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Thread: Sony ES/ESD Opinions

  1. #1
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Sunny Portsmouth

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    Default Sony ES/ESD Opinions

    I am looking to buy a new one box cd player

    It would need to better my transport and AN Dac or at least as good

    I've read a lot about the old Sony ES / ESD players being pretty good

    The only other players I thought about were the old Marantz CD94 or one of the later Marantz SA players such as the SA-15s or maybe the Marantz SA8005

    If anyone has any experience of any of these it would be most useful to hear your thoughts
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Not really keen on Marantz CD players Bev. What about a nice Meridian 506, 20 bit or 24 bit? Or a 507? They sound lovely.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2014

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    I'm Andrew.

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    Any early 90's Sony ES deck with a model number beginning with 5 or higher Bev. The prices for these are only going to go up as well so now is a good time to get one. You will not regret it, stand on me.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Sep 2014

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    I'm jamie.

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    I have the Sony x555es CD player, very good imo.
    My System
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  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

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    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ninanina View Post
    I am looking to buy a new one box cd player

    It would need to better my transport and AN Dac or at least as good

    I've read a lot about the old Sony ES / ESD players being pretty good

    The only other players I thought about were the old Marantz CD94 or one of the later Marantz SA players such as the SA-15s or maybe the Marantz SA8005

    If anyone has any experience of any of these it would be most useful to hear your thoughts
    Marantz SA players aren't that great, mechanisms are noisy and the CD playback is compromised over SACD, which is very good.

    Marantz CD94mk2 is better than a MK1 re stand alone sound quality, but you really need something better I think to better the sound of what you have. I think a dedicated transport would raise the game for you as what you are using as transports isn't in my view anything special, others will of course disagree.

    Not sure what to suggest as dedicated well made transports with quality mechanisms aren't that easy to find and no doubt someone will say what about a Cambridge, or an Audiolab, but in my view these modern designs aren't a patch on a quality vintage transport, like a Micromega, or an Audiomeca, or even a Marantz CD99, or Teac or a Wadia. Problem is getting one of these at sane money.
    Regards Neil

  6. #6
    Join Date: Aug 2012

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    I've owned a Meridian, I think it was the 506.20, and while I liked it at the time it didn't come close to the transport/AN Dac

    I've now ruled out the Marantz players, I wasn't so keen anyway, but I have an itch to try a good Sony. I like the look of the Sony's that use the heavy 'puck'
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

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    I'm Martin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ninanina View Post
    I've owned a Meridian, I think it was the 506.20, and while I liked it at the time it didn't come close to the transport/AN Dac

    I've now ruled out the Marantz players, I wasn't so keen anyway, but I have an itch to try a good Sony. I like the look of the Sony's that use the heavy 'puck'
    I've got one of those and I slot it in occasionally but it has never been on the first team permanently. Lovely mech and build, though.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ninanina View Post
    I've owned a Meridian, I think it was the 506.20, and while I liked it at the time it didn't come close to the transport/AN Dac

    I've now ruled out the Marantz players, I wasn't so keen anyway, but I have an itch to try a good Sony. I like the look of the Sony's that use the heavy 'puck'
    If you mean the SCD777 or SCD1 then again compromised CD playback, as their main design goal was SACD. Very good at that I owned an SCD777 once, but CD was nothing special. If the mech goes its scrap as getting one of those isn't going to be easy. Other issue is selling price is well over £1000 for an SCD777 and in and around £2000 for an SCD1.
    Regards Neil

  9. #9
    Join Date: Aug 2012

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalek Supreme D L View Post
    If you mean the SCD777 or SCD1 then again compromised CD playback, as their main design goal was SACD. Very good at that I owned an SCD777 once, but CD was nothing special. If the mech goes its scrap as getting one of those isn't going to be easy. Other issue is selling price is well over £1000 for an SCD777 and in and around £2000 for an SCD1.
    No I was not thinking about SACD players as I don't really have the need for SACD and, as you say, the cd playback is probably compromised. I was considering something like the CDP-XA50ES, CDP-XA5ES, CDP-XA7ES, CDP-XA555ES etc
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

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    I'm Geoff.

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    I'd have thought you might have looked at Naim CD players Bev.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

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