Buy the Sony STR-AZ1000ES if you're paying for documentation and headroom in the digital domain — a stated 48 Gbps bandwidth and ten processing channels the AN1000's sheet lacks. Buy the STR-AN1000 knowing it's the only one of the two whose amplifier is rated at all, and that its stated 6–16Ω floor excludes low-dipping speakers.
Specifications · side by side · per-field provenance
● SOURCE-TRACKED
Spec
Sony STR-AN1000
Sony STR-AZ1000ES
Price
$948
$1,399
Brand
Sony
Sony
Channel configuration
7.2
not stated
Main channels
7
7
Subwoofer pre-outs
2
2
Zone 2 capable
Yes
Yes
Zone 3 capable
Yes
Yes
Watts per channel (6 Ω)
165
not stated
THD (%)
0.9
not stated
Channels driven (power rating)
one channel driven
not stated
Impedance range
6ohms-16ohms
not stated
Speaker impedance, min (Ω)
6
not stated
Speaker impedance, max (Ω)
16
not stated
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Yes
DTS:X
Yes
Yes
IMAX Enhanced
Yes
Yes
Room correction system
Sony DCAC IX
not stated
Measurement mic included
Yes
Yes
HDMI inputs
6
6
HDMI outputs
2
2
HDMI version
2.1
2.1
HDMI max bandwidth (Gbps)
40
48
HDMI 2.1 ports
4
4
HDMI eARC ports
1
1
Max passthrough resolution
8K 30
8K 60
HDR support
HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma, Dolby Vision
HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
VRR passthrough
Yes
Yes
ALLM passthrough
Yes
Yes
Wi-Fi
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
AirPlay 2
Yes
Yes
Streaming services
Spotify Connect
Spotify Connect
Form factor
full size
not stated
Width (in)
16.9
not stated
Height (in)
6.1
not stated
Depth (in)
13
not stated
Weight (lbs)
20.7
not stated
Power consumption (W)
240
not stated
Processing channels
not stated
10
Phono input
not stated
No
IP control
not stated
Yes
Shaded rows differ · green dot = lab-measured · amber = manufacturer-verified · blue = retailer/community-reported · grey = estimated · “not stated” means exactly that
Reading the numbers honestly
The AN1000 is the only one with a power figure at all: 165W into 6Ω, one channel driven, 0.9% THD — the generous test on every axis, but at least a stated number. The AZ1000ES publishes NO power figure in our data; we flag that instead of guessing. The disclosure inverts on digital plumbing: the AZ1000ES states 48 Gbps HDMI bandwidth, ten processing channels, and an eARC port; the AN1000's processing count is unstated and its curated bandwidth is 40 Gbps. Both state four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports and the same D.C.A.C. IX calibration. One pairing fact that carries over: the AN1000 states a 6–16Ω impedance range — by its own sheet not rated for 4Ω-class speakers; the AZ1000ES's range is unstated.
Compatibility · computed, not written
Checked against a bookshelf that dips to a stated 3.5Ω like the KEF LS50 Meta: KEF LS50 Meta
Can the Sony STR-AN1000 drive the KEF LS50 Meta?
Sony STR-AN1000 states a 6Ω-minimum rating, and the KEF LS50 Meta dips to a stated 3.5Ω minimum — well below that floor. By its own published spec this receiver is not rated for a load like this.
Can the Sony STR-AZ1000ES drive the KEF LS50 Meta?
Sony STR-AZ1000ES publishes no rated impedance range, so the pairing with the KEF LS50 Meta (which dips to a stated 3.5Ω minimum) can't be verified from its spec sheet — we treat that as "can't check", not a pass.
Computed from the catalog's normalized fields — the same fields the builder's compatibility engine reads. A missing field reads as "can't check", never as a pass.
Gaming & connectivity · answered from the spec sheets
Can the Sony STR-AN1000 and Sony STR-AZ1000ES pass 4K/120 through?
The Sony STR-AN1000 states 40 Gbps HDMI bandwidth — enough for full 4K/120; the Sony STR-AZ1000ES states 48 Gbps HDMI bandwidth — enough for full 4K/120.
The verdict
Buy the Sony STR-AZ1000ES if you're paying for documentation and headroom in the digital domain — a stated 48 Gbps bandwidth and ten processing channels the AN1000's sheet lacks. Buy the STR-AN1000 knowing it's the only one of the two whose amplifier is rated at all, and that its stated 6–16Ω floor excludes low-dipping speakers.
Stated digital spec (bandwidth, processing)Sony STR-AZ1000ES — 48 Gbps and 10 processing channels stated; both are blank or curated-lower on the AN1000.
Any amplifier rating at allSony STR-AN1000 — 165W at 6Ω/1ch/0.9% is a generous test, but the AZ1000ES states no power figure whatsoever in our data.
Gaming portsEither — Both state four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports.
Where to buy
CHEAPEST FIRST · NOT COMMISSION-RANKED
Sony STR-AN1000
Tracked at Best Buy · price not quotable from a search page
The power disclosure is one-sided: the AN1000 states 165W (6Ω/1ch/0.9% THD — generous on every axis); the AZ1000ES states NO power figure in our data, and we say so rather than fill the blank.
The ES sheet answers the digital questions: 48 Gbps stated bandwidth and 10 stated processing channels vs a curated 40 Gbps and an unstated count on the AN1000.
Both state four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports and D.C.A.C. IX room calibration — the shared Sony core.
The AN1000 states a 6–16Ω impedance range — 4Ω-class speakers sit outside its own rating; the AZ1000ES's range is unstated.
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