Sony DVP-S9000ES vs DVP-NS999ES for 2-channel?

New Sony 9000es are being sold at http://www.soundseller.com for $549.

I have a 999ES which is currently designated as my DVD Player. I replaced its daily SACD and CD duties with a Sony 595 ($150) and had it modified by TRL ($500). The 595 sounds wonderful... much more high end than the 999... really no contest. Do a search for the TRL 595, there's plenty to read. I highly reccomend it. I don't know if it competes with the Meitners of the world, as some claim, but, I do know for $650 it is the best bargain I can think of.

For the price quoted in some earlier posts, you would be wise to consider the 9000es. I own the 999es and contrary to some other opinions I find the sound to be pretty good (about what I'd expect for the $ spent). I bought the 999es primarily for the DVD playback and multi-channel SACD capabilities. That said, if you will be doing 2-channel only, I recommend the 9000es due to its build quality. It is a solid unit and can be improved upon with mods (from what I read:-). At $549 it would be a hard deal to beat and should last you many, many years.

Gentlemen,
thank you for your attention and feedback. I am still hashing over the 9000 vs 999 debate. I have, though, found two opposing answers to my original question: Of the two, which is better for 2-channel audio?

Joel Brinkley, in the January 2003 edition of Ultiamate AV, had this to say in his review of the 999: "At the moment, I have two copies of only one SACD: Yo-Yo Ma's Solo (Sony Classical SS 64114), a superb 2-channel recording. I was able to perform a direct A/B comparison using my two copies played through different analog inputs of my Lexicon MC-12B processor. When I did this earlier this year, comparing the S9000ES with Sony's DVP-NS900V, I could detect no significant difference between the players. This time, comparing the S9000ES with the NS999ES, there were greater differences. The solo cello sounded a bit more open and clean, a little richer from the NS999ES. The difference was subtle, but it was there."

The link to that review is the following
http://ultimateavmag.com/dvdplayers/84/

On the other hand, Shane Buettner reports in his review of the 999 in the Feb/March 2003 issue of The Absolute Sound (Issue 140, pp. 57-59) that, "good as the [999] is though, it did not quite equal the performance of its predecessor, the Sony DVP-S9000ES, with virtually all two-channel audio formats: SACD, CDs, and 24/96 DADs. The DVP-S9000ES was more open and extended on top, had fuller bass that made the DVP-NS999ES sound a bit lean in comparison. The DVP-S9000ES was also slightly more transparent, with better resolution of low-level details and more soundstage depth" (p. 59).

I wonder if the 999 still had some breaking-in to do....?

So... I will probably go for the 9000, use it as is for a while, and possibly research the world of modifications at a later date. I might be happy with the 9000 as it is. I'm curious to hear how the 9000 combines with the Musical Fidelity X10-D in the signal chain to my preamp. The X10-D warmed up/filled out the sound of my cheapo players.
If I have anyhing of import to say, I'll get back on this chain.
Thanks again.
Marc

I've had the 999ES in my system the past two years. It's a solid performer for video and multichannel duties, but lack for good Redbook or SACD two channel playback. I fooled with SACD's for a long time trying to get the sound I wanted, but in the end I bought a Naim CD5i which sounds much better with Redbooks than my Sony does with SACD's. I'm finished with the SACD experiment.