After a five-year break, Sony is jumping back into the home theatre A/V receiver space, bringing the power of 8K and some much-needed improvements to its series. In an announcement that took everyone by surprise, the company unveiled its 2023 lineup of home theatre A/V receivers, which include the relatively affordable STR-AN1000 and four new flagship ES-series models, all of which support 8K/60 and 4K/120 video output courtesy of dedicated HDMI 2.1-enabled inputs. These are also the first (of hopefully many) Sony AVRs to support 8K tech and have the ability to wirelessly connect to other Sony subwoofers.
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Sony STR AN1000 | Image: Sony
All of the new models come with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround along with Sony’s proprietary immersive audio format, 360 Reality Audio and the company’s immersive sound enhancement feature, 360 Spatial Sound Mapping that helps “create a truly unique and incredibly immersive cinematic experience.” You even get the “Works with Sonos” certification with all the AVRs, which will allow you to connect these with your already existing Sonos tech. Among all the newly revealed AVRs, the STR-AN1000 belongs to Sony’s standard AVR line, while the remaining four are from the company’s high-end CI-friendly ES (Elevated Standard) series.
The STR-AN1000 is Sony’s latest 7.2 Channel AV Receiver capable of outputting 8K video and immersive 3D audio in 7.2 or 5.2.2 setup with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats and is also the most affordable of the lot, coming in with a price tag of AUD$1,699. This new AVR comes wrapped in a brand-new chassis and sub-chassis, featuring all the new and shiny internals one would expect. The STR-AN1000 has an all-new large capacitor transformer, digital circuit board, power supply capacitors, a new 32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and lastly, a new preamp integrated circuit that Sony says was created solely for these AVRs. There’s even support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma, and IMAX Enhanced, thus ensuring you get the highest video quality format at all times.
Sony STR AN1000 | Image: Sony
In terms of connectivity, you get six HDMI inputs with two supporting full 8K and 4K/120 video sources. Two HDMI outputs likewise support full 8K and 4K/120 video sources. You can even connect smart devices via Bluetooth or use services such as Apple AirPlay Chromecast and Spotify Connect. Another excellent feature of the STR-AN1000 is its capability to wirelessly connect with Sony’s SA-RS3S & SA-RS5 rear speakers and SA-SW3 and SASW5 wireless subwoofers.
As per Sony, “The optional wireless subwoofer (SA-SW5 / SA-SW3) will add punchy bass sound and an optional rear speaker (SA-RS5 / SA-RS3S) offers even more cinematic thrills, including sound directly behind.” Sweet! It also provides several centre-speaker technologies, including Center Speaker Lift Up to centre the dialogue on your screen, and Acoustic Center Sync, which, when paired with a Sony Bravia TV, uses the speaker as the centre channel in a surround setup. Furthermore, to help gamers excel in games, Sony’s STR-AN1000 has support for formats, such as 4K/120, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) in HDMI 2.1.
Sony STR AN1000 | Image: Sony
“The STR-AN1000 will also pass-through Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode on compatible BRAVIA TVs for a better gaming experience on the PlayStation 5,” notes Sony. Five years of away time seems to have served Sony pretty well. The company has definitely upped the ante with its 2023 lineup of A/V receivers as it looks to take on competition from Yamaha, Denon and others.
With 8K video, HDMI 2.1 and Sony’s excellent immersive audio tech, the STR-AN1000 packs plenty of power, features and improvements, making it a solid entry-level contender that’s perfect for almost everyone’s daily entertainment needs. If Sony has gotten your attention piqued with these, then mark your calendars the STR-AN1000 will be hitting shelves in Australia sometime in April.
Sony STR AN1000 | Image: Sony
