I presently own a Sony DA333ES to drive my 5.1 HT. I just recently purchased and installed new Axiom speakers. I have been told to update my receiver to a Denon or an Onkyo that has Audyssey EQ. Any advice would be appreciated.
Which speakers did you purchase? There is a big difference in powering the M80's compared to the M22's. Tell us which speakers you have and I'm sure many will chime in.
M 22's
VP 150
QS 8's
EP 500
The Sony is 8 years old. Will a new receiver be a vast improvement?
Although it may not be necessary to upgrade your receiver, you may enjoy the new features that todays receivers have, and in my experience the auto calibration with the Audyssey EQ made a great improvement in the overall sound of my system.
Brian,
Not sure if this is the same Sony ES line receiver you have, but according to the specs for 5.1 it should be fine. Since you don't have 7.1 you don't need Pro Logic IIx and it appears you have DD and DTS in that receiver?
The Audyssey is a nice feature, but you may find your old Sony does just fine if you calibrate the old fashion way.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDA333ES-STR-DA333ES-Receiver/dp/B00001ZWQA
Just wondering what the logic was for telling you that you needed to upgrade? Unless there are some significant features that you want and your Sony doesn't have (or you have a bad case of upgrade-itis), why bother????
Brian, assuming that your 333 is still in good operating condition, there's no good reason to expect that replacing it would result in any advantage with regard to just the basic amplification; it should have enough power for your speakers in nearly all circumstances. It is definitely dated with respect to its features, however, and if your budget allows, you should consider a change for that reason. For example, the 333 has only the old basic Dolby Logic; since you have a 5.1 setup it would improve your enjoyment of two-channel sources to have DPLII processing which would send full range stereo ambience to your surrounds. The Audyssey might well improve the overall response in your listening room; results vary.