Sony expands Hi-Res Audio range

Sony's new $599 PS-HX500

Home audio in the age of the Internet of Things is all about maintaining multi-room connections and Sony’s latest wireless speakers, TV sound bars, A/V receivers, turntables and portable audio devices are designed to do just that.

There’s a bit of a race on to establish home technology ecologies ahead of the Internet of Things arriving and simply assigning everything its own IP address and letting people get on with it. Experience suggests though that the IoT will involve a lot of kludges and compromises in the early days, and so piggybacking on some genuine expertise in home audio might not be a bad thing in the short term at least.

It’s a bit like the connected cars of the future. Perhaps I’m being a Luddite here, but I’d rather drive one made by Toyota than one made by Apple as its ‘carness’ seems to be a tad more important than its ‘connectedness’. And while there might be plenty of people out there who would be willing to buy audio separates made by WiFi router manufacturers, here Sony’s audio expertise is the draw — the home networking component is an added bonus

There are a lot of different components in the range, but two highlights are the PS-HX500 Hi-Res Audio Turntable and the STR-DN1070 Hi-Res WiFi Network A/V Receiver (or amplifier if you prefer).

The $599 turntable is billed as reference quality, aimed at the newly re-emerging record collector, and features a built-in A/D converter supporting Hi-Res digital transfers in either native DSD (up to 5.6 MHz) or WAV files (up to 192 KHz/24-bit resolution).This enables users to effectively have their analogue cake and digitally eat it, storing music from vinyl recordings and playing them out again on virtually any compatible Hi-Res Audio device.

You can question the purity of the experience, but you cannot really feel that surprised that there’s a market for it.

The new amp, also $599, incorporates a brand new DAC supporting DSD native playback up to DSD 5.6 MHz/5.1ch, ensuring flawless reproduction of High-Resolution Audio files. It supports 7.1 surround sound, wireless multi-room, and Sony’s new technologies for wireless surround and S-Force PRO front surround. Built-in WiFi, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Google Cast and Spotify Connect provide plenty of options for listening, while there are plenty of HDMI sockets (6in/2out) with HDCP2.2 for 4K/60p (4:4:4) supporting 4K and HDR content from the major studios.

More details on the other new components over the page.

Sony Electronics Announces Release of New Home Audio Products
by Communications 05/03/2016, in Home Theater, Portable Audio

New wireless speakers, TV sound bars, A/V receivers, turntables and portable audio devices deliver connected listening experiences

SAN DIEGO May 3, 2016 – Today, Sony Electronics announced the availability and pricing for its newest lineup of sound products that support a more immersive listening experience and build upon Sony’s wireless multi-room offerings with wireless speakers, TV sound bars, A/V receivers, and a premium audio & video player. Additionally, Sony is introducing a new reference quality turntable, strategically designed to expand the company’s range of premium Hi-Res Audio products. These products introduce a new audio functionality that give consumers the freedom to combine a variety of sound products to fit their unique entertainment needs. Sony’s new sound products will be available for purchase at Amazon, BestBuy and other authorized dealers nationwide.
“At Sony, we are committed to creating optimal listening experiences for our consumers,” said Yukio Ishikawa, Director, Head of Home Audio Business, Home Entertainment and Sound, Sony Electronics, North America. “Our new lineup of sound products enables music enthusiasts to achieve immersive, wireless, multi-room audio experiences, customized to meet their home’s unique specifications and their own personal listening preferences.”

HT-NT5 TV Sound Bar
On sale online now, on-shelves May 15 for $799.99 msrp

The new HT-NT5 Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer continues Sony’s lineup of premium sound technology. Thanks to Sony’s Super Tweeter Technology, the HT-NT5 boasts High-Resolution Audio playback, while supporting both 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR) content from major movie studios via HDMI HDCP 2.2. With features like Google Cast™ built-in, consumers can cast music apps such as Google Play Music, Spotify Connect or Pandora straight from their mobile device or laptop to their speakers. Also, sending music into any room in the house just got easier thanks to the HT-NT5’s Multi-room capability via the SongPal app. Uniquely designed with six powerful speakers, the new HT-NT5 delivers an immersive surround sound experience with the exceptional clarity of Hi-Res listening

SRS-ZR7 Wireless Speaker with Bluetooth/Wi-Fi
On sale online now, on-shelves May 15 for $299.99 msrp

The new, four-speaker Sony SRS-ZR7 features Hi-Res audio playback combined with S-Master HX™ technology, which reduces noise levels. In addition, the SRS-ZR7 has a built-in HDMI® (ARC) to connect the speaker to any Dolby® Digital/ DTS format television. The SRS-XR7 gives consumers the freedom to easily listen to the music service of their choice with support for Google Cast, Spotify Connect and multi-room capability via SongPal app.

SRS-ZR5 Wireless Speaker with Bluetooth/Wi-Fi
On sale online now, on-shelves May 15 for $199.99 msrp

The new SRS-ZR5 features wireless listening with an HDMI® (ARC) connection in a slightly smaller form factor. This simplifies connecting to the music service of a user’s preference with support for Google Cast and multi-room via the Sony SongPal, while also having full Bluetooth capability with LDAC and NFC support. The SRS-ZR5 supports a Wireless Stereo function and can be paired –with two of the same model or one of each –to create a wider stereo affect.

STR-DN1070 Hi-Res Wi-Fi® Network A/V Receiver
On sale online now, on-shelves May 15 for $599.99 msrp

The new STR-DN1070 A/V receiver incorporates a brand new DAC (Digital to Audio Converter) supporting DSD native playback up to DSD 5.6 MHz/5.1ch, ensuring flawless reproduction of High-Resolution Audio files. The receiver also provides a flexible speaker solution to suit a customer’s preference. In addition to 7.1 channel surround sound, the receiver supports wireless multi-room and Sony’s new technologies for wireless surround and S-Force PRO front surround enabling an immersive listening and TV watching experience. Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Google Cast and Spotify Connect provide a myriad of options for a quality listening experience. The STR-DN1070 A/V also supports HDMI (6in/2out) with HDCP2.2 for 4K/60p (4:4:4) supporting 4K and HDR content from the major studios.

STR-DH770 Home Theater AV Receiver
On sale now for $349.99 msrp

Immerse yourself in full 4K HDR video and 7.2 channel audio, plus Bluetooth® connectivity for easy wireless streaming from your favorite apps and devices. Enjoy true 4K quality through four HDMI inputs with HDCP 2.2 compatibility, as well as S-Force PRO front surround sound technology which provides surround sound effects using only two front speakers. The STR-HD770 A/V also supports HDMI (6in/2out) with HDCP2.2 for 4K/60p (4:4:4) supporting 4K and HDR content from the major studios.

BDP-S6700 4K Upscaling 3D Streaming Blu-ray Disc player
On sale online now for $129.99 msrp

The BDP-S6700 Blu-ray player features technology that upscales Hi-Definition content to near 4K quality for enhanced viewing enjoyment. The BDP-S6700 also offers Bluetooth connectivity with LDAC support to enjoy great sound with Bluetooth enabled wireless headphones or speakers. And with multi-room capabilities you can connect via SongPal App to Sony audio products to playback audio from CD’s and other music files stored on USB memory for wireless multi-room listening.

UHP-H1 Premium Audio & Video Player
Available for pre-sale now for $349.99 msrp

The UHP-H1 Premium Audio & Video Player is Sony’s first Hi-Res certified Blu-Ray player with superior sound quality so consumers can enjoy SA-CD, DVD-Audio, Hi-Res Audio, as well as MP3s. Get clearer sound and optimum visual performance thanks to an anti-vibration, reinforced frame and beam chassis design. With advanced 4K upscaling which adapts to the source video’s resolution, you’ll always enjoy the best possible picture up to 60p. The UHP-H1 Premium Audio & Video Player also offers Bluetooth connectivity with LDAC support to enjoy great sounds with Bluetooth enabled wireless headphones or speakers. And with multi-room capabilities, you can connect via SongPal App to Sony audio products to playback audio from CD’s and other music files stored on USB memory for wireless multi-room listening. 

PS-HX500 Hi-Res Audio Turntable
On sale online now, on-shelves May 22 for $599.99 msrp

The HX500 is the first turntable to combine Sony’s state-of-the-art digital technology with a new advanced design. The PS-HX500 is targeted for music enthusiasts who collect and enjoy LP recordings and provides them with unprecedented flexibility and performance.  Its built-in A/D converter supports Hi-Res digital transfers in either native DSD (up to 5.6 MHz) or WAV files (up to 192 KHz/24-bit resolution).This enables users to digitally store their favorite music from vinyl recordings and play them for personal use on virtually any compatible Hi-Res Audio device.

CAS-1 High-Resolution Audio System
On sale online now, on-shelves May 22 for $999.99 msrp

The CAS-1 audio system’s compactness belies its power and resonance when used with either speakers or headphones. This High-Resolution Audio system features dual-amps to accurately recreate original sound spaces for an immersive listening experience whether using the unit’s speakers or headphones of your choice. The CAS-1 has full Bluetooth capability with LDAC and NFC support to connect wirelessly to a phone, tablet or computer. You can also connect via the Sony SongPal app, available on Android and iOS for phones and tablets.