous]

Just a note about release dates and information. Sony Canada seem to be able to quote dates.

Shame Sony UK cannot and doesn't even list the new kit.

 

[Andy Grange]

LordBrian:Why is the 3400 only for sale at a few places, does this mean gray import ?
Am I right in thinking that Multi room video will allow live tv, etc in the second room or will it just be dvd stuff ?

More likely that only a few retailers have stock

RE: the multi zone, it will show whatever is fed into the receiver. If you have live TV via a cable/freeview/sky box, then yes. Same with dvd/blu-ray players, games consoles, etc. As long as it is an inputted int the 3400ES, as I mention.

I hope to do the same thing once I convert my cellar.

 

[Andrew Everard]

LordBrian:
Will the review include 3400 ?

No, just the STR-DA2400ES. AFAIK the 3400 is an official UK model, as it was on the same press release as the 5400 and 2400, but we haven't been given any information about availability.