[Enright]

Hi!,


In the spirit of RGB's "Official Pioneer D912K Watch Thread" ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=231938 ), I thought there may be similar interest in Sony's new STR-DE995...


Does anyone know when this AVR will be available? When it is released, please share where you saw it, and your impressions if you had the chance to audition it.


On paper the STR-DE995's (US$499.95 http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...ntentItemPage= ) seems to have many of the featurers of the popular STR-DA4ES (US$999.95 http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...av&Boutique=es ). It'll be interesting to see how these two compare (DE995 = 4ES "Lite"?).



Note: I first heard of the DE995 in beestea's thread "New low price Sony Recievers (HD Component Switching Capable)" ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=243569 ), but it almost immediately turned into a technical debate on amplifier power ratings/specifications. I'd prefer to avoid the same debates repeated here, and have any discussion of Sony's amps focused more on how they "sounded" to you, rather than how they "measured".



DE995 vs 4ES Features:


DE995:


• 7 Channel Power Rating - 100W Per Channel x 7 (8 ohms 20 Hz-20kHz, THD 0.09%)

• Dolby® Digital, Dolby® Digital EX, dts®, dts ES®, dts:Neo6®, Dolby® Pro Logic® II Decoding

• S-Video Up-Conversion from Composite Video

• 5.1 and 7.1 Multi-Channel Analog Inputs

• Audio Line IN/OUT (Analog) 3/1

• Audio Line IN/OUT (Digital) 4 Optical 1 Coaxial Input / 1 Optical

• Pre-Out Subwoofer X 1

• Video Signal IN/OUT 5/2 (Composite Type) 4/1 (S-Video Type)

• Component Video 2 IN/1 OUT (HD Pass 80 MHz)

• Monitor Out 1 (Composite Type) 1 (S-Video Type)

• Multi-Room Audio Output

• LCD Preprogrammed/Learning/Macro Remote Control



4ES:


• 7 Channel Power Rating - 110W Per Channel x 7 (8 ohms 20 Hz-20kHz, THD 0.05%)

• Dolby® Digital, Dolby® Digital EX, dts®, dts ES®, dts:Neo6®, Dolby® Pro Logic® II Decoding

• S-Video Up-Conversion from Composite Video

• 5.1 and 7.1 Multi-Channel Analog Inputs

• Audio Line IN/OUT (Analog) 4/2

• Audio Line IN/OUT (Digital) 4 Optical 2 Coaxial Input/ 1 Optical

• Pre-Out 7.1 Channel Analog Output/Subwoofer X 2

• Video Signal IN/OUT 5/2 (Composite Type) 5/2 (S-Video Type)

• Component Video 2 IN/1 OUT (HD Pass 50 MHz)

• Monitor Out 1 (Composite Type) 1 (S-Video Type)

• Multi-Room Audio/Video Output

• LCD Preprogrammed/Macro Remote Control

• RS-232C for Custom Integration and Upgrades

• 12 Volt Trigger (2)



Cheers!

 

[RexCarson]

Dont forget the parametric style EQs on the DA4ES. They are one of its best features that allow you to tailor the sound to your speakers, room, source, and tastes. Does the DE995 have it? The DA4ES weighs 44lb, what about the DE995?

 

[KLee]

interest rising....

 

[rrleon1]

bump- looks interesting- any updates?

 

[Enright]

Hi,


Today I noticed OneCall has added the Sony STR-DE995 to their AVR section, listed as "Coming Soon" (see http://ww2.onecall.com/PID_19373.htm )!


A side note for comparison: I also saw a new 6.1 model from Yamaha, the HTR-5660 ( http://ww2.onecall.com/PID_19441.htm ). I didn't look too closely at the 5660 specs, but it also does S-Video Up-Conversion from Composite Video and is the same price as the 995.


Being in Canada I'm guessing it's going to be a bit longer before we see the DE995 here (it's still not listed on www.sonystyle.ca ).


Cheers!

 

[Enright]

I scouted out a few local (Toronto) stores today, and noticed they are all clearing out the old "x85" models. Of the new "x95" models I spotted only the STR-DE595, so no 895 or 995 sightings yet.



I see a couple of online shops in the US now list the STR-DE895 as available, but still just "coming soon" for the 995. I'm guessing the STR-DE995 must be out soon since competition seems to have dropped the price US$100, putting it in the same bracket as the Pioneer VSX-D912-K at US$399.


Cheers!

 

[beestea]

I saw the DE895 at Best Buy yesterday. They were asking $399!

 

[Uthiroid]

what specifically can you do with the RS-232 port on the 4ES-

 

[boykster]

It'd down to $402 shipped from onecall....very tempting, as I'm nearing replacement time for my DB840....need a 7.1 upgrade (as I'm now wired and ready for it)....


Cheers,


Rich

 

[JohnR_IN_LA]

Shoot you can get a true 4DES for 540 shipped. a 44 pound behemoth!

 

[akhaksho]

Hey JohnR,


$540?!?!? Where the heck did you see that price? That's about $100 lower than the best I've seen. Please post or PM where you saw that deal. Thanks.


Albert

 

[normang]

Well I like others are considering receiver upgrades, the Sony DE995 looks relatively enticing, though one has to wonder about how a $500 reciever, that gets marked down to $400 when its barely been on the market for a month if that long, is quality wise, when receivers with similiar specs and features have cost double that or more.


Local stores in my area, Best Buy, Audio King, (haven?t checked CC) don't have a DE995 on display to even get a feel for the unit, let alone how might sound considering that most stores don't have reasonable listening areas or don't have speakers similar to what you might have to get a feel for how it might sound or perform.


While I appreciate good sound, I find I am hard pressed to spend several hundred or more for it. I am hoping that the DE995 can live up to its sound specs, as well as deliver good video through its component inputs and outputs and S-Video to tie video components together, and I would be handy to know if someone actually had one and ran it through some personal testing to at least get an idea of the quality of the unit..

 

[pestario]

any more updates on the 995? They 895 was pretty nice, but did not have optical in for DVD, only coax

 

[Torre]

I give a very brief and "amateur" review in this thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=266416

 

[spongebob]

Quote:

Originally posted by JohnR_IN_LA Shoot you can get a true 4DES for 540 shipped. a 44 pound behemoth!

John,


Care to reveal your source?


bob