Why did the Sony STR-DA 2400ES only get 4 stars for features?

[Pistol Pete1]

Hi,

Why did the Sony STR-DA 2400ES only get 4 stars for features? Judging by the 'facts and figures' panel on the latest review, it has the same features, if not more than the Denon AVR1910 (5 stars for features), par the gimicky Dolby Pro Logic z.

On closer inspection, the Sony has pre outputs, yet the 5 star Denon omits this feature!! (This feature is much more appealing that the Dolby z to most people, IMO)

Am I missing something important here that the Sony has omitted, and Denon has not, from it's feaure list?

Anyone know?

 

[Anonymous]

I wondered the exact same thing but it didn't deter me.

I have just ordered my 2400 and the B&W MT-25 speakers from Sevenoaks and I can't wait! It was a great deal with 20% off the speakers and an extra £50 discound courtesy of the Whathifi promotion, cheers guys.

Regards

 

[Andy Clough]

Because the Denon AVR-1910 has a couple of extra features that the Sony doesn't, including HDMI-to-HDMI upscaling to 1080p, Dolby Pro-Logic IIz and Audyssey MultEQ which allows the readings to be taken from up to six different seating positions.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Interesting extra features, Andy.

Not trying to be funny, but do you know of many products that have an HDMI socket that does not already upscale to 1080P? (HDMI - HDMI upscaling)

Is Dolby Pro Logic IIz really going to be successful/useful? In the average UK lounge size, I imagine 'another couple of speakers' will just increase the divorce rate, and not the heart rate!!

Finally, isn't 6 positions a bit of an overkill, again with the average uk lounge size in mind? A friend has a Denon that does 6 positions - and it annoys him so much, cos it takes so long/gets boring.

Whereas, IMO having pre outputs is a very useful feature for future proofing/experimenting with power amps or integrated stereo amps ?

Just my honest opinion, of course, but I see that more features (even if not needed) justifies the extra star rating.

Thanks for your reply......

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Pistol Pete1:
Interesting extra features, Andy.

Not trying to be funny, but do you know of many products that have an HDMI socket that does not already upscale to 1080P? (HDMI - HDMI upscaling)

Is Dolby Pro Logic IIz really going to be successful/useful? In the average UK lounge size, I imagine 'another couple of speakers' will just increase the divorce rate, and not the heart rate!!

Finally, isn't 6 positions a bit of an overkill, again with the average uk lounge size in mind? A friend has a Denon that does 6 positions - and it annoys him so much, cos it takes so long/gets boring.

Whereas, IMO having pre outputs is a very useful feature for future proofing/experimenting with power amps or integrated stereo amps ?

Just my honest opinion, of course, but I see that more features (even if not needed) justifies the extra star rating.

Thanks for your reply......

I was with you at first Pete when I read your OP and was awaiting a response from the team. I now see what they are saying. The hdmi upscaling is definitely a feature worthwhile - if it's what I think it is. You have to spend quite a bit more to get this in the past - if it's say able to upscale a Sky HD box to 1080p from 1080i through the hdmi cable. This would be good for me as I have a media center extender that upscales to 1080p but not very well. My 3400es doesn't upscale hdmi. I would not change my amp though and I am puzzled as to why Denon did not add a pre out for front left and right. However, I do understand (it's been mentioned on here before) that this is not necessarily a feature many people are that bothered about as an AV receiver is more about home cinema than Hifi.

 

[Clare Newsome]

What features are most important to what people will, of course, vary - we're happy to provide our reasonings and then (as we always suggest!) let you pick the product that's best for your specific needs.

As its continued five-star rating indicates, the Sony remains an excellent receiver - but we believe the Denon pips it for performance, offering a slightly more balanced, detailed sound. And that's worth more than any feature, in our book!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Thats a fair comment, Clare!! Thanks for you input..........

The Denon AVR 2310 review available soon? Am I correct in thinking it is UK tuned too?

It's considerably more money than the 1910, so I assume that the SQ will be much improved, as the extra feature list is quite small in comparsion.

I have seen the 2310 for £699, and would expect the SQ to be far superior to my Onkyo 606/Denon 1910? But it has the pre outs too....unlike the 1910.

Are my assumptions correct?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Until we see/hear the AVR-2310 we'll reserve judgement - believe we've more of the new Denons arriving in time for Awards judging, so you can expect to read a review in the next few issues. I'll check with the guys in the morning...

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Great...thanks

I'm a subscriber now, so look forward to those reviews in due course..........

 

[Clare Newsome]

We WILL find you that amp-upgrade you so desire before the year is out

Plenty more tests to come!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Cool - something to look forward to then......

I'd be bored if I wasn't after that never ending receiver upgrade.......would have to do some work instead of searching the internet for information.

Will purcahse the Sony RDR-HXD890 whilst I wait for these reviews to help quench my thirst for spending money!!! (Credit crunch -

)

 

[smuggs]

when i listened to the sony str-da2400es i really liked the pre outs, but went for the denon1909 in feb both £400 but i liked the pure direct on the denon for music alot better but ive heard that the denon plays it too safe. I had both hooked up MA br5's what does too safe mean? i found on the sony coldplay abit to bassy and i liked the denon for being able put my sky hdmi for pic and optical for sound, when i tried this with the sony it kept selecting hdmi for sound but you may be able to do this.

 

[Gort1951]

I'd be interested in the Sony STR-DA3500ES for US vs UK specs.

The 3300ES and 3400ES in N. America had zone 2/separate remote for Zone 2/12v trigger. All we get in the UK is a blank plate where they should be meaning to get the above features you had to buy a 5300ES or 5400ES for that year.

Not sure but I think it was the same with the 3200ES as well.

You'd think they could could have given us Dab radio since the price was lower in N. America as well and they have satellite radio support. We don't have that in the UK but they've putting more electronics in the same machine. Sat. radio in N.A. is subscription based so Serius maybe pay for that inclusion in their amps. They get HD radio as well.

I think it's about time the UK launched a satellite to beam down radio, they just launched two to update live maps.

The 2400 and 3400 only had 2 differences: XMB interface and I think an extra input plus something like £150 more.

I found it annoying that UK sellers were advertising the zone 2 functions on the 3400ES.

I have the 2400es and it'll probably be the last amp I buy from Sony. Been thinking of an Onkyo TX-NR807 and I have 10% off to spend at a HIFI shop. Hope it's got digital through zone 2 and overlay menu and info on hdmi.

You can not have an independent volume for each input and the gui is a bit slow. No graphic equalizer, well, there's a pic. of one but you only have one bass and one treble setting.

Had trouble bringing up the gui when using my dvd recorder through hdmi as I've had to select an empty input such as video1 to make it appear.

I do find speaker A/B useful though as I can switch to B and have sound in one of the bedrooms/bathroom/attic.

One thing I find annoying with Zone 2 amps is that you can not use digital inputs for your source only analogue inputs. Manufacturers want to get rid of analogue but don't do it with zone 2.

I know it was boring...

 

[Gort1951]

Why do Denon use the same horrible remote?

 

[Big Aura]

some of the buttons on my denon remote have stopped working now - if I want to use the "set up buttons" I have to use the ones on the unit itself.

 

[Anonymous]

Got one of these last week: it's very good, surprisingly so with music when compared to my old Pioneer.

But I was a little disappointed it won't upscale Sky + HD from 1080i to 1080p.

It does have 3 positions for the speaker settings to be saved in which is sufficent in my view.

 

[Hems]

WHF Team: Can you tell us which Denons you're expecting to receive in time for the awards issue? Do you think the AVR 3310 will be among them?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Pistol Pete1:
I have seen the 2310 for £699, and would expect the SQ to be far superior to my Onkyo 606/Denon 1910? But it has the pre outs too....unlike the 1910.

Are my assumptions correct?

Doesn't the Denon 1910 have "zone 2" which is the same as pre-outs?

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, Zone 2 outputs only deliver stereo, not the correct front L/R channels for a multichannel set-up

 

[j4mm3r]

hi, could you tell me if its possible to connect a blu-ray player that can play sacd's or a indeed a sacd player to the denon 1910, it appears sacd's can be played through the sony receiver, although im not sure what connections is needed.

thanks

 

[Andrew Everard]

Provided the player can either convert SACD's DSD format to multichannel PCM, or has multichannel analogue outputs, then it's no problem. The LPCM would be fed over HDMI, the multichannel analogue via six or eight analogue cables into the Denon's multichannel analogue input.

 

[j4mm3r]

thanks for reply, so if i purchased the denon avr-1910 i'd be ok for sacd playback one way or another? the easiest way then would be to find a blu-ray player that can send signal via hdmi, could you suggest one or two, i was thinking no more than £500 can i players in that price bracket achieve the above.

thanks

 

[Andrew Everard]

Apart from the Oppo BD-83, currently only available as an unofficial import, the universal machines on the way, able to play both BD and SACD, tend to be fairly expensive.

Pity really, as the original PS3 did just this, but the SACD facility was dropped a while back, at a time when some of Sony's audio engineers were working on a hotrodded PS3 optimised for SACD audio playback. That one never saw the light of day.

 

[j4mm3r]

lol, right ok, getting a bit complicated then. So how about the other way you suggested, analogue cables, are there blu machines with this option or am i going to have to wait a few years for prices to drop!

jamie

 

[Andrew Everard]

Again it's a question of there hardly being any BD players able to play SACD discs. Forthcoming universals from Denon and Marantz - and, I believe, Arcam - will do the trick, but they tend to be big-ticket items.

The solution I've adopted is to use an Oppo DV-980H as an SACD source and run that alongside my BD player.