[AphileEarlyAdopter]

I have it hooked up to a 7 amp OneAc isolation transformer plugged into
an PS Ultimate Outlet.

Regarding the Daruma's, I've owned them, but I much prefer Aurios Isolation Bearings. I haven't a/b'd the Sony with and without yet.

Regarding hiss, when I turn the volume up to maximum 46 on the Sony, there is a slight hiss from the tweeter, but I can only hear it if I put my ear within a few inches.

Regarding using external source gear, I hooked up my digital source to the AUX input of the Sony, and it ...

AudioJerry, then the only tweak is an IEC and after-market power cord left for you.

The hiss is a damper..actually showstopper in my case. I'd like my amps to be dead quiet.

If an external digital source sounds better, then I am interested in the 3000ES receiver.  Also, the receiver might handle analog inputs better ..good for listening to my turntable. Ofcourse, I need a good SACD player then. But that can wait, since within a year or so, I am sure sony will come with lesser priced X-LINK equipped SACD players and receivers or I might even buy the top end 9000ES receiver and player.

Maybe I need to wait for Ric's findings with the 500ES and more peoples feedback on the 3000ES.

[TheeeChosenOne]

Mine is dead silent, plugged into a Sutton Designs power conditioner. Your issues may have to do with quality of AC coming in.

I would imagine the AVD 50 to sound identical to the 70. Abit less power.

Same here.  My 70 is dead silent.

It's probable that you may have an AC issue.

[kendrid]

Mine is dead silent, plugged into a Sutton Designs power conditioner. Your issues may have to do with quality of AC coming in.

I would imagine the AVD 50 to sound identical to the 70. Abit less power.

Same here.  My 70 is dead silent.

It's probable that you may have an AC issue.

Two other 3000ES owners have the same loud hiss I have at -20 on the volume.  We could all have RF interference, but it is really to early to tell (not enough of them in the hands of consumers yet).

[kendrid]

Abt has the AVDS50ES in stock, so I am going to pick one up after work.  I want to see if it is quiet in my system.

[TheeeChosenOne]

I'm not familiar with the 3000ES units or what could be the root of your problem.

All I can tell you is that my 70ES is very silent.

To put things in perspective, I have more noise coming from a highly rated $3k pre/pro (that's rated dead silent) than my SONY.

[kendrid]

The 3000ES has to have a manufacturing problem (or a component in my system is causing havoc).  It isn't like I am running it at 95% to get it to hiss (most units will hiss at that level).  This is at normal DVD listening volumes.

[BrunoB]

Abt has the AVDS50ES in stock, so I am going to pick one up after work.  I want to see if it is quiet in my system.

My AVD-S50ES has some hiss despite the fact that I am using an Ultimate Outlet for power filtering.

[kendrid]

Abt has the AVDS50ES in stock, so I am going to pick one up after work.  I want to see if it is quiet in my system.

My AVD-S50ES has some hiss despite the fact that I am using an Ultimate Outlet for power filtering.

Some hiss at incredibly high levels is fine.  Hiss at normal DVD listening levels (what I have) is not fine.

I am going to be too busy to do much with my system tonight, so I am just going to pick up a conditioner and see what it does.  If it does nothing, I will pick up the 50ES tomorrow to try over the weekend.

[darkmonohue]

My AVD-S50ES has some hiss despite the fact that I am using an Ultimate Outlet for power filtering.

I got my AVD-S50ES yesterday--what a great machine!  The only thing I don't like is the form factor--I'd rather it were taller and not as deep. But anyway, after reading this, I put on a CD, paused it, and turned the volume all the way up.  I could hear a hiss when I held my ear right up to the tweeter; it was inaudible a foot away (and I've got pretty good hearing).  Hiss is definitely not a problem that's constant with this unit.

[_scotty_]

My AVD-S50ES has some hiss despite the fact that I am using an Ultimate Outlet for power filtering.

I got my AVD-S50ES yesterday--what a great machine!  The only thing I don't like is the form factor--I'd rather it were taller and not as deep. But anyway, after reading this, I put on a CD, paused it, and turned the volume all the way up.  I could hear a hiss when I held my ear right up to the tweeter; it was inaudible a foot away (and I've got pretty good hearing).  Hiss is definitely not a problem that's constant with this unit.

I have a question is the hiss present or audible during the quietest passages on a cd or in between cuts.What I am asking is is there any hiss when even the lowest amount of signal is present.The hiss may be related to the digital volume architecture employed and just the way the unit behaves under a no signal condition.These things are not your grand mothers old buick.Does anyone have a published claim for an A weighted signal to noise ratio on these units.

[kendrid]

Scotty - this hiss is present at all times, even when there is no signal.

I left the manual at work, but I believe the 3000ES S/N was 95db.  I could be wrong.  I will check tomorrow morning.

[_scotty_]

Scotty - this hiss is present at all times, even when there is no signal.

I left the manual at work, but I believe the 3000ES S/N was 95db.  I could be wrong.  I will check tomorrow morning.

Another question,what is the manufacturers claimed efficiency on your loudspeakers.

[kendrid]

Scotty - this hiss is present at all times, even when there is no signal.

I left the manual at work, but I believe the 3000ES S/N was 95db.  I could be wrong.  I will check tomorrow morning.

Another question,what is the manufactures claimed efficiency on your loud speakers.

86db (ACI Sapphire).  One other person with the hiss has Klipsch that are 98db.

[_scotty_]

Scotty - this hiss is present at all times, even when there is no signal.

I left the manual at work, but I believe the 3000ES S/N was 95db.  I could be wrong.  I will check tomorrow morning.

Another question,what is the manufactures claimed efficiency on your loud speakers.

86db (ACI Sapphire).  One other person with the hiss has Klipsch that are 98db.

The hiss with the klipschorns isn't too suprising, your case however is cause for concern,good luck resolving this issue.

[kendrid]

Scotty - this hiss is present at all times, even when there is no signal.

I left the manual at work, but I believe the 3000ES S/N was 95db.  I could be wrong.  I will check tomorrow morning.

Another question,what is the manufactures claimed efficiency on your loud speakers.

86db (ACI Sapphire).  One other person with the hiss has Klipsch that are 98db.

The hiss with the klipschorns isn't too suprising, your case however is cause for concern,good luck resolving this issue.

Thanks.  I emailed Sony ( ).

[Sa-dono]

AVD-C70ES/AVD-C700ES vs. AVD-S50ES/AVD-S500ES
1) 5 disc changer vs. 1 disc player
2) 120 watts vs. 100 watts @ 6 ohms
3) single disc player will be the more likely modding candidate
4) 64" (AVD-C70ES) vs. 70" (AVD-S50ES) attached power cord
5) different remote controls: RM-CL70 (AVD-C70ES) vs. RM-SP50 (AVD-S50ES)
6) AVD-C70ES has component video input

AVS-S50ES/AVD-C70ES vs. AVD-S500ES/AVD-C700ES
1) S-Master modules vs. S-Master Pro modules (and included advantages)
2) new units add a 6th channel and Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES support

Questions I have...
1) How do you disable the fan?
2) Has anyone replaced the attached power cord yet?
3) According to Cruthfield: "Speaker Outputs: There are binding post connectors for the speakers. They are not 5-way because a plastic collar prevents their use with spade lugs, and are spaced too far apart to use with dual banana plugs." Has anyone tried using spades yet or replaced the stock binding posts?

Thanks again to anyone that can provide answers to these questions!

[kent]

Questions I have...
1) How do you disable the fan?
2) Has anyone replaced the attached power cord yet?
3) According to Cruthfield: "Speaker Outputs: There are binding post connectors for the speakers. They are not 5-way because a plastic collar prevents their use with spade lugs, and are spaced too far apart to use with dual banana plugs." Has anyone tried using spades yet or replaced the stock binding posts?

Thanks again to anyone that can provide answers to these questions!
...

Hi, Sa-dono!  I haven't tried any mods yet, but the protective plastic collars look like they could be cut away pretty easily to allow spades (they're included, I think, to prevent people from inadvertently shorting a stray hair of wire across channels). Also, a special-sized (euro?) banana plug could work just fine (I used to own some weirdly sized 2-channel plugs that prob'ly would have fit, and now wish I'd hung onto them).

Finally, individual (single-channel) banana plugs work OK -- that's actually what I'm doing. I plug 'em in one-by-one, then seal the deal with a tiny bit of duct tape to make sure they don't ever pull out. The plug gives a lot of surface contact. Sounds fine to me.

I too would like a detailed answer on whether the fan can be disconnected without cutting or desoldering anything (I think I never got an answer...), before I open this critter up.

Ciao,

Kent

[kent]

I have a question is the hiss present or audible during the quietest passages on a cd or in between cuts.What I am asking is is there any hiss when even the lowest amount of signal is present.The hiss may be related to the digital volume architecture employed and just the way the unit behaves under a no signal condition.These things are not your grand mothers old buick.Does anyone have a published claim for an A weighted signal to noise ratio on these units.

Scotty, like several other owners, I don't hear any hiss on my C70 at  any sane listening level. Nothing whatsoever with the volume minimized, and nothing from my listening position with the volume maximized (except that damn fan, but that's curable...).

dmason, I doubt these hiss problems are going to turn out to be just an AC issue; My money is on it being a defect which we're going to hear about in 10-20% of the units.I say this because my 70 is silent whether or not I bypass my monster power conditioner -- and my AC is terribly noisy.

So my advice: If you buy a 50 or 70 (or 500/700) and it acts all   hissy with you, throw a hissy fit yourself. Demand a replacement.  

[kent]

AVD-C70ES/AVD-C700ES vs. AVS-S50ES/AVD-S500ES

Are there any other differences between the two?...

It simply won't be 100% clear until Sony releases detailed specs (well, Sony never releases truly detailed specs!) on the 500/700. For example, somewhere I read online (I thought in a Sony press release) that the 500/700 will have a normal preamp-level variable stereo output (current 50/70's just have fixed (line-level) outputs and a preamp mono sub output), but I can't confirm it b/c no picture of the jack pack anywhere on the web.

Sony's technical paper on the S-Master-Pro lists all kinds of differences between the previous ES receivers and the new S-Master-Pro ES receivers, but since the 500/700 weren't ready yet, it leaves it unclear which of those features will make it into the 500/700 and which won't.

If you want to keep the distinctions straight, it's technically incorrect to call the 50/70's chipset just "S-Master." It's the "Digital Drive S-Master". (Hey, I didn't name 'em.   )

The chipset names work like this:

2001 --> 1st generation: "S-Master" (none of us were interested in these)
2002 --> 2nd generation: "Digital Drive S-Master" (the 50/70 series)
2003 --> 3rd generation: "S-Master Pro" (the 500/700 and new receivers)

Probably the best thing to do is to keep checking back with Sony's Technical Info website (see links much earlier in this thread) for a tech sheet on the 500/700 over the next couple weeks, and maybe stay in touch with somebody like Oade for early info.

Go to http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/sosdocs/default.asp
Search for STR-DA9000ES.
Download the "ES Receivers Technical Background" pdf file (large).

Then search for AVD-S500ES or AVD-C700ES. And if you actually find a file on them, tell us all !    

[kendrid]

I picked up a Monster conditioner last night and it did not help.  

I will be returning the unit for a new one, but not until I hear about someone getting one that does not hiss.  So far every person with a 3000ES that have post online (all four of us) have hiss that can be heard at our listening position.