Sony STR-DA5700ES Pro Reviews

The Sony STR-DA5700ES certainly delivers in the looks department with a large, muscular chassis that looks like it’s been machined out of solid black metal. The overall construction feels well engineered and Sony’s boffins have been hard at work making the electronics inside as effective as the design outside. The STR-DA5700ES boasts 7 channels of amplification at 120W each and it uses a new and more efficient power supply, along with audio grade components. The front facia is attractive but a little crowded, with no fewer than 18 buttons, 4 dials, 2 covered input wells and an informative display. The rear connections are extensive and include 5 HDMI inputs (there’s a 6th at the front) and 2 HDMI outputs. The STR-DA5700ES also has 4 10/100 Ethernet ports which allow it to act as a network hub and a dedicated 96kHz/24-bit two channel PC USB input for those that like to listen to their music from their laptops and PCs. Sony include two remotes, a full on version that can also control other devices but disappointingly doesn’t have a back light, and a stripped down version for more basic control.

The STR-DA5700ES is a quality A/V receiver that brings a lot to the table. It incorporates the most popular streaming services on the market and delivers a pleasant user experience. Musically speaking, this is one of the better sounding AVRs I’ve used, and its prowess on movie soundtracks is just as remarkable. Despite its positives, there are a few areas of concern. The video processing isn’t state of the art, and its inability to process HDMI video sources makes it more akin to products released five years ago. The non-backlit remote is also more fitting a sub-$1,000 product. And not getting the iDevice app to work was a letdown. It ends up being a bit much to swallow given this Sony’s $2,000 price tag. Still, if none of these quibbles gives you pause, you may want to give the Sony a close look, especially if you’re into streaming and want an all-in-one solution.