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In Reply to: Sony TAE9000ES still in production posted by Johnnyboy on June 25, 2002 at 23:57:52:
Still ticking......keeps on going! Yes, still available (Oade Bros good choice). Go to this link:http://pub106.ezboard.com/faussiedvdandhtforumsonytae9000esinformationforum
Everything you ever wanted to know. If you don't want 6.1, ES/ES, SACD,
DVD-A, DLPII, or the rest of the format bullshit - this processor is the "giant killer" and can be had for a "super bargin" currently.
Follow Ups:
If you are very passionate about your 9000ES ... you might want to skip this post.I used to own this preamp and was a frequent visitor to the ezboard site.
That was six months ago ... I have since sold the unit.
So what do I have now ? Here is how it all started ...
By sheer accident I reviewed a 2 Channel Steve McCormack passive preamp ... never realized how musical the rest of my system was. I promptly sold the Sony. Needless to say I realized that the 2 channel setup was not going to replace the DD / DTS stuff that the Sony had. It took me another two days to get a Denon 2802 (yes! it has preamp outputs for all channels). I have it set up where the Front out from the Denon go into one of the inputs in the McCormack. The hirez audio sources go directly in the McCormack. When listening to DVD I preset the level on the McCormack so that I can use the Denon as a master control.
On a side note, dont use the power amp section of the Denon ... get a real power amp. No receiver can rival pre/power sonics.
Ok ... so its not the most elegant setup. But if you think the Sony (yes! I had the latest firmware upgrade+remote) has good sonics ... you dont know what you are missing.
The Denon(new) + McCormack(used) cost me $100 more than the Sony.
And folks who think Dolby Prologic II is bullshit ... would'nt know 'shit' if it hit them on the face :-) It makes a HUGE difference when watching movies on cable (95% of which are not in Dolby Digital)
But ... dont take my word for it ... stack up and decent preamp against the Sony and you will be in for a surprise !!
So what is the 9000ES good for ? Hmmm ... it does look like a work of art. You can wow the 20-something folks by showing off the huge LCD remote (don't forget to dust it first :-) ).
Sadly, technology has gone way ahead of the 9000ES.
Dear Mr Spock,I agree with you that a decent stereo pre amp will sound better in stereo than a 5.1channel pre amp because that is all it has to do. 2 channels pure and simple. Now if the Sony had to produce that quality to all channels, you would never have owned one because the price would be somewhere in the Levinson territory.
So you bought a stereo pre amp. Good move.
You sold the Sony and lost 4 channels. Bad move. Maybe the sale of the Sony offset the cost of the stereo pre.
Then you buy an integrated Denon to take care of the other speakers.
Hmmm.
Perhaps you are not aware that the ES is a better surround pre? But you don't know because you sold it and now have to listen to an inferior end result.
Best result would have been - Buy stereo pre, keep Sony = Great sound.
Hi Daleda,Thanks for the imput. I've had a look a the TAE forum, thanks for the link. It's hard knowing just where to jump. I'm feeling a bit easier, as the TAE/TAN combo does appear to be contiuning on in production for a while yet. So I don't feel too pressured re making a choice.
Since my Post,(sorry about late reply) been running around trying to audition gear. Heard the Denon 3802, Rotel 1065 new receiver, also managed an AB with STRV-A555ES v's TAE with two Meridian stereo amps; which comfortably surpassed the 555ES, but also just managed to hear TAE/TAN combo, and very clear, detailed, smooth etc, BUT, slightly disappointing in that the sound lacked if you will pace, speed etc, in that a very laid back, almost lazy sound. Software version was current as supplied 1.18, so wonder if that may be the reason. The 555ES had a lot more 'life' but nowhere near as detailed, clarity etc. Again don't know if this was due the later processing in that unit, or perhaps it's the sonic signature of the TAN? Anyway, thanks for the input. If you've got any thoughts re this 'slowness' please lets know what you think.
Thanks also Michael for your input. Are you the same person who's posts of read on the Sony TAE forum, re NZ plinius amps and such. They are extremely good, better than Rotel I would think, but I'm not sure if they're readily, or easily available in OZ. They were around many years ago when I had a NZ made amp called a Rait - basically a copy of a Radford design, and the early plinius had a very similar sound. Unfortunately the proprietor of the company passed away at a early age, and the HiFi side of things ceased after that, sadly, however Plinius of course, continued. An excellent product, but not often heard of, although I belive they do well in the US. BTW, I take it your from NZ? Great place. Anyway, getting a bit of the subject, do you think the Rotel combo you've mentioned would better the Sony Combo sound wise. If I'm correct in assuming you're the same 'poster' as the Sony forum, you weren't overly impressed with the TAN. I like the Rotel, but think the Sony is conspicuously better in build, has great bass management and equalisation features that will really help in a mixed (front/v's/rears) speaker configeration I'd be using. Also whilst the sound is not as 'dark as the Rotel receiver that I heard, it is very detailed and clear, and thought possibly better dynamics than the Rotel, which is very important, as I will be integrating this with my 2 chan HiFi to add DD processing etc, via an input from processor preouts to 2chan pre, thus using it and power amp to drive main l&R, and using the TAN in 3channel mode to drive center and rears, thus giving me 5.1, and leaving my 2chan well alone for serious music listening. You'll understand why dynamics is important if I mention that I use Naim Audio, quite a strong seller in NZ I believe, although like most things HiFi, not to everyones taste. Anyway, thanks once again for your input, and am most interested in any further comments,
Cheers,
Hi Daleda,Thanks for the imput. I've had a look a the TAE forum, thanks for the link. It's hard knowing just where to jump. I'm feeling a bit easier, as the TAE/TAN combo does appear to be contiuning on in production for a while yet. So I don't feel too pressured re making a choice.
Since my Post,(sorry about late reply) been running around trying to audition gear. Heard the Denon 3802, Rotel 1065 new receiver, also managed an AB with STRV-A555ES v's TAE with two Meridian stereo amps; which comfortably surpassed the 555ES, but also just managed to hear TAE/TAN combo, and very clear, detailed, smooth etc, BUT, slightly disappointing in that the sound lacked if you will pace, speed etc, in that a very laid back, almost lazy sound. Software version was current as supplied 1.18, so wonder if that may be the reason. The 555ES had a lot more 'life' but nowhere near as detailed, clarity etc. Again don't know if this was due the later processing in that unit, or perhaps it's the sonic signature of the TAN? Anyway, thanks for the input. If you've got any thoughts re this 'slowness' please lets know what you think.
Thanks also Michael for your input. Are you the same person who's posts of read on the Sony TAE forum, re NZ plinius amps and such. They are extremely good, better than Rotel I would think, but I'm not sure if they're readily, or easily available in OZ. They were around many years ago when I had a NZ made amp called a Rait - basically a copy of a Radford design, and the early plinius had a very similar sound. Unfortunately the proprietor of the company passed away at a early age, and the HiFi side of things ceased after that, sadly, however Plinius of course, continued. An excellent product, but not often heard of, although I belive they do well in the US. BTW, I take it your from NZ? Great place. Anyway, getting a bit of the subject, do you think the Rotel combo you've mentioned would better the Sony Combo sound wise. If I'm correct in assuming you're the same 'poster' as the Sony forum, you weren't overly impressed with the TAN. I like the Rotel, but think the Sony is conspicuously better in build, has great bass management and equalisation features that will really help in a mixed (front/v's/rears) speaker configeration I'd be using. Also whilst the sound is not as 'dark as the Rotel receiver that I heard, it is very detailed and clear, and thought possibly better dynamics than the Rotel, which is very important, as I will be integrating this with my 2 chan HiFi to add DD processing etc, via an input from processor preouts to 2chan pre, thus using it and power amp to drive main l&R, and using the TAN in 3channel mode to drive center and rears, thus giving me 5.1, and leaving my 2chan well alone for serious music listening. You'll understand why dynamics is important if I mention that I use Naim Audio, quite a strong seller in NZ I believe, although like most things HiFi, not to everyones taste. Anyway, thanks once again for your input, and am most interested in any further comments,
Cheers,
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