below

For those seeking information on the newest upgrade version 2.01 it is available at the following locations for various prices ranging from 120.00 to 150.00.
The Soundseller/ www.soundseller.com This is where I purchased mine
www.planetaudio.com
directly from Sony Parts.
There is currently a waiting list for them but you may be lucky enough to call when they are in stock at one of these locations.
The upgrade kit comes with the necessary null modem connection cord , a cd rom for the download and a very functional new hand held traditional remote.
You will only be able to access the new soundfields using the NEW remote and the NEW adustment parameters using the new remote. Of course if you want to get up they can be accessed manually.
The new remote is VERY functional and easy to use. The only draw back to it is that it is not backlit. I would consider it an integaral part of the upgrade. and worth the 120 dollars alone. I don't know if the cd-rom can be copied for those just seeking to download the new software . Installation was very simple following the enclosed directions. The download added several new features such as xover points for the sub, a virtual 6.1 soundfield and several other modalities.
Rating is for the new upgrade

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below

Well I guess nothing is perfect.... :p

O.K, I figured it's about time to "update" some E9000ES owners, who aren't aware of what they need to do, to get the most from their processor.

- Install V2.01. Thanks to the reviewer below, this shouldn't be too hard. Sony ARE closed until the 16th of April though. This is also ( apparantly ), availalbe in Europe too. VUCD upgrade kit is what you want.

- Use Digital Connections wherever possible

- Make SURE you select the connection "type" for each used input, using the Digital/Analog control on the Front Panel ( ie DVD:AUDIO[COAXIAL] or MD:AUDIO[OPTICAL] etc. )

- Turn PROCESSOR:[OFF] in the Customize menu

- You can turn off the display, even w/out 2.01, by pressing the top right corner of the screen under the "Setup" menu on the original 2-way remote. This works 99% of the time, even if no icon is present.

- Use the added LFE High cut menu setting, introduced w/ 2.01, to either limit or extend the LFE frequency range handled by your subwoofer ( dependant on subwoofer specification ).

- Both center outputs on the E9000ES are active, you can use them to bi-amp, which is optimal for a Dual N9000ES system. I'll be updating the N9000ES review section with the optimal BTL setup for such a system. EVERY N9000ES owner should get another one, 2 N9000ES are a LOT better than one for every application

- There is a E9000ES Forum at this URL

http://pub7.ezboard.com/faussiedvdandhtforumsonytae9000esinformationforum

A great source of information, and of course if you have any E9000ES or system queries, this is the place to post!

A "FAQ" is on the way, along with experimentation designed to reduce the noise floor to inperceptible.....

Hope that helps yall

D.Jay

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Far too many!

Flexibility in any A/V system. Solid construction. Smooth sound reproduction.

Lacks component video input/outputs. Remote commander has limited capabilities.

This unit provides excellent value for your investment. I recently upgraded firmware to 1.18c. How can I obtain 2.01 firmware? Could someone email me? Thanks.

5.1 and DTS processing is superb compared to B&K and Rotel units I evaluated prior to my Sony purchase.

2 channel stereo reproduction from the CD player is harsh when compared to my separate audio system (Van Alstine preamp/amp combo). Maybe the 2.01 firmware upgrade will improve on this.

I am also disappointed with the remote commander. The fact that this unit cannot be programmed to control the specific input on my Sony TV (for LD/DVD/VHS/DSS)is weak. The auto mode only turns on the TV and switches to Video1. In addition, the remote features that are provided for my Sony equipment are too basic. I would like to see better integration of the commander with Sony's own products!

Excellent pre-amps for AV - Value for money

Yes, Remote controll and Sony service

Have been using TAE9000 and TAN9000 for the last 2 years. Upgraded s/w to 1.18C a year ago with sound improvement.
A real value for money pre-amps.

Enough AV inputs (analog and digital) to meet the needs of most users. One draw back is lacking of video component in/output. However, the video re-production thru s-video connection is excellent.

Recently upgraded interconnect to Nord-Red Dawn and speaker cable to MIT T-2. Another improvement in sound.
Next target is to upgrade my Amps - would like to connect the front channels to a more powerful amps.

Looking for rel.2.01 s/w because unable to find it in Malaysia. Appreciate if someone can mail it or send me the info.
My email address: rickyLee168@yahoo.com.sg

Happy listening....

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Yamaha A1

As far as bang for your dollar, probably the best pre-amp out there.

Dealing with Sony customer service.Out of all the products i have bought over the last 25 years, Sony is definitely the worst

I bought this product in 4-99 mainly because of the rave reviews in Audio and Stereo Review.It replaced my Yamaha DSP processor ( which I loved )and B&K pre-amp. If Yamaha had made a dolby digital Dts pre-amp only (I'm still amazed that they don't. They'd sell a ton of them!) I would of definitely stayed with their product.As for the 9000es it has been an excellent product with only 2 exceptions, those are the remote and Sony service. The owner of the store where i bought the 9000 at told me of Sony's new remote upgrade. He sent mine in and a month later I received the new longer lasting remote. I eagerly took it home where I found to my surprise,that it didn't work at all with the 9000. I took it back where we tried it out on the store demo-preamp. Didn,t work on that one either. Mike told me that his other 8 clients that'd gotten thier new remotes were having the same result! Sending the remote back, we finally found out after 3 weeks time that the tech had accidently sent us 900STR receiver remotes that look exactly like the 9000's but are completely incompatible!To make matters worse there was a back order on the 9000 remotes so it ended up taking about another 2 months to take care of the problem. I,ve had the new remote for more thsn a year and even with heavy use , I haven,t had to replace any batteries, unlike the previous unit, where I was lucky if the batteries lasted a month.As for everything else,the Sony has given me countless hours of pleasure.The versatility of the 9000, when I bought it was unmatched by any product for 2 to 3 times the price and I'm sure even after 2 1/2 years it still ranks at or near the top. The only other caveat I have with the unit is the lack of multi-channel outputs for SACD or DVD-audio.Well'I guess you can't have everything.One thing I'm interested in is the 2.01 upgrade. I've been in contact with Sony even driving to the service center in Irvine CA and they never heard of it." Good old Sony service".If someone can help me out I would greatly appreciate it.Please e-mail me at Ricindy@hotmail.com . As far as value the 9000es gets 5 stars,but overall only 4 because of the so-so remote and lack of multi-channel outputs.

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Yamaha and B&K

SOUND VERY GOOD

VERY HOT

I HAD MY FOR ABOUT 1.5 YEARS. I HAD UPGRADE TO 1.18C. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SEND ME A VERSION 2.01 UPGRADE AND I ALSO
WANT TO KNOW IF THE NEW SOFTWARE UPGRADE NEED THE NEW REMOTE TO WORK CORRECTLY.

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YAMAHA RV-850

Brilliant Sound with Movies and Music

Insufficient access of information on upgrades, by Sony

I've now had the TAE-9000ES for about 8 months and still believe it is one of the best things I've bought for home cinema.

I recenlty recieved Se7en dts from the US. I saw this movie when it first came out in the cinema and I don't remember it being this good. It made the walls disappear as I was immersed in sound. Detail, ambience, movement (both subtle and direct) as well emotion that just was not there before. EG: the Library scene Chap 9, the helicopter effects Chap 34-36.

When using my CD player, I no longer connect it via the analogue in/outputs, but, via the digital input. The digital decoding on the pre-amp sounds and feels much better than the D/A converters on the CD player. Ie: Imagery is 'almost' as good as my valve amp, I did say 'almost'. Alot more detail is heard also. To me a good system will seduce your attention and feelings the TAE9000es does that. I know, that might sound corny. OK, it is corny. EG: Sade-'Lovers Rock' it's like she is standing in the room singing. OK, now very corny!

I mainly use the auto format function as I feel that the more direct a signal is, the greater the possibilty of pure sound, the way it was intended to be. Theoretically, as 'pure' sound can be a combination of the objective and subjective.

I got the v1.18 upgrade just after I purchased the pre-amp (9/00), so I cannot say with any certainty of any difference of the system prior to the upgrade. The sales person said to call him if there were any lip-synch problems, the rest is history. V1.18 did solve the lip-synch problem significantly, although somtimes I feel it is still there. Which leads to me to my finding out about v2.01c.

It was only by coincidence that I visited my usual shop and found out there was a upgrade avialable for AUS$300 called a VUCD-E9000A. This lead me to this excellent site where the people who own the product seem to know more than the people selling it! I promptly called back to find out if the upgrade kit was the v2.01c. I was told that it only had v2.0 written on the back of the box and that I should do some interacting on this site. Who knows I might get better service from you guys?

I hope Alan Rutlidge is reading this as he is an Aussie and by the sounds he may have had problems similar to mine. I do have some questions for him or any one else interested? Thanks!

1). Where is a good place to get v2.01c on the net?
2). Do you know how or if self-upgrading affects the warranty?
3). When a movie is encoded with 6.1 dts or Dolby, does the pre-amp auto format to 6.1 matrix after v2.01c is installed?

I really think that the TAE9000es is a superb machine, I even don't mind the remote (quirky is ok, and so is corny!). However, Sony looses points for poor service, ie: lack of information for its customers. Does Sony really like me?

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3 different Yamaha A/V Receivers and one Sherwood.
Rotel RB-985, 5 Channel Power Amp
Pioneer DV-717
Marantz CD-67se
B&W DM610 & CC6
Solid Subwoofer

Very, very good sound quality; excellent soundfields; plethora of inputs and outputs; good preamp ergonomics.

Poor standard remote; not enough digital outputs; no component video ins/outs; no 5.1 input.

I have recently purchased and installed the version 2.01 upgrade. Before the upgrade I felt that the TA-E9000ES was an outstanding A/V value. After the upgrade I feel that the 9000 is an outstanding preamp/processor period. Before the upgrade the 9000 exhibited a mild hum. By contrast the SDP-9ES I had owned was dead quiet. After the upgrade the subjective noise floor with the 9000 was noticably improved. The unit does not sound as "solid state". It can still sound a little bright with the wrong soundtrack. A cinema EQ-type capabilty would be a welcome addition. Before the upgrade I did encounter occaisional lip-sync problems. That hasn't happened since the upgrade. Overall, the unit sounds great in 2 channel and in the available multichannel modes.

The soundfields are very good. The unit can be tailored to fit almost any room or set up. I particularly like the virtual theater C for concert movies, especially with DTS source material. It is like being in the actual venue. There is none of the artificial reverb that plagues other processors. The unit is easy to operate. All the major functions are easily and intuitively accessed. The standard remote is difficult to operate. There lighting contrast is poor. Functions like setting speaker levels are hard to execute. I use a Marantz RM-2000 Mk. I for my system and it was impossible to get all the key codes from the SONY remote into it. With the new supplemental (2.01) remote I should finally be able to get all the key codes into the Marantz. Initially the standard remote sucked down batteries. I took it back and had it repaired. Battery life has improved dramatically. It'll improve even more once I retire it in favor of the Marantz learning remote.

I recently purchased a JVC DVD-audio player. I have had some difficulty with the 9000 recognizing 96K/24bit discs. It seems that the coaxial output on the DVD stays active but no signal is present. I believe this is to keep miscreants like me from making high quality copies. All signal information is sent through the analog outputs. This confuses the 9000 automatic format and input functions. The 9000 remains silent, reading the dorment coax input (since this is the priority). I discovered that I have to manually switch to the analog input. When I'm done I have to manually switch back to the automatic mode, lest I get a frantic phone call from my wife. It would be nice to have some links between inputs and soundfields.

I'm looking forward to picking up the TA-P9000ES preamp to add a 5.1 analog (switching!) capabilty to the E9000ES. It isn't the best solution for DVD-audio & SACD but for the bucks, and time being,it'll do. I expect that combination will rank right up there with best of them. Perhaps one day in the not too distant future SONY will do something for that mysterious mic input. Automatic set up anyone?

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Excellent sound, feature packed, upgradeable (and how upgradeable it is!!!)

The remote (need I say anymore?). Sony's singular lack of product support.

These comments relate to the performance of this product under V2.01 of the firmware.
I've owned this processor since it was first released in 1999. At that time it had the original V1.01a firmware installed. I've commented about this unit previously in this site and those comments related to this initial release. Since then I have upgraded to V1.10c and V1.18c. The later significantly lowering the noise floor of the amp.
The new V2.01 firmware is the best yet. Sony really have addressed the issues of 2ch performance on this beauty and at the same time added additional soundfields and some nice features. Some previous comments made earlier in these pages by DJay and Calvin echo my impressions so I won't bore you by repeating them.
Getting the upgrade kit in Australia is a major problem. Unfortunately Sony Australia is still in denial mode with respect to this. It's a pity as I think they have sold enough TA-E9000ES units to justify stocking the kit. So for us poor people here in the land of Oz we are having to do the importing ourselves from the US.
Despite all the negatives regarding the remote and support - a great product made even greater by a simple 5 minute flashROM upgrade.
Anyone contemplating the purchase of this pre-amp should do so with V2.01 firmware installed. I'm confident it will give other units many times the price a good run for their money.
I'm in the process of updating my review page on this unit. E-mail me for the URL. The last time I placed a link here the post was removed.

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Great value.

Diminishing support.

A Service Manual for this preamp can be ordered on-line at:
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/
Under the 'Search by Part' column, enter 992880011. The price is $12.95 USD + shipping + local tax. I just ordered mine, plus I have one for a previous Sony preamp and it contains schematics and testing procedures. Quite handy if you are the curious engineer-type. (Unfortunately, this item is not shown when you do a 'Search by Model for Accessories'.) I want to find out find hand if the dual center channel output is really from 2 separate DACs, and a rear center is possible, or I have to go to the ADA 6.1 decoder.