The catch
Sony STR-AZ5000ES
A busy gaming and display setup can run into the limit of four high-refresh inputs and two HDMI outputs.
Side by side
Sony STR-AZ5000ES vs Onkyo TX-RZ70: Sony simplifies rear wiring, Onkyo handles more fast sources
Quick verdict
If compatible wireless rear speakers solve a real cable-route problem in your 7.1.4 room, Sony is the choice. Included full-bandwidth Dirac or a larger gaming-source collection points to RZ70. RZ70 can keep six high-refresh sources on rear inputs, compared with four on Sony. Both power 7.1.4, but Onkyo powered Zone 2 removes the surround-back pair while that zone is active.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Even a finished theater can have one cable run that just can’t be done
The room may have space for seven ear-level speakers plus four heights, yet a doorway or a busy path behind the seats can make the final speaker-wire run awkward. Sony supports certain wireless rear pairs assigned to Surround or Surround Back, which removes that run and keeps the planned layout intact. Those speakers still need a place to sit and power or charging. Onkyo supplies the eleven main amps, but its documented wired plan doesn’t get around the physical obstacle on its own.
Where this comes from
An eleven-channel layout, matched against Sony’s rear assignment and a path people use. Nothing here claims any wireless speaker brand will work or that operation is free of interference.
The catch
Onkyo TX-RZ70
In a 7.1.4 room, powered Zone 2 takes over the surround-back amplifiers. The front HDMI isn’t an extra high-refresh port.
Sony STR-AZ5000ES
- Why pick it
- A difficult speaker-wire run can be removed by compatible Sony rears, provided power or charging is available.
- Your setup is covered by four high-refresh sources and two HDMI displays.
- The catch
- A busy gaming and display setup can run into the limit of four high-refresh inputs and two HDMI outputs.
Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Why pick it
- Each of your five or six high-refresh sources needs its own rear input.
- Included full-bandwidth Dirac matters to you, and amplification for extra rooms is planned separately.
- The catch
- In a 7.1.4 room, powered Zone 2 takes over the surround-back amplifiers. The front HDMI isn’t an extra high-refresh port.
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What this page compares
Sony AZ5000ES vs Onkyo RZ70 for one-box 7.1.4, weighing rear cable routes, a crowded gaming setup and the hidden speaker cost of powered Zone 2.
Each of these eleven-amplifier receivers runs 7.1.4 with no separate main-room amp. What sets them apart is the cable route through the room and the gear your household plugs in.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Cable that’s hard to run behind the sofa
Sony has compatible wireless rears as an option.
- Sony STR-AZ5000ES
- Better fit
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Caution
Keeping five high-refresh devices connected
Six rear inputs on RZ70 are suitable.
- Sony STR-AZ5000ES
- Caution
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Better fit
7.1.4 out of one receiver
Eleven main amplifiers are built into each.
- Sony STR-AZ5000ES
- Good
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Good
Kitchen speakers powered by RZ70 while a 7.1.4 film plays
Surround backs are switched off on Onkyo, unless the supported external zone route does the amplifying.
- Sony STR-AZ5000ES
- Caution
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
Even a finished theater can have one cable run that just can’t be done
The room may have space for seven ear-level speakers plus four heights, yet a doorway or a busy path behind the seats can make the final speaker-wire run awkward. Sony supports certain wireless rear pairs assigned to Surround or Surround Back, which removes that run and keeps the planned layout intact. Those speakers still need a place to sit and power or charging. Onkyo supplies the eleven main amps, but its documented wired plan doesn’t get around the physical obstacle on its own.
How we worked this out
An eleven-channel layout, matched against Sony’s rear assignment and a path people use. Nothing here claims any wireless speaker brand will work or that operation is free of interference.
A front socket can’t save a fifth fast source
Two consoles, a gaming PC and another compatible source are enough to use up four fast inputs. RZ70 has two more high-refresh rear inputs. The extra front HDMI on Sony and the front AUX on Onkyo don’t stand in for high-refresh inputs. With only two gaming devices, this difference is worth nothing in practice. Before paying for capacity you won’t use, count the formats each source uses.
How we worked this out
Six capable rear inputs against four, matched against the number of permanent sources. Input bandwidth is kept apart from total input count and temporary access.
Music in the kitchen can cut 7.1.4 down to 5.1.4
RZ70 has terminals for a second room, but seven ear-level speakers and four heights already use up its eleven amps. In the documented powered Zone 2 assignment, the surround-back pair is turned off, which leaves 5.1.4 in the theater. If films and kitchen music regularly overlap, add a suitable external zone amp and read the zone source rules before you order. NET and Bluetooth can’t carry different internal programs across Onkyo zones, so an external amp by itself doesn’t give you a second independent network streamer.
How we worked this out
11 main channels plus 2 zone speakers add up to 13 amplifier channels. The Onkyo manual specifies which pair gets borrowed, and it states the limit on a shared NET/Bluetooth source. No Sony advantage for simultaneous zones is claimed without verification.
Plan your receiver connectionsLay out my system
Check a documented speaker layout against HDMI sources and external-amplifier plans.
Sony STR-AZ5000ES
Handles your setup
Runs 5.1.2 on its own built-in amplifiers. Takes 3 HDMI devices, 1 of them at 4K/120Hz. Use the four designated rear high-refresh inputs. The front input does not support 4K/120Hz.
Onkyo TX-RZ70
Handles your setup
Runs 5.1.2 on its own built-in amplifiers. Takes 3 HDMI devices, 1 of them at 4K/120Hz. Use the six rear inputs for 4K/120Hz. The front input has lower limits.
A powered subwoofer does not count toward the speaker channels. This checks one main room. Check Zone 2, bi-amping and unusual speaker assignments yourself. Leave room for ventilation, and confirm HDMI settings, cables and speaker impedance before you install.
Option A
Sony, US black standalone receiver
STR-AZ5000ES
A difficult speaker-wire run can be removed by compatible Sony rears, provided power or charging is available.
- Best for
- A difficult speaker-wire run can be removed by compatible Sony rears, provided power or charging is available.
Facts we checked
- One-box main room: 7.1.4
- High-refresh source inputs: Four
- Rear cable option: Specific compatible wireless rears
- HDMI outputs: Two
Option B
Onkyo, US black standalone receiver
TX-RZ70
Each of your five or six high-refresh sources needs its own rear input.
- Best for
- Each of your five or six high-refresh sources needs its own rear input.
Facts we checked
- One-box main room: 7.1.4
- High-refresh source inputs: Six rear inputs
- Rear cable option: Wired rear layout documented
- HDMI outputs: Two monitor outputs plus Zone 2
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Sony STR-AZ5000ES | Onkyo TX-RZ70 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-box main room | 7.1.4 | 7.1.4 | Neither needs a separate main-room amplifier for this layout. |
| High-refresh source inputs | Four | Six rear inputs | For compatible fast sources, Onkyo gives you two more direct routes. |
| Rear cable option | Specific compatible wireless rears | Wired rear layout documented | A cable path that extra sockets can’t fix is something Sony can deal with. |
| HDMI outputs | Two | Two monitor outputs plus Zone 2 | Onkyo includes a distinct physical zone output, which has its own format and source limits. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Sony STR-AZ5000ES
- You buy compatible wireless rear speakers separately, and they don’t eliminate all the cabling in the room.
With Onkyo TX-RZ70
- To keep all eleven main speakers going while a second room plays, you need a suitable external zone amp and a supported input route.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Getting speaker cable to the rear is the problem still unsolved
Go with Sony STR-AZ5000ES. Compatible wireless rears from Sony take care of the physical route.
Receiver inputs are what five or six fast sources call for
Go with Onkyo TX-RZ70. Onkyo has six high-refresh inputs at the rear.
Decision guide
Before you buy
A complete theater in one receiver is the goal, but shared living-room access and several gaming sources pull the setup in different directions.
What this page can’t tell you
- No measured ranking of sound, calibration or wireless reliability is offered. Zone 2 has limits of its own, separate from main monitor playback.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the AV receivers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony STR-AZ5000ES |
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| Onkyo TX-RZ70 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Sony STR-AZ5000ES
A difficult speaker-wire run can be removed by compatible Sony rears, provided power or charging is available.
Your setup is covered by four high-refresh sources and two HDMI displays.
See price & reviews on AmazonOnkyo TX-RZ70
Each of your five or six high-refresh sources needs its own rear input.
Included full-bandwidth Dirac matters to you, and amplification for extra rooms is planned separately.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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