Sony SCD-777ES availability?

Dave, the above posts are correct, the 777ES has been discontinued, replaced by a front loading multi-channel player. You can look for used ones (someone in this month's 'Phile was selling one for $1500, doubt if it's still available) or get an SCD-1 while they're still around if you want the build quality of the 777 with identical or possibly slightly better sonics. Alternatively, the 9000ES has gotten a lot of good feedback at this site, includes an excellent DVD player as well as CD and SACD and can be bought for about $1100 at discount. Some posters seem to like certain aspects of the sound better than the 777, some disagree. Good luck!

Thanks for the info, Rcprince. Paul (Beemer): you sound
like a jerk. Don't bother answering a thread if that's
all you've got to say!
Dave

Sometimes I like a product but since I trade gear a lot, I hesitate to buy it unless I perceive a good resale market for it. A good review in a major publication, online or paper, goes a long way towards creating a strong sale and resale market. This is for good reasons: not everyone has a chance to hear everything, the journal reviews are much more long term and controlled than a quick listen in a shop, and the review itself serves as an awareness-raising vehicle.

A 777ES for $2000 after a strong positive review comes out can be seen as a better value the same thing for $1200 prior to the review. Reviews change the size of the sale market and demand in the resale market.

I find reviews tend to be accurate, except, that sometimes you have to read between the lines. Stereophile tends to keep their negative comments buried deep in the text IMO. A review that ends - "this is competitive in its price range, you ought to hear it, it might be to your taste" is a very mediocre statement, kind of like Wall Street calling a stock "market perform" when they mean SELL! Positive reviews end with enthusiasm - "I bought this thing" or "stomps the competition in its price range".

I think that buying this unit prior to it's positive review is something to be proud of, rather than trashing others.

Art

Forget the 777. Buy the 9000ES from oade brothers website for around $900 then have Ric Schultz of Electronic Visionary Systems(see more info. at www.tweakaudio.com) modify it for about another $400. You can talk to Ric for more details, but my guess is by the time he gets done with it you'll have a piece that rivals or beats the 777 and you'll get a progressive scan DVD player in the bargain. Ric's backlogged with the popularity of this player and his DAC so it may take a while, but it'll likely be worth the wait and you'll have the 9000ES in the meantime which is no slouch sonically even in stock form(Red Rose used it as their source to great effect at the New York Home Ent. show). Just thought you might like another option. Best of luck.

Tim