Sony STR-DA5600ES and Setup Manager 1.0

[Monkeyboi]

Anyone here got a Sony STR-DA5600ES receiver and manage to get the Sony Setup Manager software to communicate with it?

Also what version firmware is currently installed?

Cheers,

Alan R.

[Monkeyboi]

Well almost a year down the track I've finally resolved this problem. The receiver needed a Super Reset (no not a clouting with a ruddy big hammer) but a master reset only accessable from a hidden menu which is accessed by holding down a button and pressing a sequence of buttons on the front panel of the receiver and several buttons on the remote control. Only Sony could come up with such a strategy in which the secret sequence has to be performed twice to access the technician's service menu.

Never the less, once access is gained the receiver can be given the Super Reset which trashed all the user settings but gave me the remote access via the network I needed to access the 31 spot frequency equaliser to trim the autoEQ settings. All I have to do now is re-autoEQ and set up the receiver again. This sime I'll be able to save the settings and reload them in just a few seconds should it ever need to perform a Super Reset or reflash the system with a new firmware upgrade.

Cheers,

Alan R.

[ctle]

Hi Alan,

How does the combination of Sony STR-DA5600ES & SCD-XA5400ES via HDMI (HATS) sound?

Cheers

[Monkeyboi]

Hi Alan,

How does the combination of Sony STR-DA5600ES & SCD-XA5400ES via HDMI (HATS) sound?

Cheers

The combination works well with both DSD and LPCM. Took my SCD-XA5400ES player to a friend's place for him to listen to. He has the STR-DA5500ES receiver (also HATS enabled). We played back several SACDs and CDs both with and without HATS enabled. The HATS sync was a clear winner. Much tighter bass and a noticeable improvement in overall SQ.

Cheers,

Alan R.

[ctle]

I hardly use my SCD-XA5400ES since I acquired the Mytek 192 DAC 5 months ago. Pure DSD music sounds so dynamic and detailed via Mytek DAC compared to SCD-XA5400ES.

[Monkeyboi]

I hardly use my SCD-XA5400ES since I acquired the Mytek 192 DAC 5 months ago. Pure DSD music sounds so dynamic and detailed via Mytek DAC compared to SCD-XA5400ES.

What are you using as a transport with the Mytek? Obviously not the SCD-XA5400ES.

When you were using the XA5400ES, were you utilising any off-board decoding, e.g. a HATS enabled receiver or DAC?

Cheers, Alan R.

Edited April 6, 2012 by Monkeyboi

[ctle]

I don't own a Sony HATS enabled receiver so I haven't heard this combination.

I use mac mini + Audirnava plus to play DSD iso / DSF files ripped from PS3. I have ripped more than 200 pure DSD recording sacd's from Channel, Pentatone, Praga, etc

[Monkeyboi]

I don't own a Sony HATS enabled receiver so I haven't heard this combination.

I use mac mini + Audirnava plus to play DSD iso / DSF files ripped from PS3. I have ripped more than 200 pure DSD recording sacd's from Channel, Pentatone, Praga, etc

Ah, the ripped SACD path. Personally never acquired one of the old SACD capable PS3s to do that. I have gone down the paid download path for DSD and created the iso files for burning to DVD-R media for playback on the SCD-XA5400ES. My music library currently holds about 300 or more pressed SACD titles and dozens of paid downloads burned to DVD-R media.

The Mytek DAC looks interesting, but it's only 2 channel and being already on PCM DAC overload (CEC DX71 Mk2, Emotiva XDA-1 et al) I'm all DACed out. To go down the Mytek DAC path I'd probably need to go computer based sourcing which whilst no doubt is a solution, the STR-DA5600ES receiver will already stream music (but not DSD unfortunately) from the existing server with the ease of on-screen navigation and control directly from the Sony receiver. I was lucky to purchase my Sony STR-DA5600ES receiver new for $2k. With the $1600 I saved on the rrp I reckon I can do one hell of a lot of mods for that including op-amp, cap and a master clock upgrade which will benefit all the decoding it does, not just DSD. Except for centre and rear channels, the power amplification is done by a separate power amplifier to run the front speakers. I should hook up the other power amps for a better SQ, but there is already way too much equipment in the room at the moment. Perhaps when I move house, I'll put more emphasis on SQ and less on convenience given the priority being a dedicated listening room.

There is an SNA member friend of mine that lives near Perth who has one of the Mytek DACs who has offerred to bring it around for a listen. If a get a free weekend I'll organise this with Rod and take the opportunity to give it an audition on my own system. It just may insprire me to go down a similar path as you've done. Just need to get one of those old PS3s to ripp all of my existing SACDs to DSF files.......

Cheers,

Alan R.

[ctle]

I use SCD-XA5400ES with the old STR-DA9000ES via analog multi-ch connection. I initially plan to get a HATS enabled receiver but I changed my mind to get the Mytek instead because I always like to listen to pure DSD recording via computer. Looking forward to your impression of the Mytek & DSF file.

[Johnny666]

On 27/3/2012 at 11:06 AM, Monkeyboi said:

Well almost a year down the track I've finally resolved this problem. The receiver needed a Super Reset (no not a clouting with a ruddy big hammer) but a master reset only accessable from a hidden menu which is accessed by holding down a button and pressing a sequence of buttons on the front panel of the receiver and several buttons on the remote control. Only Sony could come up with such a strategy in which the secret sequence has to be performed twice to access the technician's service menu.

Never the less, once access is gained the receiver can be given the Super Reset which trashed all the user settings but gave me the remote access via the network I needed to access the 31 spot frequency equaliser to trim the autoEQ settings. All I have to do now is re-autoEQ and set up the receiver again. This sime I'll be able to save the settings and reload them in just a few seconds should it ever need to perform a Super Reset or reflash the system with a new firmware upgrade.

Cheers,

Alan R.

Hello,

i was always wonderings what the Super Reset is doing. I got an TA-DA9100ES from Japan but was to afraid to swipe off my EPROM or something, performinb the SUPER RESET.  

 

Greetings Rafael

[Monkeyboi]

11 hours ago, Johnny666 said:

Hello,

i was always wonderings what the Super Reset is doing. I got an TA-DA9100ES from Japan but was to afraid to swipe off my EPROM or something, performinb the SUPER RESET.  

 

Greetings Rafael

Is there a reason why you want to perform a reset?

 

[Johnny666]

Hello Alan, 

not in particular.... But i go the unit and I can´t get the auto calibration to run. It starts makes some noises and ends with two deeb beeps and the message AUTO CALIBRATION ERROR CODE F :33. No Matter what i do.... every time the same. I connected only the Front Speakers; I connected another speakercables;  i connected another speaker to the front, i disconnected all speaker, i disconnected everything.... always error code f:33, no matter what i do. so i was thinking there is something fishy going on, maybe you should perform the SUPER RESET. I got this unit mainly because the autocalibration and the HDMI ports, but neither of this features is working. the HDMI port is also not working right. I cant get an image out this unit. No on screen menu and no other connected device. same game: switching cable; input units, output units, nothing. It is very frustrating.  

 

It all started with an blown Hybrid IC on the power amp board of my first TA-DA9000ES. Got another working unit from the USA that i found on ebay; STR-DA9000ES. The idea was to switch the howl amp boards and get my beloved TA-DA9000ES to work again with no success.... it works but in a very odd way: the front channels (L/C/R) are hissing all the time and are about as double louder than the surroundchannels. And the unit got very hot in the area of the amp board. Another STR-DA9000ES unit from USA, same problem. After that i decided to study the service manuals from both TA-DA9000ES and STR-DA9000ES side by side (took me one day): there are some differences in the partnumbers of the boards that are used. Maybe because of the fact, that the STR-DA9000ES came out a little bit later with some improvements on the amp-borads, beside the DVI board and the Motherboard. So lastly i found another EU version of the TA-DA9000ES from germany with same defect: one of the HYBRID IC blown ... this time i decided to swap the defected HYBRID IC it self with another one that are working. Fingers crossed.

 

In the meantime, at the research  to my problem, i found the site:  www.zenmarket.jp

After a couple of weeks i got the TA-DA9100ES at my home. 

 

Besides: the shippment of such a heavy unit is a howl another story to tell, haha!

 

And here we are... don't get wrong, the unit is working fine in all ways my beloved old TA-DA9000Es did. But after this journey with all the hope, not like i was expected, sadly.   

 

Haha, sorry for the long post... had no one to talk to in this topic.

 

Grüße Rafael

[Monkeyboi]

On 29/07/2023 at 6:33 PM, Johnny666 said:

Hello Alan, 

not in particular.... But i go the unit and I can´t get the auto calibration to run. It starts makes some noises and ends with two deeb beeps and the message AUTO CALIBRATION ERROR CODE F :33. No Matter what i do.... every time the same. I connected only the Front Speakers; I connected another speakercables;  i connected another speaker to the front, i disconnected all speaker, i disconnected everything.... always error code f:33, no matter what i do. so i was thinking there is something fishy going on, maybe you should perform the SUPER RESET. I got this unit mainly because the autocalibration and the HDMI ports, but neither of this features is working. the HDMI port is also not working right. I cant get an image out this unit. No on screen menu and no other connected device. same game: switching cable; input units, output units, nothing. It is very frustrating.  

 

It all started with an blown Hybrid IC on the power amp board of my first TA-DA9000ES. Got another working unit from the USA that i found on ebay; STR-DA9000ES. The idea was to switch the howl amp boards and get my beloved TA-DA9000ES to work again with no success.... it works but in a very odd way: the front channels (L/C/R) are hissing all the time and are about as double louder than the surroundchannels. And the unit got very hot in the area of the amp board. Another STR-DA9000ES unit from USA, same problem. After that i decided to study the service manuals from both TA-DA9000ES and STR-DA9000ES side by side (took me one day): there are some differences in the partnumbers of the boards that are used. Maybe because of the fact, that the STR-DA9000ES came out a little bit later with some improvements on the amp-borads, beside the DVI board and the Motherboard. So lastly i found another EU version of the TA-DA9000ES from germany with same defect: one of the HYBRID IC blown ... this time i decided to swap the defected HYBRID IC it self with another one that are working. Fingers crossed.

 

In the meantime, at the research  to my problem, i found the site:  www.zenmarket.jp

After a couple of weeks i got the TA-DA9100ES at my home. 

 

Besides: the shippment of such a heavy unit is a howl another story to tell, haha!

 

And here we are... don't get wrong, the unit is working fine in all ways my beloved old TA-DA9000Es did. But after this journey with all the hope, not like i was expected, sadly.   

 

Haha, sorry for the long post... had no one to talk to in this topic.

 

Grüße Rafael

 

Hi Rafael,

 

Sorry to read about the difficulties you've been having with your Sony receivers.

 

A list of the auto-calibration error coded can be found here - 

Help Guide | List of messages after Auto Calibration measurements (sony.net)

 

The error 33 code most likely is a result of speaker set up configuration problem.  Most auto-calibration Sony receivers need to know how many and the locations of the speakers are actually connected to the amplifier before running auto-calibration otherwise the auto-calibration software thinks there is a fault.  So as an example, if you have only front main speakers and a subwoofer connected you need to go into the setup menu and make sure the speaker configuration is set to 2.1 before running auto-calibration.  In essence if the microphone can't hear a particular speaker from its expected position, either from incorrect placement or disconnection it will display the Error 33 code.  

 

I hope this information helps you.

 

 

On 29/07/2023 at 3:51 AM, Johnny666 said:

Hello,

i was always wonderings what the Super Reset is doing. I got an TA-DA9100ES from Japan but was to afraid to swipe off my EPROM or something, performinb the SUPER RESET.  

 

Greetings Rafael

Is there a reason why you want to perform a reset?

 

[bizzibee]

Hi Rafael,

 

You must love the sound produced by the TA-DA9000ES as much as I do and a friend of mine does. Well done getting your hands on TA-DA9100ES from Japan. I wouldn't do the reset unless you know exactly it does. The error you are getting could well be related to some issue with your speakers and/or the calibration microphone or socket the calibration microphone plugs into.

 

I'm still using my 20 year old TA-DA9000ES in Stereo mode for SACD and RBCD only as I have lost the Surround Channels. Back Surrounds still work as does the Centre Channel. At lest it still works and doesn't display the protect error and refuse to work at all. A friend of mine (mboddy60), has three TA-DA9000ES which all have some type of failure. We would love to get them working again. He very generously gave me his old STR-DA7100ES and DVP-NS9100ES.

 

How do you rate the TA-DA9000ES against the TA-DA9100ES sound stage and sound quality wise?

 

I see you discovered Nick's thread who also got himself a TA-DA9100ES back in 2010.

 

https://www.avforums.com/threads/sony-da9100es.1272876/page-2#post-31522673

 

I use to chat with Nick a lot back in the early 2000's when we convinced him to get himself a TA-DA9000ES over on the  Agoraquest.com Forums.

 

Quote

My first DA9000 was bought completely blind, just on the basis of some enthusiastic user-reviews over the pond. Unfortunately I didn't realise just how good it was, and sold it to an Italian.

 

https://www.avforums.com/threads/sony-da9100es.1272876/page-2#post-13543248

 

You can see where Nick had his TA-DA9000ES up for sale back in 2008, which he did sell to an Italian and then regretted it.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20080702202506/http://www.agoraquest.com/viewforum.php?forum=51

 

Anyway, I wish you good luck getting your TA-DA9000ES working again, and resolving the auto calibration issue. I would be happy just to manually setup the TA-DA9100ES if I was fortunate to have one.

 

Kind regards

 

Mark

 

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by bizzibee

[Johnny666]

After unsuccessfully trying to find someone to exchange the defective hybrid ICs (US to EU devices), I finally took matters into my own hands. The initial situation was as follows:

 

Device 1 (STR-DA9000ES / US 120V) was fully functional; Device 2 (STR-DA9000ES US 120V) was so heavily damaged during shipping that I didn't even attempt to turn it on; Device 3 (TA-DA9000ES EU 230V / my defective hybrid IC Front left); Device 4 (TA-DA9000ES EU 230V) purchased used / defective hybrid IC Surround right).

The plan was to exchange the defective hybrid ICs of devices 3 & 4 (EU 230V) with those of devices 1 & 2 (US 120V). For this purpose, I found someone who could desolder and solder back the power amplifier modules for me.

 

The problem was as follows: the devices became extremely hot on the power amplifier boards, and furthermore, the volumes of the front channels and the surround channels were different, even though the volume adjustment on the receiver was set to zero. In one device (3 EU 230V), the front channels were louder than the surround channels, and in the other device (4 EU 230V), it was exactly the opposite. No matter how the power amplifier modules were swapped, the same volume differences occurred.

I then gave up on this approach because the costs, amounting to €700 so far, deterred me from continuing down this path.

Now, half a year later, I revisited this issue: the problem must be found elsewhere. So, I completely dismantled the devices. Through the process of elimination and having enough spare parts to swap, I discovered that the motherboards of the EU devices were also affected. Therefore, I installed the motherboards of the US devices into the EU devices. And behold: a fully functional TA-DA9000ES with the motherboard of an STR-DA9000ES and its power amplifier board was brought back to life. Now motivated, I attempted the same process with the other two devices. Initially, there was no sound from the surround channels. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed a slightly damaged cable, which I also replaced. And once again, success: another device (4 EU 230V), with donor parts from a US device, is now operational again.

 

And the lesson from this adventure:

The hybrid ICs of the TA-DA9000ES are prone to failure.

When this happens, the motherboard is also affected and must be replaced as well.

 

 

Greetings from Germany

Edited March 27, 2024 by Johnny666

[bizzibee]

2 hours ago, Johnny666 said:

And the lesson from this adventure:

The hybrid ICs of the TA-DA9000ES are prone to failure.

When this happens, the motherboard is also affected and must be replaced as well.

 

Hi Rafael,

 

Thank you for taking the time to come back here and update us about your adventure with repairing your xxx-DA9000ES and getting them operational again.

 

Again many thanks again mate for sharing!

 

Kind regards

 

Mark

 

[Jani_]

On 27/03/2024 at 10:17 PM, Johnny666 said:

Through the process of elimination and having enough spare parts to swap, I discovered that the motherboards of the EU devices were also affected. [..] However, upon closer inspection, I noticed a slightly damaged cable, which I also replaced.

 

Hallo Rafael,

 

Can you please share more details on these damages found? Were you able to locate the damaged components on the motherboard? Where you able to fix the damaged mb? Which cable was damaged?

 

Regards,

Jani