Put away the knives. Call off the dogs. We come not to bury Sony, but to praise it.

You probably know we like to give the Big S a hard time around here. From Betamax to Memory Stick, from their evil rootkit to their proprietary mini-discs, Sony has often behaved like a caricature of an arrogant, domineering corporate monolith, only far more bumbling. If Mussolini was a corporate executive, we know where he’d work. But even we have to admit that there’s more to the Sony story than fake movie reviewers and exploding laptop batteries. Somehow, every once in a while, they manage to compose a masterpiece like the Sony ES STR-DA5200ES Home Theater Receiver.

Discerning a/v connoisseurs praise Sony’s ES home theater components for their high design standards and precision-built construction, and the STR-DA5200ES receiver admirably upholds the legacy. Stop us if we go on too long, but there’s just so much to talk about. Like 1080p-capable HDMI switching, so you can choose between up to three high-def video sources even if your TV has only one HDMI input. Or Faroudja DCDi Cinema scaling, proving that in the right hands, upconversion isn’t necessarily a load of BS. Or a precision amplifier pushing 840 watts each to 7.1 channels, processed with sophisticated technology for 360° sound so real you can feel it in your loins. It’s XM-ready and includes a front USB port for your MP3 player. Even the menus are beautiful. Beautiful.

Yeah, we’re crying. So what?

We’ve been known to flick a booger or two in Sony’s general direction. No doubt we’ll do it again. Even now, Sony execs are probably hatching some bizarre, mean-spirited scheme that screams BAD IDEA to everyone but them and their yes-men. But today…today…we’re just…awestruck. You won’t be seeing us at the next Sony Fan Club meeting. But if they can come up with the brilliant Sony ES STR-DA5200ES Home Theater Receiver, maybe there’s hope for them yet.