Price Paid:  $800.00 from J&R

Summary:
Options for configuration of sound are myriad, and the construction, from front to back, is first-rate. But the real test, of course, is sound quality, and this ES has it. Lush, spacious, detailed, gutsy. Better than the slightly harsher and less dimensional sound from the comparable Onkyo. This receiver runs circles around "THX Select" models. And the Five-year warranty (if purchased through an authorized dealer) is as laudable as it is unnecessary.

Strengths:
Firm yet ambient sound texture and directionality. Software ugradeability. Ample hookups.

Weaknesses:
Remote is notoriously complicated, though surprisingly useful once the learning curve flattens.

Similar Products Used:
Sony DB930, Onkyo 797