BIGNINJA

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $600.00 from THE GOOD GUYS

Summary:
ITS BEEN SO LONG, AT LEAST FIVE YEARS, THAT I CANNOT REMEMBER WHEN I BOUGHT THE SONY STR-DA555ES RECEIVER AND HOW MUCH I PAID FOR IT...SO I WILL CONCENTRATE ONLY ON THE ACTUAL FACTS KNOWN TO ME. WHEN I FIRST TURNED ON MY STEREO I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THAT WAS ALL THERE WAS. THE RETAILER MADE AN EASY SWAP FOR A FRESH NEW STEREO AND TOLD ME THAT IF MY SPEAKERS WERE DAMAGED THAT THEY WOULD COVER TYHEM AS WELL. GOOD NEWS, BUT THEY WERE FINE. THIS SONY REPLACED MY YAMAHA DSP-A1000 AMPLIFIER. I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE YAMAHA'S BASS. HOOKING UP THE SONY TO MY VELODYNE F-1000 SUB SHOOK THE HOUSE SO MUCH I WAS ALMOST EVICTED. THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE IS WITH THE TEN SECOND TIMED BACKLIT REMOTE. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO USE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. TEN SECONDS IS JUST ENOUGH TIME TO READ THE SCREEN, BUT NOT FOR MAKING CHOICES. SONY SHOULD OF AT LEAST MADE THIS A USER ADJUSTABLE TIMER. I USED THE REMOTE TO SET UP MY SOUND FIELDS AND IT HAS BEEN THE DRAWER EVER SINCE. I HAVE BEEN USING THE CABLE REMOTE TO TURN THE SONY ON/OFF AND ADJUSTING THE VOLUME. TODAY I GOT A USED HARMONY SST-H768 UNIVERSAL REMOTE ON EBAY FOR $15 THAT WAS $200-$300 WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY RELEASED. I GUESS IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. THE NEXT FLAGSHIP SONY RECEIVER CAME SILVER WITH A RF REMOTE. GUESS WHAT, NO PRICE BREAKS ON THAT PUPPY! I FIGURED IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE LOUSY REMOTE THAT MADE THE STR-DA555ES SUCH A BARGAIN. IF YOU FIND ONE FOR SALE SOMEWHERE, I WOULD SAY BUY IT AND GET A HARMONY, TOO.

Strengths:
SONY ES IS THE BEST SONY HAS WITH THE BEST WARRANTY...5 YEARS!
PLENTY OF POWER AND 5.1 DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND PROCESSING.
SONY QUALITY REPUTATION.

Weaknesses:
POORLY DESIGNED BACKLIT REMOTE CONTROL. 10 SECONDS AND ITS LIGHTS OUT.

Similar Products Used:
YAMAHA DSP-A1000 DIGITALSOUND PROCESSING AMPLIFIER

Price Paid:  $790.00 from My Digital Universe.

Summary:
I have owned this receier for six years now and have never had a problem with it. It is by far one of the most impressive units I have ever heard. The sound quality and ease of use are incredible. I have found that reading the user instructions and manual are always best to do BEFORE you install your equipment. It clearly states not to place the unit in an enclosed area at the risk of tripping the protection curcuit. My receiver is in use everyday. The cable box, tv, dvd player, vcr, video game, and cd player are all connected to the unit and it handles it all like a champ. The cd player, dvd player and cable box are all connected via the digital optical connectors and the sound and picture quality are without compare. When I upgrade to an LCD tv I will not be afraid to connect it to my Sony receiver. As for the remotes, I have the touch screen and the simple AV remote. They are both easy to use and understand. To those of you who have had problems with your receivers I suggest you read your manuals and try different settings and combinations, this unit has more than enough possibilities to satisfy your listening choices. It's a shame when someone goes off half cocked with no idea what their doing and than blames someone or something for their stupidity. My suggestion is you use your two cans and a string and enjoy your fine sound quality and I stick with my Sony. It's obvious you are a true audio enthusiast.

Strengths:
Power to spare, sound quality, ease of use, sound combinations, and looks. Best of the best.

Weaknesses:
None.

skydog2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $700.00 from Audio king

Summary:
I am really surprised (like some others I see) at some of the bad reviews of this receiver. I bought the 555ES as soon as it shipped to the store and have loved it ever since. I believe I posted about this receiver back in 2000 so I won't go into technical details but I would like to remind people that this is the review of the Sony AV receiver...NOT the sony remote. Yes the remote is not very bright and does not control many new components, but it was not that bad. Also, the remote is not a learning universal one, so get over it and go buy a Harmony remote or something. Also...to the gentleman who complained about the receiver going into "Protector" mode... That mode is used when the receiver gets too hot. It is meant to "PROTECT" your investment by not burning out (which I assume you did by powering it off, then back on and not letting it cool off). Take a look at where it is housed. If your AV rack has about 1" of space around it, that's probably why it is overheating. Personally, I have done that ONCE and it was when I had the volume cranked to 1/2 watching 'Gladiator' in DTS (opening scenes with fireballs...great bass). I can honestly say that, not only have I had NO problems with this receiver in nearly 6 years, but that it is STILL a great receiver. I am looking for a new one now, only because the 555ES does not have many of the new technologies that have come out (DTS ES/NEO 6, Dolby II, 7.1 surround, etc...). I will keep it and use it in another part of our house because I couldn't bare to sell it. PS. I wish we could strike those poor ratings about the remote off this review since it makes the actual overall ratings misleading.

Strengths:
Great sound, excellent value, solid construction (heavy!), overall great receiver for the price.

Weaknesses:
None of the new technologies incorporated (because it is nearly 6 years old).

Price Paid:  $799.00 from audiocraft

Summary:
I've had this unit for 3 years without incident. For the money it's nearly unmatched. Excellent sound quality, DSP's even the remote while not bright enough has not been that difficult to use nor is the battery hog that others suggest. I suspect that many of the problems associated with this unit are either "b stock" units or from folks that don't take time to read or understand the poorly written owners manual. I too have experienced the dolby digital fade out only to find that somewhow the impedence selector was set at 4 ohms (i have an 8 ohm ht set up). changing it back to 8 ophms solved the problem. In closing, if you're going to spend your hard earned money on one of these,learn about it. THat said, many of the reviews look like somone has been reading and writing at the 4th grade level for some time now.

Strengths:
power, dps's build quality, 5 year warranty, made in Japan

Weaknesses:
Difficulty driving lower impedence speakers such as Sony ssm7a es (6 ohms) .

Similar Products Used:
using: sony scd c333es sacd player pioneer mdj707 mini disc sony dvp nc650v dvd sacd (marginal unit) b&w dm1400 front, b&w dm602 s1 rear b&w lcr600 s2 center. b&w dm2000 b Channel listened t

Price Paid:  $800.00

Summary:
Do not buy sony products! I bought this reciever thinking it was going to be an *upgrade* to my Onkyo 575. Boy was I wrong the bass responce is terrible. I called Sony aka *loser* tech support and they started to give me a hard time. Can you say *stupid for giving a customer a hard time*. I will NEVER buy another Sony product in my life period.

Strengths:
Makes a great paper weight

Weaknesses:
The only way I would take a Sony is if the guy trying to give it to me could run faster then I could

Similar Products Used:
two cans and a string sound better