Shall I swap my Sony 3500 ES Amp?

[admin_exported]

Morning All

I recently purchased the Sony STRDA 3500ES AV amp to go with a 760 BD player/Sky+HD box primarily on the basis of the amp upscaling standard def pictures from the Sky + Box but I've found out subsequently it does not.

I also note the subsequent WHF review in the Feb issue which states that it sounds a little pedestrian compared to the other two amps on test and this coupled with the above has made me feel a bit unsettled about the purchase.

I have spoken with the dealer (who incorrectly said it upscaled HDMI to HDMI at the time) and they have offered me an exchange if I pay a £60 (10%) handling charge as I've had the amp more than 14 days. This coupled with the fact that prices have come down a bit since means I can swap my Sony 3500 and purchase the following for the net prices (including the £60):

Denon 1910 for a net refund of £140 (The 2310 is not avaialble)

Yammy 1065 for a net refund of £40

Onkyo 807 at a net cost of £60

Pioneer 1019 for a net cost of £90

The dealer said that the 1910 "is not a scratch" on the 3500 and I'd be mad to change my Sony for this but it doesn't look like WHF agree so I'd really apprerciate some advice. My current speakers are the Bose AM15's but I will upgrade these later this year to the KEF 3005's or B&W 25/30.

Conversely shall I just be happy with what I've got?

 

[Anonymous]

I realise that most of the folks on this forum are not in a position to have heard more than a couple of the amps above so I was kinda hoping the WHF team would give me a steer on this one.

Come on Claire just a couple of lines!!!

(For speakers think where I'm going rather than where I am!")

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Wovian:
I realise that most of the folks on this forum are not in a position to have heard more than a couple of the amps above so I was kinda hoping the WHF team would give me a steer on this one.

Come on Claire just a couple of lines!!!

(For speakers think where I'm going rather than where I am!")

If you are that intent on getting the Sky HD picture upscaled, go for the Onkyo. However, I wouldn't bother for sound - the 3500es is plenty good enough for the speakers you want to buy. I have the 3400es and I have no idea how similar they are but mine drives my RS speakers brilliantly.

 

[Sorreltiger]

Within your budget there is no point in looking for an amp to upscale your Sky signal (the SD side, I presume). Just leave it to the TV and concentrate on sound quality from your amp and speaker combination. I would try out all of your alternatives with various speakers in your price bracket - buy when funds allow - to see what system you prefer.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comments Gerrardasnails and Sorreltiger.

I take the point about the SD upscaling. I'm probably getting too hung up on that - you know what it's like when you buy something and then realise it's not what you thought it was. Also the Philips 704 I have upscales perfectly well so I'll move on.

As for sound it's reassuring that Gerard's similar 3400 drives his RS speakers fine. I've always had Sony amps and been perfectly happy with them but the 3500 did not come out too well in the WHF review/Group Test which is why I was interested in WHF's comments on the relative prices currently on offer.

Problem I have Sorreltiger is that my dealer does not have any facilities to test/compare so I bought on past experience/gut feeling and as I had an opportunity to put things right - at a cost of £60 - I thought I'd ask the forum.

Still keen on any WHF comments1

 

[Anonymous]

I recently took a 6 month old (paid 430 at the time) faulty 1910 back to Superfi, they gave me full value in a part ex. for it, with no charge and I only had to pay £70 difference for the Yamaha RX-V1065, which is the much better AVR out of the two.

But if you are happy with th Sony's sound I would keep that, if I where you. In my experience the scalers on the AVRS aren't so brilliant and like you I have a philips 7404 range, at that is pretty good.

The onlt thing you may want to look at if your not 100% happy is a DVDO Edge, but they weigh in at bout £500.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comment Mark.

I've pretty much decided to move on from the upscaling issue because as you say the 7404 is quite good and more than enough for me.

Its from a sound perspective that I have no idea how the 3500 squares up to the other options I've noted above. For example I could trade it in for the amp you have (the 1065) and end up with a net £40 in my pocket. I think this is where the WHF team could help out a bit because they've heard them both.

 

[Andrew Everard]

I wouldn't worry too much about the upscaling of standard def programming from Sky, as your TV will do this anyway.

But if you are going to exchange the receiver for something else for any other reason, I wouldn't fork out that fee the dealer is demanding: after all, the product was misdescribed to you, which is why you bought it. Well, that's your story and you should stick to it.

 

[Anonymous]

No problem with that side of things Andrew but before I go back to the dealer I wanted an idea of what I wanted instead or indeed if I should change it- purely from a sound persective-given that since I purchased it the 3500 has come up short in the WHF February group test and prices have come down a bit for the other amps noted in the OP (but not the Sony).

As it says in the WHF group test the amp and the BD player look completely different so its not an issue buying a different brand. Do you think anything stands out from that list or are the differences minor and its not worth the hassle of changing it given the speakers I will buy shortly? After all the 3500 still received 4stars and it does sound OK to my ears but if I could get better for the same price or even less then I should definitely consider it. I have a small window of opportunity and then it will close.

What do you think - I appreciate your opinion.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Personally, I'd stick with the Sony.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew. That's what I will do.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Wovian:Thanks Andrew. That's what I will do.

Remember as well, until you upgrade your speakers, you won't get a full idea of what the Sony can do. Mine knocks my old 1200es for dead.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Indeed, M. Escargot - it was with the future speaker upgrade in mind that I suggested he kept the Sony.