Everything

none

I have purchased my mid-hi system with this CD player as the source,
a KRELL integrated amp and a pair of sonus faber speaker. To put a long story
short. I am not happy with this system. On some CDs, it is great and other
CDs, it is very bad. Then, one day, I swap this CD player with the latest sony
ES dvd player that cost $400. WIth this source, my system sounds so bad for
all material. Who said CD players are all the same. Some laughed at me
for getting a $3000 CD player. Now, I know it is the best purchase I have
made. With a cheaper CD players, there are simply no HIFI sound at all.
Now, I know why some people hate KRELL. If your source is low FI, you will
only get a low FI system

Mosler safe like build, Superb drawer mechanism and clamp. Vast programming and function options galore. Balanced output.

Balanced output that does not have output like balanced should. Output voltage is the same 2 volts out of unbalanced or balanced. Buttons on remote of same size and shape. Not back lit...

Absolutely everything that was promised about this player, and more. The build is vault like at 33 pounds and an ounce. Copper bottom plate with reinforced contruction throughout. Sony wanted to make a statement with this deck. With that oh so smooth protein coated drawer and nifty clamp this deck just feels luxurious. Beside being used in my audio system, this unit will be part of my project studio. Balanced outputs and single ended fixed and variable make it easy. Digital outs are coaxial, and if you must Toslink. It is one thing to be such a smooth operator, but to be so good sounding with detail galore. Midrange is my favorite aspect of this deck. So at ease with itself. No glare, or grit. Bass is very good with taut tones and timber,and highs that are very smooth and refined. Is this deck perfect?? No, of coarse not. The Balanced output is not a true balanced in the "PROFESSIONAL"sense in that it is still 2 volts output just like the unbalanced analog outs. Hmmm, that is odd indeed. Other than that, this deck is one that I had heard in recording studios, and at stores, and all I knew was that I had to have it for my place.Icing on the cake are the vast program and ancillary options such as custom file memory, motorized line out control that can be controlled from the remote. The remote is complete but I would have like the buttons to be a different shape for the various transport mode functions and back lighting would make the usable remote even better. Overall I am glad I bought this terrific deck. A reference to be sure. Makes every Cd player I have owned pale in comparison to this one. If you get one used at a great price, then your CD collection and your ears are in for a treat. Enjoy and thanks for reading. V.C.

Similar Products Used:

Denon,Tascam,Rotel,Sony,NAD,Linn,Pioneer Elite.

Great bass. Solid constuction.

No power button on remote.

Suprised there are not more reviews. I looked at everything
from $500 - 1000. This player outplayed them all. Wish I
had the money for a xa-20es. Flawless tracking and wonderful warmth. Speakers lacking now.

Similar Products Used:

Rotel rb-980bx x2, rc-995, def tech bp-30's, audioquest
cables.

See my review at XA5ES. Has anybody experienced both players XA5ES and XA7ES alongside each other. What are the differences soundwise and technically?

Similar Products Used:

XA5ES, SCD-777ES, old 777ES

This player is one of the best built and sounding units I have heard todate. The Transport is top notch and the Dacs put out some great sonic
detail. In my book this deserves 5 stars. Wow from Sony, who would of thought?

Nice sound, solid build.

I've owned this unit for about 2 years now and am still very pleased with it.

However, the real reason for this post is to suggest to all owners of this model who HAVE YET to connect the variable outputs straight to your amp (thus by-passing the pre-amp) to give it a try and see if the sound is any different.

My own experience seems that the sound opens up some than when going through the pre-amp.

Build quality, glitch free operation, good sound and low prices.

none when compared to similar priced competition

This is an excellent player, but hardly the best. Wadia's 850 and 860 are much better sounding products than a XA7es. As an transport, the Sony is very average. The Teac drivees that Wadia uses are definitely superior. What sets the Sony apart from all others is build quality and smmothness of operation. (except for having to use the stupid puck)

Considering the deep discounting on Sony's, it most definitely great value.

digital reproduction at it's finest!

absolutely none!

To the losers go the spoils! Anyone who spends more for digital than can be had for the cost of a used XA7ES is biting off a big chunk of the cost of diminishing returns in my book! The XA7ES produces the finest digital to be had anywhere close to its price, and you'd have to spend $3k to better it! That my friends, is a bargain!!!
To the losers who posted negative reviews on the XA7ES here...you're losers...Fact is, the Sony is king of the digital realm for the bang for for buck it provides. Wadia, Levinson transports are crap by comparison to the Sony transports. I should know. I've owned them all. BEST one box solution going, and even bests the majority of two box solutions going anywhere at ANY price! Case closed!

Similar Products Used:

wadia 830

The Sony CDP-XA7ES is a terrific cd player no matter what the critics may say about it. I am an Audiophile wholives in Norway and i have owned Mark Levinson 36 + 37 and even Accuphase DP 75 ( two times ) . Even tough the DP 75 is the best Damn cd player that i have ever heard, the differences between the DP 75 and the XA7ES are very subtle. One might say that the DP 75 is more musical but lacks the XA7ES more detailed sound. I would even go as far as saying that the XA7ES is almost a perfect combination of the DP 75`s musicality and the ML combo`s detailed sound. You would have to one a sound system that cost`s about 20.000 - 40.000 $ or be a complete nuts about HIFI equipment( Like me ) to even consider buying a more expensive cd player than the XA7ES. I currently own a pair of Meridian DSP 6000 Active digital loudspeakers ( 17.000 $ ), and a Meridian 508.20 cd player, and even tough this i very good sound system i must say that the XA7ES is a better cd player than the Meridian player. Five stars to the Sony player.

Warmth sounding and sounds better as the player warmed up. Details with good image.

Limited to 16 bit

This cd player is still one of the top-notch cd players out there when comes to playing regular cd materials, i.e, 16 bit resolution. The sound is full bodied and warmth, the bass can go quite low in fact. Some posters noted that the transport mechanism is somewhat average, this may be true considering that this is a cd player not a cd transport. I've tried various set-ups: optical out, fixed out, variable out, balanced out etc. and have finally come to some conclusions. This player will sound its best when use as a cd player not as a transport. That is unless you have a very pricey high end DAC, it will not make sense to let a third party equipment manufacturer do the digital to analog conversion for you. To use this player as a transport, it will only sounds a little bit better than the DVP 7700. To use it as a cd player, it will sound better and better as the machine warms up. Overall, a fine piece to have in my system.

Related equipments:

Sony XA-7ES
Sony DVP 7700
Definitive Tech 3000bps surround setups
Denon AVR 5700 Receiver
Monster interconnect 400MKII
Kimber speaker cable 8TC biwire high and mid section of front speakers.
RCA low frequency out from pre-amp section of the main

Similar Products Used:

DVP-7700