Skip to main content

Sony’s slew of sweet new high-res audio gear takes aim at the practical enthusiast

A lot of companies will showcase an overwhelming pile of new products at CES, then release them at a steady trickle throughout the year. Sony, on the other hand, decided to forgo this approach, and quietly unveiled pricing and availability for a ton of different products in a blog post. The products range from Bluetooth speakers to hi-res home audio systems, with Sony’s multiroom system, SongPal, serving as a common thread.

A/V receivers & sound bars

Up first is Sony’s STR-DN1070 7.1-channel network A/V receiver ($600), which supports wireless multiroom playback. Name a popular streaming technology and it’s here, including Wi-Fi AirPlay, Bluetooth, Google Cast and Spotify Connect. High resolution audio playback is supported, including DSD 5.6 MHz/5.1ch, while on the video side, all six HDMI inputs support HDCP2.2 for top-tier 4K/60p and support for HDR content from major studios.

Recommended Videos

If you’re not as interested in all the various features, and just want a solid A/V receiver for your new 4K Ultra HD TV, the 7.2-channel STR-DH770 still offers all you need, but at a lower price point of just $350. As with the DN1070, this model offers six HDMI inputs with HDCP2.2 for 4K/60p playback, plus HDR support.

The STR-DN1070 is available now online and will be in stores beginning May 15, while the STR-HD770 is available online and in stores now.

If you’re not looking for a full home theater system but still want better sound than your TV’s built-in speakers can offer, the HT-NT5 TV sound bar might be worth a look. This bar offers high-res audio playback via Sony’s Super Tweeter Technology, and features Google Cast built in for easy wireless streaming via Wi-Fi. As for video passthrough, the sound bar supports HDCP 2.2, 4K and HDR playback via the HDMI input. The HT-NT5 is available online now and will be in stores May 15 for a retail price of $800.

Speakers

Sony’s SRS line of portable speakers launched a few years ago and has been seeing steady updates ever since, with the latest models being the SRS-ZR7 and SRS-ZR5. Both speakers feature Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for wireless connections and multiroom with the SongPal app, but they also feature something you don’t normally see in this type of speaker: an HDMI port, allowing them to be used with a television.

The SRS-ZR7 is the larger and louder of the two, retailing for $300, while the smaller SRS-ZR5 retails for $200. Both speakers are available online now, and will be on store shelves beginning May 15.

For those looking for something more than a Bluetooth speaker but with the same ease of use, Sony also offers the CAS-1 high-resolution home audio system. While it does offer Bluetooth, the CAS-1 is meant to truly shine when it’s playing high-res audio files from a computer or storage device, even doubling as a headphone amp in addition to playback via the built-in speakers. The CAS-1 retails for $1,000 and will be available in stores starting May 22, though it is already available online.

Audio / video players

Sony isn’t planning to release a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player until 2017, but the BDP-S6700 acts as something of a stopgap, upscaling high-definition content to “near-4K quality.” The unit also offers Bluetooth connectivity with LDAP and multiroom audio with SongPal, allowing CDs and music files played from USB devices to be streamed to multiple other devices. The BDP-S6700 is available now, and retails for $130.

For those looking for something that plays all your high-res physical media, Sony’s UHP-H1 player might be worth considering, as well. Sony says this is the company’s first “Hi-Res certified” Blu-ray player, offering playback for SA-CD, DVD-Audio, hi-res audio, and MP3s. The player also offers 4K/60p upscaling, as well as Bluetooth and multiroom via SongPal. The UHP-H1 isn’t yet available, and Sony is mum on specifics there, but the unit can be pre-ordered now for $350.

Finally, Sony’s PS-HX500 turntable is meant for vinyl collectors who might want to store their favorite recordings digitally — in fine fashion. The turntable can capture recordings in either DSD (up to 5.6 MHz) or WAV (up to 192 KHz/24-bit) format, and play them on any compatible high-res audio device. The PS-HX500 retails for $600, and is available online now, with in-store availability beginning May 22.

Most of Sony’s gear is either available now, or will be soon at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers nationwide.

Kris Wouk
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Just what is a tupperdor anyway? Understanding the affordable humidor alternative
How to save money while storing your cigars at the appropriate humidity in a tupperdor.
Cigar shop humidor with lots of brands.

Spend any amount of time around cigar enthusiasts, and you'll quickly learn if you want to start your own collection, big or small, you need a humidor. That's because cigars need to be stored at the appropriate relative humidity (RH) and temperature levels. Otherwise, the cigar will dry out and the natural oils that contribute a lot of the flavor while you're smoking will effectively be gone. You can always rehydrate a cigar to smoke it, but even so, those natural oils once lost will never return, which means it will never taste the way it should -- you won't have an authentic experience. To make a long story short, you need to care for and store cigars appropriately if you're going to keep them for an extended period of time. Of course, none of this explains just what is a tupperdor?

Bear with me, I'm getting there. The point you need to understand is that cigars must be stored under the right conditions and to do that you prep and maintain a humidor. Inside the humidor, you use either -- or similar gel packs -- or something like a to maintain the proper humidity.
Understanding humidor differences

Read more
Get ready for winter with this humidifier: 40% off at Amazon
The Homvana H101 humidifer in a bedroom.

With the winter season fast approaching, you should think about getting a humidifier for your home. The Homvana H101 is an excellent choice to combat the dry air that will result from cranking up the heat indoors, and it's on sale from Amazon for an extremely affordable $30 following a 40% discount on its original price of $50. The savings of $20 will only be available for a limited time though, so you're going to want to complete your purchase as soon as possible to make sure that you don't miss out.

Why you should buy the Homvana H101 humidifier
Ahead of the winter season, you should check out our tips for running in cold weather if that's your favorite exercise, and our winter driving tips if you'll always be on the road. Meanwhile, for inside your home, you should get the Homvana H101 humidifier. The air inside your house is going to get dry since you'll be increasing the heat, so you need the Homvana H101 to add moisture. Just fill the tank and turn it on to start feeling the difference.

Read more
We now know what the ‘Stranger Things’ series finale will be called
The series will end almost a full decade after the first episode debuted.
The logo for Stranger Things season 5.

Netflix has confirmed that Stranger Things' fifth and final season will air in 2025. To celebrate "Stranger Things Day" in honor of Nov. 6, 1983, the day that Will Byers was kidnapped, the streamer released a video that featured the titles of the eight episodes in the final season.

The episodes are titled “The Crawl,” “The Vanishing of…,” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape From Camazotz,” “The Bridge,” and “The Rightside Up.” These titles include several references to earlier episodes. "The Vanishing of..." is a reference to the season one episode "The Vanishing of Will Byers." Fans are already speculating that someone new will be kidnapped and taken to the Upside Down in this final season.

Read more