Couch Amp FAQ

How much does Couch Amp cost?

Couch Amp is free to download and try — discovery, connecting, power, and input switching work without paying, so you can prove it controls your receiver on your network first. A one-time $24.99 purchase unlocks everything else: volume, sound fields, EQ, speaker trims, zones, the tuner, the input editor, and Siri & Shortcuts. No subscription, no account.

Bought a new phone? Use Restore Purchase on the unlock screen — the purchase belongs to your App Store or Google Play account.

Does Couch Amp need an account or cloud service?

No. The app talks directly to your receiver over your own network. Nothing leaves your LAN — see the privacy policy.

The scan doesn’t find my receiver

Check that it’s powered (or in network standby), on the same network, and that External Control is On — Setup → Network Settings on current models, Setup → Install Setup on older ES models. You can always enter the IP address manually.

Which receivers are supported?

See the support matrix. Short version: modern ES receivers (STR-AZ / AN series, and the STR-DN1080) get the full feature set; classic STR-DA and STR-ZA models get power, volume, inputs, and zones.

Does Couch Amp control my TV too?

An upcoming release adds Sony Bravia TV support — turn on “I have a Bravia TV” in Settings once it ships. Power, volume/mute, and input switching work with no setup; the TV Remote key pad needs the TV’s Pre-Shared Key. Because the app sends key presses the same way the TV’s own remote does, the TV forwards them over HDMI-CEC to whatever’s plugged in — your Apple TV, Fire TV, or game console. See supported TVs for the compatibility tiers and setup steps, and Streaming Boxes & HDMI-CEC for per-device CEC settings.

Does Couch Amp control Blu-ray players?

Yes — Sony media players with network control: the UBP-X 4K UHD line, BDP-S Blu-ray players, BDV home theater systems, and SMP network media players over Sony’s IP control API, plus the classic 400-disc BDP-CX7000ES ES changer over the same protocol family as classic ES receivers. Support is verified on a real BDP-S1700ES. See supported players.

The app changed my receiver’s input names!

Only if you asked it to — the input editor writes names, icons, and show/hide settings to the receiver itself, the same way its web setup page does.

Is Couch Amp affiliated with Sony?

No. Couch Amp is an independent app. Sony, ES, and model names are trademarks of their respective owners, used only to describe compatibility.