Podcast # 1086: Listener Recommended Demo Material and New Sony Receiveers

This week we list the content our listeners use to show off their systems whether it be for music listening or movie watching. Also, Sony announced five new receivers that we discuss. And as usual, we read your emails and go over the week's news.

News:

• Super Bowl LVII will screen in 4K and Dolby Vision, but there's a catch
• Google Plans To Punch Up 'NFL Sunday Ticket' With New Features
• Klipsch Expands High-Resolution Powered Speaker Series
• QD-OLED TV Prices Could Get Cheaper As Samsung Puts Production In Overdrive
• Sonos' next speakers will be called the Era 300 and Era 100

Listener Recommended Music and Movie Demo Material

Music

JR - provided the following Spotify Playlist for Music Demos

Dan - Marcus Miller: Blast (from the album Marcus) Blast

Stan - Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car (U2) & the first three minutes, and Dear Prudence (Beatles)

Brian

• Donald Fagen – The Nightfly – I.G.Y. (DSD64 5.1)
• Foreigner – 4 – Waiting for a Girl Like You (DSD64 5.1)
• The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card – Games People Play (DSD64 Stereo)
• Heart – Dreamboat Annie – Crazy on You (FLAC 24bit/192kHz)
• Steely Dan – Aja – Aja (DSD64 Stereo)
• Aerosmith – Toys in the Attic – Walk This Way (DSD64 5.1)
• Beck – Sea Change – Any Track! (DSD64 5.1)
• Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms – Money for Nothing (DSD64 5.1)
• Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point – Break the Man (Dolby Atmos)
• Sting – Nothing Like the Sun – Englishman in New York (FLAC 24bit/96kHz)
• Toto – IV – Africa (DSD64 5.1)

Curt - provided the following Spotify Playlist for Music Demos

John - My number one all time favorite test track that I have been using for over 30 years Is Supertramp's song Fool's Overture from their live album Paris. There is so much happening in the song in the different parts of the song. In the middle of the song it goes to all different sounds like a grandfather clock, wind blowing and then a great bass guitar building up to the second part of the song with a sax and other high pitch instruments and then it mellows down to a piano, drum and singer. This song gives me everything in one song to push and test speakers. Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (Bass) Rush - YYZ This instrumental track will put any speaker to the test. This is a very fast paced song with a lot of stereo testing as instruments move from one speaker to another (helps in speaker placing) and its fast. Chris Issak - Baby Did a very bad thing - he has an amazing voice and he can go from deep to very high

Mark - Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good

Poco - Heart of the Night

Poco - Crazy Love

From the Tommy Bolin album Private Eyes, Bustin' Out For Rosey, Sweet Burgundy, Post Toastee

Bill - here's a track I use to show off my subs. It was recorded by the Yellowjackets (Galileo for Jaco) as a tribute to Jack Pastorius in the 80s so it has that digitally produced sound. I've had grown men giggle like a kid at about a minute in.

Enrique - Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague

Movies

DJ - District 9 start at 12:15 and at 12:24 the engine shuts off and you can feel it.

JR - Ride of the Rohiorrim scene in The Return of the King (Youtube Clip in 4K with Atmos of this scene)

Brian

• Blade Runner 2049 – Intro Scene
• Gemini Man – Intro Scene (Dolby Vision 4K60)
• Mad Max: Fury Road – Intro Scene
• Ready Player One – Race Scene
• Midway – Pearl Harbor Attack Scene
• Top Gun: Maverick – Mach 10 Scene
• Top Gun: Maverick – 2 Minutes 15 seconds Trial Run Scene

Curt - The race scene from "Ready Player One" (Atmos!), train wreck scene from "Super 8" (not Atmos or DTSX, but awesome surround cacophony)

John - the end of John Wick when they are in the rain and talking. Also Aquaman the fight sequence about a third of the way in the Italian village.

Mark - Ready Player One, the race scene early in the movie, Dune, around 2 hours into the movie they place the devices to lure the worms, the bass is insane with that, The Dark Knight, when Batman is in the batcave and he's test firing a big gun, crazy bass there too

Enrique - Maverick (of course), Mad Max, Blade Runner 2049

Sony Electronics Launches new ES 8K AV Receiver Lineup

Sony Electronics Inc. announced its newest addition to the brand's AV receiver line. These receivers are the first from Sony to feature 8K and 4K/120 support as well as Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology. These receivers were tuned by Sony engineers to provide the most immersive home theater experience yet. The new ES line features four new models built mainly for custom installation. Additionally, the STR-AN1000 receiver is created for consumers looking to upgrade their current home theater system. Full Press Release Here…

STR-AN1000 - 7.2 Channel 8K A/V Receiver (Pre-Order for $899.99)

• 7.2-channel A/V Receiver (165 W 6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1ch, THD 0.9%)
• 8K & 4K/120Hz HDMI Connectivity with HDMI 2.1 support (6-in/2-out)
• Supports Dolby Atmos® & DTS:X® object-based sound decoding
• Immersive audio with Digital Cinema Auto Calibration IX and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping

What is 360 Spatial Sound Mapping

By utilizing the positional information measured by Sony's Digital Cinema Auto Calibration IX (D.C.A.C. IX), multiple phantom speakers are generated all around the room so cinema lovers can experience every breath, step, and word as if inside the film. D.C.A.C. IX, the latest auto-calibration technology developed by Sony, can correct the distance, angle, sound pressure and frequency response of each speaker by measuring the speaker placement in 3D using the supplied calibration microphone. This works alongside Auto Phase Matching which aligns the phase of different speakers. This means users can compensate for challenging speaker placement, delay or phase shift and feel fully immersed in a movie.

Additionally, enjoy music the way the artists truly intended with High-Resolution Audio for crystal clear precision. The ES series and STR-AN1000 also supports DSD (Direct Stream Digital) native playback, with no conversion involved so DSD content can be fully enjoyed without losing any of the original quality.

When connected to a BRAVIA XR TV with Acoustic Center Sync, the ES series and STR-AN1000 combine audio from the TV with the audio from the center speaker to create an incredible sound-from-screen experience. Dialogue will appear to come directly from the characters on the screen creating a much more immersive experience.

The ES Series models are available for presale at Sony Electronics.

STR-AZ1000ES: 7.2 CH (100W 8 ohms) A/V Receiver will be priced at MSRP $1,099.99

STR-AZ3000ES: 9.2 CH (120W 8 ohms) A/V Receiver will be priced at MSRP $1,699.99

STR-AZ5000ES: 11.2 CH (130W 8 ohms) A/V Receiver will be priced at MSRP $2,099.99

STR-AZ7000ES: 13.2 CH (150W 8 ohms) A/V Receiver will be priced at MSRP $3,299.99

The only real difference in features besides the number of amps and channels is that the 5000 and 7000 have three 12V triggers and the 1000 and 3000 only have one. The Standard AN1000 does not have a 12V trigger