Perhaps I am adrift in a sea of fellow audiophiles who can not, or will not get past the hype of what the mag's say should sound great!! Remember when it was far easier to listen to a decent reciever and a turntable than it is to put together a musical CD based system today? Does anyone listen to well recorded, meaningfull music anymore or has radio and the record industry pithed everyone by now? |
What I'm saying is that I hear something more musical going on with the better Sony stuff (SCD-1, 777ES, XA777ES and XA9000ES) than with the Burr Brown stuff and I wonder if anyone else may have some insight on the subject. I have and can afford pretty much anything available...the Sony stuff was purchased as an experiment in SACD! What shocked me after having had 3 Sony players over the last 4 years between the other front ends, is how much less Hi-Fi it sounded and how it didn't roll off the extremes or the acoustic space and air on recordings...they also have a knack for creating tube like "action" with instruments which shocked me!! I once replaced my SCD-1 with a levinson 37 and 360s combo because it had more of an initial pizazz factor...I wish I had it back now. By the way, all my comments are meaningless unless it is understood that a quality power cord is used with the Sony's...the stock power cords make the units sound like AM radios!! |
All great responses, thanks gang...by the way I am using a HarmTech AC-11 power cord on it...BIGGG DIFFERENCE!!! Synergy is sometimes everything...and built in bias!! |
I must take issue with this wrap on the Sony ES digital gear sounding hard or lacking in depth or spread ...I have been an audiophile for over 30 years and grew up on vinyl. Perhaps the confusion comes in when most people started buying digital gear that added or deleted certain harmonic aspects of the sound to compensate for redbooks shortcomings on most high-end gear..which mostly tune out true musicality anyway! I have no stock in Sony...I've blown over 40K on front ends in 3 years..what I'm saying is that in a musical system the Sony stuff let's all the music flow in a more natural way without hype and without rolling anything off thereby in effect improving on some of the drawbacks of vinyl while getting the essentials of the music correct! |
I'm not surprised to hear some of you re-iterate what the reviewers have said.."SACD is great but CD is ok!"...bullshit, it is far better than ok with a properly tuned system. Remember, I am talking about acoustic instruments sounding reall...not artificial stuff, although everything seems to come off sounding better...I wish someone lived nearby to hear what I'm trying to say i.e...go to symphony hall and hear what music does in a real acoustic space in an average seat,,,that is what the sony does amazingly well!!! |
The industry has to sell gear...money makes the world go around last time I checked...and there is alot of tasty treats to be had but I say again..(I've owned most of the names mentioned or at least demo'd the others extensively at home)...the Sony sounds more natural or unhyped when carefully set up...the others make great initial demonstration gear because they grab your attention quickly!
The Sony draws you in unexpectadely upon extended listening...it is no way near perfect but it gets the essentials right..I didn't want to sell my $18k Levinson rig f or fun or the Wadia 861 or anything else...they just sounded wrong over time to the point I considered giving up this hobby!!! |
Jdaniel has the hall experience even more than I it appears and He understands a bit about what is special in the Sony XA presentation or rendering if you will. IMHO I believe the parallel DAC arrays remove the digital (subliminal at times) nature of even the redbook stuff more so than most other gear. The rest of the processing is also interesting and unique...24bitVC filter with 2.something Mhz processing power; add to that 8x oversampling (upsampling equivelent ala Mark Levinson) and a 1 bit downconversion scheme and you get something less digital sounding with few drawbacks...not that it can't be improved or beat..just that it amazes me that Sony has done it so well!! |
No HAMMY...just you are adrift in your distorted rhetoric which adds no value whatsoever!! |
Civil disagreement is to be expected, even relished, when it is thoughtful and engaging. I started this post with an observation based on a lifes worth of involvement in audio compared to recent experimentation with several high end digital components. What is read into my statements or considered to be offensive is more of a reflection on those doing the reading (or throwing pseudo intellectual quips)! In other words, can we please stay on point instead of debasing one another for having strong opinions. I apologise for my contribution to the decline of discourse between me and others posting here. That being said, perhaps the issue at hand strikes a nerve for so long frayed by digititus, that we find it difficult to remember just enjoying music...without all the questions!
Overall, I believe it is far to easy to be sucked into the "bright light" of the gear Dujour...myself included! If pointing that fact out is pompous, then so be it! |
Just for the record, my reference gear has included the following:
Preamps-
ARC ref2 MKII, LS 25 and SP16L
Levinson 32
BAT 5i
Krell KCT
Amps-
ARC VT100, VT200, VS110
Levinson 360
Krell 600FPB and 400cx
BAT VK-500
Digital-
Wadia 861
BAT VK-D5
Levinson 39 and 37,360s
Denon 5900
ARC CD 2
Sony SCD-1, XA777ES, NS999ES and XA9000ES
Speakers-
Dunlavy SC-V's
Magnepan 3.6's
B&W 801 Nautilus
Watt/Puppy System 6
Martin Logan Odyssey wt Depth Sub
Dalquist DQ-10
Cables-
Transparent Ref
Harm tech Magic
XLO
Alpha Core
Kimber
Mapleshade |
I forgot the Meridian G08...disapointing. |
I don't even have the 777es anymore...I'm afraid some are missing the point. The intent was to begin a fresh look at an old problem in light of something I and others have found unique to the Sony ES stufff...nothing more. Since it has morphed into some kind of techno, quasi-satirical diatribe for some, I will let this go and move on. Thanks to those who gave some consideration to my thoughts! |
"It's only the intellectualy lost who ever argue", would be yet another quip from the same source. Applies to this situation, don't you think ? In another time and another thread, we might have been friends. If we could only listen to each others systems over a drink ...Ah! That would be interesting. |
One last note, the last time I heard W.C. Fields quoted was in Allentown, Pa. by a drunk outside a downtown chain store. I prefer Oscar Wilde or G.K.Chesterton. Afterall, "Being educated puts one almost on the level with the commercial classes"....Gee Hammy, which one said that?? |
Dear Phasecorrect...I think it speaks volumes when a musician like Jdaniel seems to understand what I'm saying. He doesn't get defensive because he has no ax to grind or any deep seated psychological need to justify his rig! |
Jdaniel...I know what your saying, however I get the desired effect with my ARC tube gear! |
Jdaniel-I suppose that's where system synergy comes into play...through Watt/Puppy 6's and ARC tube gear (don't forget the power cord HT AC-11-a must for Sony digital gear) it is uncanny how it lays out the orchestra with exceptional detail and neutrality. My IC's are very neutral while my Speaker cables are full bodied yet controlled! |
Interesting Jdaniel, I have not been that disappointed with redbook considering most SACD's available incur PCM decimation during production and redbook recordings have improved markedly...I have some early 60's redbooks that are amazing. Some recording engineers know what makes for a good recording and others haven't a clue...that goes for CD or SACD! What does your system consist of?? |
JDaniel-I recently recieved my XA9000ES player and was disappointed with the sound vs my XA777ES player until I plugged it into one of the new Monster Cable power strips...Freakin Hell, what a difference in every respect...bigger soundstage, tonality improved, hash gone and overall harmonic balance more natural..all this with increased low level resolution and better extension and control!! Go figure? |
Got my hands on the latest ML No.390S and I am running it direct...it is amazing...nothing comes close to this experience...even the best of us get sidetracked!! |
I sold the sony lickity split...holy mother of GOD...SACD playback from redbook plus HDCD!!! Get one fast...re-finance your home if need be!!! |
Had it briefly and found it to be a bit leaner than it's predecessor, but still a solid performer for $2000 discounted. My favorite under $4000 players are the MF A5 and Krell SACD standard. |
