Topic: Sony STR-DA3000ES (or similiar) owners/opinions?

[Evil Taper]

So I read Nicks review and a few other reviews online and nobody has anything really bad to say about the 3000ES recievers.  Used I'm seeing them for about $350-400 in nice condition and they'd already be broken in for me.  I guess what's really appealing to me is the ability to run digital in from my players dig output.  The other big advantage for ME is being able to switch back and forth from a nicely powered surround system to a nice 2 channel listening setup.

My questions for the owner's:

Do you feel that these things are worth the price tag compared to similiar options on the market now? 
Do they actually sound as good as the reviewers say? 
Will a fussy listener be happy with the sound quality?

Thanks guys

[sygdwm]

yes, yes, & yes. happy 3000es>b&w 604s2 listener. the neighbors no likey.

[Nick's Picks]

you can't go wrong w/it for the used price tag.
and if you dissagree...then just sell it.

[Evil Taper]

sweeeeeeeeeet.....150wpc on a full B&W surround setup should piss off alot of people once i move to an apartment building

[sygdwm]

guaranteed.

[Nick's Picks]

its more like 100w
but its pretty good for all but giant speakers.  awesome 3d soundstage, but a little flat sonicly at times.

[jhirte]

Pioneer 563a -> Sony 3000es -> Deftech 7004's = NICE.

I crank it whenever I listen to tunes. neighbors have yet to complain. even when I fall asleep drunk at 3am and its still louder than shit. heheeh

[Craig T]

I have the 7100ES and am overall very pleased with it.  Far more detail than I had with my CAL DAC> Sonic Frontiers SFL1 pre> B&K mono's.  I run it in "multi stereo" mode, where it sends the same stereo signal to all amps allowing me to bi-amp my Von Schweikert VR4II's (this only works if you're running 2-channel).  These are big speakers and I have no problem pushing them pretty hard without compromising the dynamics.  At VERY loud levels, the 7100ES runs out of steam and you can tell the headroom isn't there to maintain the dynamics.  For the $$, it outperforms any DAC>PRE>AMP combo I've put together, and it's in one box which is nice.

[Invisible]

I owned the 5000ES for over a year and was fairly happy with it. The major issue with the digital drive units is the noise floor. when run at loud volumes the hiss can be unbearable. I now run the Integra 9.4 seperates and am very happy with them for their price point. Due to the hiss and other issues, Sony no longer makes the digital drive amplifiers and the model numbers have all changed.

[jhirte]

Has anyone had issues with the x000es series shutting down? I had a weird one happen when watching master and commander. I want to say I read about this somewhere, but cannot find anything on it..

[sygdwm]

mine cuts off when i push it wide open. 

[Nick's Picks]

funny this thread should come up.

I found myself wondering what direction to take *EVERYTHING* w/my stereo, sans speakers, on a shoestring $1200 budget.  I need a:
multi inputed selectable digital front end
some sort of "gain" control
amplification of 75-150wpc
remote would be nice

I tried several combo's of well reviewed class D amps and DACs in my head, but could never come up w/anything on or even better, under budget.
So, there i was looking at a Sony again.  I could blow the whole wad on a 7100es, and I'm inclined to do so for several reasons but the largest being the iLink input.  the dvp9000es has an iLink output, and is not that expensive.  I think this is a newer model and a lot cheaper than the xa9000es that was the only deck w/the matching iLink(?).

Since it looks as though DSD is going to become a little more available to us, I like the idea of having some Meitner code in my signal chain.  the DSD converting sony boxes do sound  nice.....
I may never be able to burn SACD, but should there be some workaround in the future then I'll have a direct transport>DAC ready to roll.  In the meantime, I'm sure any ol' digital signal feeding it will be fine.

at the very least, I can go cheap w/a 3000es, which would *totally* work and be much less expensive.  wont sound as nice, i'm sure, but it will work just fine.  No direct DSD link capabilities, but all the upsampling.
hmmm...maybe thats better money spent.

so...
Who's got a 3000 or better yet, 5000es they want to sell?

trades with my Music Hall Mambo ?

[jhirte]

mine cuts off when i push it wide open. 

not cut out, power off w/error 21. I found something relating, aboiut the movie having introduced DC current 12min into the movie, I bet thats the issue right there. now to just find the fix.. I want to say there was some kind of service bulletin re it.

FWIW I have mine cranked more often than not, and have never had it shut down due to heat, etc..

[sygdwm]

if i remember correctly, error 21 involves running speakers less than 8ohm. it no likey.

[Kyle]

I have a 3000ES as part of a low budget system.  I paid something like $400 for it at OneCall as an open box item. I know OneCall had a rash of bad 3000es's but this one works fine and has for nearly a year now. I dont push it really hard.  It mostly just locks on to the DVD players coax out and we use it for movies and the like over a pre-installed in-wall surround system in our rental.

I got three bad ones. Got one, sent it back, got another, sent it back, got a third and kept it. It needs to go to Sony Service for the hiss issue, but I usually don't push the volume up over about -15db - I have Klipsch KLF-10s and they are very efficient (98 dB @ 1watt/1 meter) so the hiss issue doesn't really affect me, but I want it to be corrected nonetheless. But it sounds really nice and I have been having a bit of 'trouble' sending it in (don't want to be without it)!