New SACD player from Sony? The SCD-XA9000ES! (1 Viewer)

[KeithH]

I read about this on Audio Asylum. Check this out:



Also check out this Sony receiver:



Now, information on these components came from a Norwegian web site, so these components may not be marketed in the US. Go to this thread on Audio Asylum for more information:

http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/t...hirez&m=128694

A link to the Norwegian web site is included there.

 

[KeithH]

In reading through the thread on Audio Asylum, the receiver will be the TA-D9000ES. Here is what someone there said about this receiver and the SACD player:

TA-DA9000ES price: $7000
7 x 200w
TA-DA9000ES and SCD-XA9000ES connects SACD through iLink

A digital link from Sony? Cool!

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Thanks Keith. Some thoughts:

1) If they are indeed using the i-Link, that means they will also be compatible with Pioneer gear. In the manual for the 47ai, it even says the i-Link is trademarked (or copyrighted) by Sony.

2) Geez. When will Sony do a successor to the TA-E9000ES pre/pro?

Yeah, OK, a $7000 reciever from Sony. I'm just going to *rush* right out and get one of those. And it will probably be underpowered too, just like all Sony receivers. (Just saw another example of this in the Feb issue of either What Hi Fi, or Hi Fi News, both UK publications.)

 

[Joe Cole]

Oh no. My SCDXA777ES is about to be replaced?


I wonder if the bass management and time delay will be done in the DSD arena?

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Now, information on these components came from a Norwegian web site, so these components may not be marketed in the US.

Keith, usually Sony does a product code (model number) for Europe and then the gear arrives later in US. Europe is usually a gold satin finish and US is either silver or black.

Thanks for the information. I also saw the discussion on AA.

I wonder if there are DSD advancements built in and if there is upsampling involved on player. I am also curious if build quality is more like the 9000ES and the XA777.

 

[Tomoko Noguchi]

One thing is that Sony sure has no sense for style. Those things are really ugly.

 

[Rachael B]

I like the colour. I aggree with Tomoko on the reciever it looks ungainly. It looks like a sumo-reciever on steroids and Little Debbie snack cakes. The SACD player doesn't look so bad. Tomoko, alot of us would like to see gold components offered. I'm sick of black on black.

What's with Sony using the same bleeding numermals in their model numbers over and over? Isn't 9000 about worn out as a model #? What's wrong with 9100, XJ9, 0009, or whatever? Do marketing surveys say that 9000 and 777 should be used over and over because they're the numbers consumers like best, or something? Thanks for the pic's Keith.

 

[Justin Lane]

Finally some new SACD related products coming from Sony ES. That receiver sure is a beast though, but at $7000 I wonder why they didn't break it up into a couple seperate components, as people looking to spend that much dough usually go the seperates route.

Hopefully there will be some new cheaper SACD announcements in the ES line very soon.

J

 

[Mark All]

Thanks for the pictures Keith. Why didn't Sony just go ahead and integrate the SACD player in the other big box and go for the world's tallest piece of A/V equipment?

The $7K price seems a little high for the U.S. market for the receiver. The Denon 5803 model pushes close to the same power, so I would expect the price to be set a couple of thousand lower when the model comes to the U.S. It looks like Sony took whatever they were designing as their next pre-pro and stuck it on top of an 80-lb amplifier. I bet that thing has a fan built into it. The vents on top don't look very big and the transformer must be huge.

In the manual for the 47ai, it even says the i-Link is trademarked (or copyrighted) by Sony.

I had heard that Pioneer was buying SACD parts from Sony, but didn't know Sony held the ownership of the i-Link as well.

 

[Andy Kramer]

Incredible! I can only imagine how this sounds!!! *speechless*

 

[BeatCrazy]

I wonder if the bass management and time delay will be done in the DSD arena?

Count on it. They are already doing this with the new DVPNS999ES.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

but didn't know Sony held the ownership of the i-Link as well

This is news to me as well.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

One more DVD-SACD player the 930! Sounds like a Porsche

(from High Fidelity Review...)

The new DVP-NS930V significantly raises the standard of home theatre functions within Sony’s mainstream Quality Standard (QS) range. Within this competitive category, Sony has combined high quality video and audio playback alongside easy operation and access to all system features. At the same time, the new Extremely High Standard (ES) range DVP-NS999ES achieves a significant progression in performance and displays the characteristic elegance and solid construction that typifies this Sony family. A wide range of playback options includes DVD-Video, Super Audio CD (stereo and multi-channel), Video CD, Super Video CD (not compatible with Playback Control), CD and Data CD with MP3 data. Both new models are compatible with various writeable/rewriteable discs, including DVD-RW (Video mode and VR mode), DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, CD-R and CD-RW.

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ne...umber=11504786

Justin, this looks to be the lower price point player for qS line but I did not see any price information. Maybe they will also call this the 930 in U.S.

 

[Shane Martin]

Word is the reciever has a digital amp in it which would explain the cost a bit and no Sony ES gear is never underpowered or overrated for their power amps. They measure up to spec or more, constantly.

 

[Eujin]

It's highly probable that the champagne color will not make it over here, as it's just not a popular choice in this part of the world. It will be interesting to see how the performance of this player measures up to some of the great ES players of the last couple of years--that is if it makes it over here (wouldn't be the first SACD player that Sony decides not to distribute in the U.S.)

 

[Kevin C Brown]

no Sony ES gear is never underpowered or overrated for their power amps.

Very incorrect:

1) The ES amp that went along with the TA-E9000ES pre/pro was underpowered. It hit 1% THD before its rated power was reached, with all channels driven. Go down to "A problem we thought":

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/fram...AN9000ES.shtml

2) There was a review of a Sony receiver by S&V in a comparison test with 2 other recievers early last year (Feb 02 I think). Also did not meet it's specs.

3) Go check out the Feb 03 issue of What Hi Fi or Hi Fi News. One of them did another comparison test between a Sony reciever and a JVC, Yamaha, and Pioneer. The Sony met its specs in 2 channel stereo mode, but failed with all channels driven.

Sony is notorious for their amps not meeting their stated specs with all channels driven.

 

[Dmitry]

1) The ES amp that went along with the TA-E9000ES pre/pro was underpowered.

Interesting. According to the article, the amp was rated at 130x5 and reached the "onset of clipping" at 121W. According to the TA-N9000ES@Sony specs, it's rated at 115x5, bringing the test results closer to the spec (still not quite, I think the THD exceeded the rated 0.01% before 115). Of course they were reviewing the European model and I'm quoting US specs, but still it's on par with rating given by Denon, for instance. As we know, 5803 does not have the rated 170x7 output.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

What? no comments on the new 930 model???

We have a separate amplifier/receiver forum ya know.

 

[Mark All]

True, there is another discussion going on over in the amplifier/receiver forum. It will be interesting to see what someone from "The Absolute Sound" says when they get their hands on this pair. It looked at first to me like Sony was playing catch-up with Denon and Pioneer, but the digital amplifier section seems like it may be a leap ahead. We won't know until we see a test though, or a wealthy HTF member goes nuts and buys both (definitely not me). It doesn't seem to make any sense to consider buying the new SACD player over a current 777ES model without buying Sony's receiver at the same time. Although, I'm thinking the new model may displace the 777ES and produce a price cut for the 777ES models that are left in stock later this year. I'm hoping for that outcome.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Although, I'm thinking the new model may displace the 777ES and produce a price cut for the 777ES models that are left in stock later this year. I'm hoping for that outcome.

That would be wonderful - I would jump on board as well. Two 777s (SCD and XA)that would be excellent.