The Sony ES Line "Elevated Standard"

Systems

XJRGUY wrote: »

Very cool, hopefully you got a chance to try it out.

Are you kidding? he wouldn't let any of us clowns near the drivers seat.We could only look no touchy.

The chassis on the new Stang is leaps and bounds ahead of the past Mustang vehicles.

I suspect the convertable he was trying would need too have had some serious attention paid to its chassis to keep it from twisting like a pretzel with that amounrt of HP

George Grand

Al,

Due to the arrival and formal "coming out" of these two incredible trolls, the likelihood of the 10 or 12 of us being able to keep our promise is questionable.

George

Justin, please rid the forum of this new pestilence.

TroyD

Holy SHIITE, the things I've been missing!!!

There is gold in them thar hills....GOLD, JERRY, GOLD!!

I spit on Sony ES recievers

BDT

F1nut

TroyD wrote: »

I spit on Sony ES recievers

BDT

Hehe.....

TroyD

Again, show me UNBIASED, COMPLETE tests and data that show me that a dedicated preamplifier creates a "huge difference in sound quality" vs. a similar priced receiver acting as a preamp with the SAME amplifier/source material/cables as the preamp in the blind listening tests.

Sure, I can do that. No problem.

For a couple of years I ran in my living room my 2.3tl's with a Sunfire tube pre and a Classe 75 amp. Sounded pretty freaking glorious. Well, to finish off my Quad rig, I needed to raise cash, so right now, I'm running a older Denon AVR (3600 IIRC) as a preamp to a parasound amp. The Lovely Wendi, who couldn't give two turds about audio comments that it sounds like doo doo compared to the dedicated separates. Those that know TLW (which F1 and many others do) can tell you that is about as unbiased and complete as you can get.

You know, it's entertaining to have a couple of crackpots around again...raises the entertainment value...I just have this image as XJRdude as Daffy Duck in that cartoon where he keeps holding up the hunting season signs and Elmer Fudd keeps blasting him.....I dunno why.

BDT

heiney9

All this over mediocre gear.

comfortablycurt

On what planet is an AVR a dedicated pre-amp? Sure...it can be used AS a pre-amp, but in no way does that make it a seperate, DEDICATED pre-amp. I seperate pre-amp is just that...a pre-amp. It has no power section...to try and deny this fact is simply stupid...and makes no sense.

Your Sony AVR may be much better than some of the dedicated pre-amps out there...but regardless, it still isn't a seperate pre-amp, and nothing you can say is ever going to change that fact.

I think you're a bit out of your league here...

This has all been said a bunch of times already...so I don't even know why I'm saying it.

Either way though...enjoy your Sony AVR(not pre-amp)

heiney9

comfortablycurt wrote: »

On what planet is an AVR a dedicated pre-amp?

On XJRGUY's planet. Not a place I want to visit

comfortablycurt

heiney9 wrote: »

On XJRGUY's planet. Not a place I want to visit

Hm...I'm gonna have to agree with ya there. Sounds like a pretty messed up planet.

DarqueKnight

Igo wrote: »

I'm a budget would be audiophile and have been for many years now. I love/am crazy about what we do but I have other interest as well so my budget is X amount. In this, I have been very pleased with the Sony ES/Elevated Standard line of receivers for a long time but I never hear anything here, good or bad about them. Is anybody using these and what are your experiences with them?

I am a long time Sony ES fanatic about their preamps, CD and SACD players, digital tuners, DVD players, and integrated amps. No so much a fanatic about their receivers and multi-channel amps.

I purchased a Sony STR-V333ES to use in a small A/V system in the guest suite of my former home. I sold it on eBay after close to two years. If you look at the second page of the eBay ad attached below, you will note my statement:

"I am selling this receiver because I replaced it with separate components (amp/preamp/tuner)."

I didn't like the STR-V333ES's a cold and dark sound. Even though it was placed in a seldom used A/V system in a guest room, I still wanted better sound.

I noted the same cold, dark sound from my Sony TA-N9000ES multi-channel power amp when it was run in five channel mode. It sounded "passable" in two channel mode. This amplifier was purchased for my master bedroom A/V system. I eventually sold it on eBay (eBay ad attached below). The TA-N9000ES was replaced with a two channel Adcom GFA-5500. I had set up a 5.1 HT system in my MBR, but after the TA-N9000ES disappointment, I realized I really didn't need surround sound in the MBR. I decided that a 2.1 system was adequate.

I am currently using a Sony TA-E9000ES preamp/processor in my home theater and master bedroom systems. Both of those systems are paired with Adcom amplifiers. The TA-E9000ES, when upgraded to the version 2.01 firmware, produces excellent sound for music and movies. They can be purchased on the used market for under $400. My home theater and master bedroom systems also include a Sony DVP-S9000ES SACD/CD/DVD
player. A third DVP-S9000ES is used in my home office. A third TA-E9000ES preamp/processor was used in my home office A/V system, until I downsized to just a TV and DVD player. I still have the TA-E9000ES in case I decide to re-upsize.:)

While I was glad to see the STR-V333ES and TA-N9000ES leave go away, I have some lingering seller's remorse about the following high quality ES components:

TA-E90ES preamp (Pics Here)

TA-N90ES power amp (Pics Here)

CDP-XA7ES cd player (Pics Here)

I also have some residual fondness for the following ES gem, but no seller's remorse:

TA-F808ES integrated amp and ST-S730ES digital tuner (Pics Here)

It is interesting to note that the TA-F808ES integrated amplifier had preamp circuitry that was "based on" the TA-E90ES preamp and had output circuitry "based" on the TA-N90ES power amp. The TA-F808ES was marketed as being "very close" in sound performance to the TA-E90/TA-N90ES combination. I owned all three concurrently and can testify unequivocally that the TA-E90/TA-N90ES combination was an entire class above the TA-F808ES in every sonic aspect.

I actually had two TA-F808ES's for a while, in addition to A TA-F707ES integrated amp that I bought out of curiosity. One of the TA-F808ES's was used in my audio system at work and the other was used in the A/V system in my home office. In my home office, I started with the TA-F808ES by itself, then I moved to using it as a preamp with an Adcom GFA-5500 power amp. I eventually got rid of the TA-F808ES altogether and replaced it with a Sony TA-E9000ES preamp/processor. In my office rig at work, the TA-F808ES was replaced with an Adcom GFA-555 Mk II power amp and a Nakamichi CA-5A II preamp.

It's fun to reminisce sometimes. Now, I'm going to snap back to the present and go play some LP's. (Was that an oxymoron?)

wildstyle

Hey does anyone here know where I can get a Ta-F808ES repaired? I just got one but I think the preamp is blown because everything turns on and lights up but no sound at all. Thanks

BlueFox

wildstyle wrote: »

Hey does anyone here know where I can get a Ta-F808ES repaired? I just got one but I think the preamp is blown because everything turns on and lights up but no sound at all. Thanks

Google "sony repair" equals
http://eservice.sony.com/webrma/web/index.do

DarqueKnight

Go to www.sonystyle.com,
click on "support",
click on "customer care",
click on "product and technical support",
click on "service".

Fill in the requested information and you will be given the closest authorized independent local service center(s) to your zip code and the closest Sony service center(s) to your zip code.

If you have the original packaging and want to save it, do not send your unit to a Sony service center in the original packaging. They will just throw it away and ship the unit back to you packed in layers of bubble wrap inside a plain corrugated box.

I asked them why they did this and they said that bubbly wrap offers more protection than the Styrofoam packing blocks, which is subject to cracking and breaking on impact. Therefore, they will not ship units in the original Sony boxes and packing.

EDIT:

The link that Bluefox provided takes you directly to the end result of the links I described above.

wildstyle

hey thanks I did try sony repair but something else came up. Anyways thanks bluefox and darqueKnight.

bluecomet

I am not a big sony reciever fan but I stumbled on a mint GX50ES receiver at the local flee market and bought it for fifty bucks. It has 80 watts of power per channel and a switch on the back that you can use 4ohm speakers. I hooked the receiver up to my SDA SRS speakers just to hear what it sounds like. It sounded good but is not in the same league as seperates with a power amp. Does anyone know of this old GX line of ES receivers. I think they were made in the late 80's or early 90's.

Barefoot

Always keep the ohm switch on the back of a mass market AVR to 8ohms. Never put it to 4. Doing so decreases the rail voltage feed to the power section and basically kills what dynamics you have at your disposal, and can induce clipping.

wildstyle

Hey i got my amp repaired and wow it sounds really good. Does anyone know where I can get the wood panels for it?

F1nut

They were not wood, they were vinyl covered something. Besides, it looks better without the panels.

wildstyle

Oh I thought they were wood. I actually think it looks classier with the wood panels. How do I connect this 808es to a subwoofer. Sorry for a noob question.