Sony ES CD Players
Let me make this short and to the point! Take any one of the Top Sony ES cd players for the last nine years and A/B blind test it against any "high end" cd player of your choice. The chances of hearing any audible difference will be minor at best! I presently own a 620es(1987), 707esd(1988), C77es(1991), X77es(1990) and X707es(1993). The reference model is now the XA7es which doesn’t really do anything for me. In an A/B test against all my previous models, a slight nuance of a difference at best! Whether you pick up a X77es or one of the older models like the 707es, be assured you are buying digital sound that is as good or better than most players today. Don’t let all the new car hype fool you, just find someone with an old Sony X77es and take it down to your local high end stereo store and have them compare it to one of their new top models, plugging them both into the same pre-amp with the same type of cables! You’ll need a double copy of a cd so you can play both of them at the same time while switching. Why would you spend $2, 3, or 4Gs when you can have the best for say……..$2, 3 or 4 hundred? OH, I forget – it’s not American?

Well ED, I completely agree with you. I've had the CDP-X7ESD and currently own the CDP-X779ES and CDP-C701ES and man are these player good! Sound quality is up there with the best, built quality is probably the best that I've seen(Just compare the X779ES to a Krell KPS-20i-$9000) and looks,ohh, these players look sweet!!! FIVE BIG STARS

Well, I would say that Sony ES models still play nicely, but the sound quality and long-term reliability is not as good as it was 10 years ago. After so much compromising to reduce costs, important parts are replaced with lesser materials. I.e. A Sony ES player from 10 years ago uses metal gears, today they are using composite materials and plastics. They will only last so long before they crack from constant use, I am witness to that. Also, the cabinets from 10 years ago use thick sheet metal and a nice steel finish. My particular model uses simulated rosewood siding which adds to the stability of the whole unit, you will not find that on a Sony ES unit today unless you buy the $4,000+ super CD units. On the other hand, units today skip less and you'll have better luck playing a damaged CD in them. They're also easier to use and include convenient features like play x-change. America may not produce the most functional products, but (although expensive) the build quality is superior.

Smoothe highs,and deep well detailed bass. Build quality is up there with the best. Great finish with copper chassis. Mine is finished in champagne and gloss rosewood side panels.

None to speak of.

I previously owned a 77es. I just wanted to make sure that people reading these reviews are aware that the previous post is for the 777 sacd player. I am much closer to the original 77es product than the post before me. It is good for the ratings of this product, but it should probably be omitted due to the fact that it is the new sacd player. My 777es was built in 1991 and it looks very similar on the outside and has the same high quality build as the 77es. I purchased this player because it had the volume control on the remote which the 77 didn't have.I feel I was lucky because I found one with the upgraded champagne finish. The panels are a high gloss rosewood finish which do not resemble the other es gear. Getting to the sound of this player,the bass is absolutely large and deep with this player. The individual who I sold my 77 to, could not believe the difference in the amount of bass the sony was pulling out of recordings. He was forced to move his speakers well away from the walls to compensate for it. It is undoubtedly due to the massive separate power supplies it has for each channel. The highs are very natural and extended with this player. The new dacs out there might give you a tad more air, but I seem to feel that there is a brightness that comes with the extra extension. I have talked to Ed Frias who owns several older sony cd players and he said why would you ever want to mess with anything that measures as perfectly as the Sony? I couldn't agree with him more. With well recorded jazz tracks from Jane Monet,Dianne Shurr and Diana Krall the player truly sings. Bass notes are well defined deep and tight while highs and vocals are completely natural sounding. I still don't believe there is a better built cd player being made today. This has an all copper chassis. Ceramic feet to absorb vibration. Balanced and unbalanced with a variable input. Its looks will put most of its competition to shame. Metal is used through out this player, and it has a hefty weight of 40lbs proving its use of high quality parts. I am very happy with this player and I believe it still represents itself as good as, if not better than some of the competition at 2 or 3 times its 1800.00 price. For what they can be bought for in the used market they are simply a steal. Definite Five stars for value, build, and overall sound quality.
Odyssey Stratos Amp
Platinum Solo Speakers W/ matching stands.
MoreL Prelude Speakers
Sony X77ES CD Direct to the Odyssey
FMS Speaker Wire and Interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Sony x77es, Pioneer PD65, Rotels, Marantz, etc.

Competes with higher priced gear

Higher priced gear will play CD format better

I just comparied the Sony 777ES (brand new just out of the box) to the Meridian 508.24 a demo model (this is now a discontinued model) today. I heard them through Sonus Faber? speakers $22,000/pair, Krell 350 watt mono blocks and Krell pre-amp at a dealer in New Jersey. The sytem I heard these componets on was very revealing. In CD format, the Meridian had a differenct presentation in that it sounded a little more open and airy (not by much). The Sony (brand new out of the box) sounded very nice but had a little more mid-range bass bloom (slight). The Sony did not sound bright at all and had a slightly difference bass quality, more focused and a little tighter than the Meridian (very slightly). Neither one was significantly better or worse than the other in standard CD format, you could live with either choice once you got the product home. I would have chosen the Meridian over the Sony for standard CD format play back if I was just looking for a CD player when the Sony was listed at $3,500. SInce the Sony now lists for $2,500 and the Meridian is now discontinued, I would opt for the Sony. They provide a very similair presentation.

Using the SACD format, the Sony had a more open presentation than the Meridan, almost the same change that the Meridian had over the Sony in the standard CD format. Here is the real issue, the Sony 777 now lists for $2,500 and the Meridan is now a discontinued model. The Sony is also a big piece of equipment (measurment, size) so you need to make sure it will fit in your system rack, etc. I am not sure if the Sony's sound will change over time as other reviewers have stated, but I always wanted to by the Meridian 508.24 and now I can get a CD player that I can live with for $2,500 or less. Hope the SACD format lives on. Can't beat that.

Similar Products Used:

Meridian 508.24