Sony STR-DA1000ES ES Receivers Technical Background - Page 3

S-Master Pro Technologies Digital amplifiers have been around for decades, occupying a place outside the mainstream of home audio. But important trends in audio technology are creating significant reasons to prefer digital amplification. First, digital signal-handling technology has improved, especially in the area of 1-bit digital signal processing. Modern circuitry can exercise amazingly precise control over 1-bit pulse lengths, pulse height and pulse timing, for jitterfree, distortion-free performance. Large Scale Integrated (LSI) technology continues to move forward, enabling manufacturers to build this sophisticated technology into consumer products. Today's faster output transistors do a better job at digital switching speeds. Finally, home entertainment continues to move inexorably into the digital domain, leaving analog processes behind. Simultaneous with these advances, the function of the home audio receiver has been transformed. "High fidelity" or "AM/FM" receivers have long since given way to sophisticated A/V control centers that first handled composite video, then added component video, HD component video and now digital component video. Over the years, stereo receivers have been transformed into four, five, six and now seven-channel receivers. And the designs continue to grow in complexity. In this new context, digital amplification is becoming more and more compelling. It was for this reason that Sony first developed the S-Master process back in 2001. The 2003 ES receivers, starting with the STR-DA2000ES, incorporate Sony's third generation of S-Master technology-and our most advanced by far. Process S-Master Generation First Introduction 2001 Technologies • Clean Data Cycle • C-PLM • S-TACT "Digital Drive" SMaster Second 2002 AVD-C70ES AVD-S50ES • Clean Data Cycle • C-PLM • S-TACT • Pulse Height Volume Control S-Master Pro Third 2003 STR-DA9000ES STR-DA5000ES STR-DA3000ES STR-DA2000ES • Clean Data Cycle • C-PLM • S-TACT • Pulse Height Volume Control • DC Phase Linearizer • Discrete Output Transistors • Toroidal Low Pass Filter • Two-Stage Pulse Power Supply ES Receivers V3.0 Page 3