5300 ES & tannoy HTS 200

[neuBlu]

Hey guys,

I was thinking of buying a Sony 5300ES and a set of HTS 200 from Tannoy. Just wanting to know peoples opinion of the 5300ES??? Having not heard one in a room with a ideal setup i am unsure of its performance. I will be plugging in my 60gb PS3.

Also does anyone know much about the HTS 200 system by Tannoy??? i have heard the system but not on a 5300, it has received some good reviews for it price points but just wanted to know if anyone has used them?

Thanks.

[sokrman14]

I would never buy a sony receiver. They are far inferior to anything in the same price range.

[neuBlu]

In what areas?????

[sokrman14]

They have bogus power ratings, and (this may be personal) but I honestly think they sound quality is nowhere near on par with Denon, Pioneer Elite, Onkyo, or Integra. They have a very flat sound with no life to it. Try a similar priced receiver from any of these other guys with that speaker system and test it out with your own ears. If you like the Sony then get it, but from my personal experiences, and experiences of friends and customers, they wouldnt buy a sony receiver over any of the others I mentioned.

[InTN]

I own the 5300 and it is an awesome receiver. It packs a punch. Speakers are B&W. Setup is easy with the onscreen menu. The receiver gets a lot of good reviews and has a ton of HDMI inputs. Construction is solid. I owned the 5200 prior to the 5300. The only reason I upgraded to the 5300 was HDMI 1.3, TrueHD etc. I really like the ES line.

[neuBlu]

So by the sounds of it, some people believe that the sony's do not hold power consistently over different volume levels??? is that what you mean sokrman14??? also, do you find their freq response inadequate????

[groovyone]

The Sony ES line, of which the 5300 is a part, competes very well with the Pioneer Elites and nicer Yamahas, etc. I plan on getting a 5300 or 4300.

[sokrman14]

Originally Posted by neuBlu

So by the sounds of it, some people believe that the sony's do not hold power consistently over different volume levels??? is that what you mean sokrman14??? also, do you find their freq response inadequate????

That is pretty much exactly what I mean. Everyone has their opinions on these receivers, I am just sharing mine. To me there was a night and day difference when listening to the same speaker with a pioneer elite and denon receiver on it. The ES is considerably better than their standard line, but I still much prefer most other brands over them. Their frequency response is just as good as everyone, it can reach the highs and lows, it just seems to lack power and emphasis when the system demands it in my opinion. I hope you take all of our opinions into consideration though, thats what we are all here for.

[neuBlu]

wow, this is difficult. I just finished setting up a 2ch system for my brother, which ws pretty easy. I find that getting 2ch amp demonstrations is easier. And now i have heard it im like wow, thats pretty awsome. i was set on the 5300 but when i heard the HK 970 with some tannoy monitor speakers i now question my choice.

And the fact i live in australia i find makes it harders to find stores that stock a variety of amps in 5300es level.
i guess i will have to spend next weekend going to lots of audiovisual stores.

[sokrman14]

I am glad you were able to at least listen to another receiver on the same speakers. HK makes some darn good receivers as well. Try and think to yourself what you like over the Sony, and even vice versa if it applies. I always encourage people to make a list of the equipment they want, narrow it down to the best, then go actually demo them. Find out in your area what you have access to and give them a shot

[cawgijoe]

There is nothing wrong with the Sony ES receivers and especially the 5300.

It has received great professional reviews. There was a time a few years back when Sony receivers were not very good and to be avoided.....that has now changed.

Most of the comments on Sony receivers are based on these past findings.

I have owned receivers from Yamaha, Onkyo, and currently own a Denon and would not hesitate buying the 5300ES.

[Bmfr79]

I actually considered buying the 5300ES but had to let it go due to the Black Crush issue that has yet to be fixed. Hopefully Sony has an update for this soon and then there is no reason why this would not be a good choice for anyone looking to purchase a good AVR. I would look here for more info regarding the black crush issue:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=880352

[true2_blu]

Ive had Sony receivers in the past. Although they were good, they did not compare well with the Pioneers, Yamahas, Denon and HK's. I switched to Pioneer Elite and havent looked back since. However if I were to upgrade it would be another Elite but I would seriously look at the Sony 5300 ES based on professional reviews and specs.