Sony STR-DA3300ES

The Sony STR-DA3300ES (MSRP $800) is a 7.1 channel a/v receiver with 100 Watts / channel and upscaling to 1080p to HDMI using its built-in Faroudja DCDi Cinema chipset. It is the entry-level model of the STR-DAx300ES lineup with step-up models STR-DA4300ES ($1000) adding high-definition audio decoding and flagship STR-DA5300ES (MSRP $1700) upgrading to 6 x HDMI inputs and 120 Watts / channel of power. The lack of HD audio decoding may be a moot point as currently no Blu-ray players will output HD audio in a bitstream format requiring the receiver to decode the signal, thus making the STR-DA3300ES more attractive to consumers looking to save some money compared to the step-up models. This receiver, like all new Sony receivers, features the Cross Media Bar ("XMB") graphical interface, similar to what's found on the Sony PSP.