This is Sony's forthcoming STR-DA5300ES receiver, expected to slot into the company's range above the existing STR-DA5200ES in September or October.
The price in the UK is subject to confirmation, but it's expected to sell for around €1700 in mainland Europe, which would suggest around £1200-£1300 here. Features include full HD sound decoding, an enhanced auto-calibration system and a modular Digital Media Port designed to connect it to personal audio devices and wi-fi networks.
The 7x120W Sony can handle a Linear PCM multichannel input via HDMI, as can the STR-DA5200ES, but adds onboard decoding for both Dolby Digital True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and can even handle a direct DSD datastream from suitable SACD sources.
1080P upscaling is provided, from all sources from S-video upwards, and the receiver can handle the 1080P/24, Deep Colour and xv Colour(xvYCC) picture enhancements available via HDMI with a suitable player and TV.
A revised version of the company's Digital Cinema Auto-Calibration is provided, promising faster and more accurate set-up, and the receiver also has Sony's Bravia Theatre Sync for one-button operation with suitable players and the latest Bravia TVs.
Finally there's the new Digital Media port, a single connection able to accept a range of plug-in modules to interface with a variety of music sources.
Modules will be available to connect iPods and Sony Ericsson Walkman mobile phones to the DM Port, and for wireless connections there are both wi-fi and Bluetooth add-ons, meaning that just about any computer-based music source can be connected.
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