Looks great and sophisticated. A gem to show off. Makes little noise and the remote works great with my other Sony components.

Doesnt play cd-r's and there are not many SACD's out in the market. Would have been better if it also played MP3's.

Wow, I wouldnt have expected to see so many negative reviews about this DVD player. I purchased this when it first came out into the market and watch DVD's with my Sony 32" XBR. For audio, I have some Yamaha reciever that cost me about 2k. My philosphy on purchasing this was in order to get the most out of this you have to have the right components to match it. So, maybe thats why many are not satisfied with it. I beleive it is worth every penny.

Just wanted to leave some tips for those who have noted they are disappointed with the 9000ES: 1) The CD, SACD, DVD sections burn-in separately. A few hundred hours each. 2) Be sure to switch to Audio Direct mode. Perhaps it's not the best player under $1800, but it's competitive with anything in that price range for sure. Unbeatable value for the used dollar. Visit philintheblank.org/audio.htm for more audio insights!

I have owned this unit for about 2 years. I also own the SCD777ES. Here are my thoughts. As CD player, it is significantly better than Arcam alpha7SE. Much inferior to SCD777ES. As a CD transport, it is FANTASTIC. Thus if you use the 9000ES as a transport into a quality DAC (I use Anthem AVM20 pre-pro), in effect you will have first class CD player on par with the SCD777ES. For SACD, it IS as good (although a little different) as the 777ES. Performs MUCH better with Black Diamond Racing Cones and PS Audio Statement Powercords! For movies, give it these same tweaks and add QUALITY component video cables (I use 3 Audioquest VSD4) and the picture quality leaves NOTHING to be desired.

Organic, wholeness Dead quiet operation Beautiful looking Sony's build like a tank Nicely plays CDs, DVDs, and SACDs

Doesn't play CD-R's

For those who feel frustrated at the 9000ES' performance, I understand and would like to share my experience. I bought it used from an eBay seller and immediately had it sent to ModWright for mods. It does take sometime, but when it came back to me complete, I didn't regret. With ModWright Signature Mod, this well built machine has become a giant-killer; I haven't heard my system sounding that good, ever. The mods are tube output stage and level III. It brings out the best performance out of my system's capability.

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built, nice look, and a lot people believing that it is something really great, so it would be easy to sell :)

I was in shock SONY as CD player was supposed to put into shame CD player costing $1800, but according to my not aware of her blasphemy wife lost as SACD player to 6-7 years old British technology. I have personally was not so much convinced that SONY is so much worse but to be honest I have heard it was poorer harmonically (we have agreed here) and its presentation was laid back. She heard that instruments presented by Arcam was more separated, I hear differently (or maybe I wanted to hear it so much?) Maybe it was why Sony was edgier and brighter so I have impression of better separation. But definitely it was not better, and it was not upgrade. So be careful and not buy equipment base on even > 200 rave reviews.

I have bought SONY 9000ES after reading > 200 rave reviews on audioreview.com. According to them it was cheap way to have great SACD player (supposedly 80% quality of SONY 777ES). It was suppose to better as SACD player nearly everything maybe with exception of high end players, even as CD player was supposed to better player up to $1800. So how could I not buy this. Especially, that you can have great deal for $750. So I have bought it. It really look great, built like tank, nice acryl plate, big blue diode, looks like very expensive piece with comparison to my old plastic CD player Arcam Alpha bought in London in 1996 for 300GBP. So because I have wanted to be shutter by it quality (I have bought new one) I burn it for 400h with Sony SACD sampler before listening to it. I could not wait but I wanted be blown away and according to reviewers it needed 300h to shine. In the meantime i have bought hybrid CD from Chesky Records (I wanted to test it with high quality software). As a CD it was recorder very good, as SACD I do not have any experience to assess it but because it was from CR I have assumed it was at least good. Knowing that as CD player SONY is supposed to better $1800 CD player I was sure that as SACD player it will crush my old Arcam CD 16/44.1 playing without any re/up-sampler. And this is why I have bought it and this was what I was expecting to hear! Used equipment : Musical Fidelity A300, Thiel 3.6, speaker cable AQ Midnight III, inter cable TA Super. So I was about to hear new 24/192-technology vs. old audiophile design from 1996 in old technology. I could not been happier. My listening sessions disclosed that SONY move music layers back simultaneously flattening distances between them. Arcam was presenting first layer on the line between speakers. I had impression of better scene blackness in SONY (on the perception level though), I had impression that SONY is less tiresome too, but I have perceived timbre of Arcam as much more harmonically rich. Bass in both was equal maybe a little lover in SONY but less tight. Definitely worse went women voices in SACD, they were more edgy and dull in comparison to Arcam of course. The more I have listen the less I have been convinced that SACD was at all better then old boy. How this could be, Am I deaf? I have really started to worry. So I made manly decision to use my wife in blind tests (it latter appeared to be mistake). She is not audiophile but have good ear for music. A few years earlier she was able faultlessly to pick out 11 of 12 in interconnects blind tests when cable A was playing and when cable B was. So I have done five triple tests (both player was connected in turns to MF A300 with TA Super). Test1 (track no 1 from Chesky hybrid sampler) A B A A - Sony was paying SACD layer B - Arcam CD layer Test2 (track no 4 from Chesky hybrid sampler) A B A A - Sony was paying SACD layer B - Arcam CD layer Test3 (track no 6 from Chesky hybrid sampler) A B A B - Sony was paying SACD layer A - Arcam CD layer Test4 (track no 7 from Chesky hybrid sampler) A B A B - Sony was paying SACD layer A - Arcam CD layer Test5 (track no 10 from Chesky hybrid sampler) A B A A - Sony was paying SACD layer B - Arcam CD layer She was supposed to write remarks and in every test appoint winner (A or B). A and B was a different payer in different tests to make tests more reliable and difficult to forge. Her remarks: player x had better scene, less tiresome highs, more tight bass, plus far better woman voice in test 5. Rebecca Pigeon Spanish Harlem, according to her player y presented voices as outlines hollow inside (edgy :) ), player x played music imbedded with color. S better player x was in following tests: Test 1): B Test 2): B Test 3): A Test 4): A Test 5): B So it was faultlessly Arcam in each and every test.

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none, I'm giving it 4 stars as overall rating because it is DVD/SACD/CD player and maybe it is really good as DVD player (benefit of doubt), 3 start as value because as SACD player is miserable.

To the person who was worried that the player paused once during DVD playback: this is normal and caused by watching a dual-layer disc (rather than a flipper) reversing itself during playback to accomodate the rest of the film. Don't worry!

Built like it should be.

2ch SACD Uses the Genesis chipset instead if the better Sage/Faroudja chip. Genesis has more cons than pros.

Great DVD player especially in film mode. Very happy with the performance to match the price. However, I notice that every movie, the player pauses for a second. I don't know what it is.

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SACD, CD sound, DVD picture, build quality, looks, pride-of owership

In trying to answer my own question below ( regarding the use of the attenuation feature), I hope I do not sound to arrogant. The bottom line is that unless your using a very cheap receiver, integrated amp or pre-amp, turn the Attenuation 'ON' and let one of the above do the work. The music became much more relaxed and with greater presence. Turning the attenuation 'off' re-introduced a strained sense to the music. This test can be done with the TV on and one can readily hear differences. A recent article in Hi Fi + ( Sept/Oct., 2002) talks about the effect of more and more sources putting out beyond the line-level standard of 0.775 V. In fact, they even tested some RCA in-line attenuators and found the same and helped me understand what I was hearing. It reminded me of when I use to make cassette tapes with the meters frequently going slightly into the 'red,. When I was advised to record just below the red level the same affect was heard. A much more relaxed sense to the music. Nothing to lose by trying it. In regards to the overall CD sound, I grow more and more impressed and happy each day. As time goes on, the sound is becoming less analytical and more musical with lots of presence and air. The highs are never harsh and it seems to go deeper than most players I have had and/or heard. It truly does compete very well with stand-alone CD players in its same price range. SACD -I'm in LUST. Bottom-line is that I've just gone out and purchased eight (8) of the new Rolling Stones releases. I feel like I'm back in the 1960s and sitting in on the studio recordings. In fact, when comparing SACD to my LINN SONDEK using a re-mastered virgin vinyl from 1985 (or so), I'd have to give the nod to SACD!! Heck, if SACD were to truly catch on I might even consider selling my 25th anniversary Sondek. DVD -I assume that most previous reviews are correct and that it is a superior player. I'm obviously keeping the player.

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More of a question than a Review but, let me first say that I have bought this unit on a trail 30-day return basis. In trying to determine the quality of its CD section, I noticed that there are options. Specifically, the ability to attenuate the sound and to go for a softer sound thru Sony's Slow option. What has been the experienced of the long-term users. Thanks.

3:2 pulldown the best by far denon can't even touch this beast

2ch sacd only

o.k i just bought this dvd player and anyone that knocks the quality of its progressive scan (3:2 pulldown) does not know what there talking about. i personally have bought and returned alot of psdvd players and the 9000es is the reference standard. its the last dvd player i'll buy for a while. oh ya and for all of you that have problems with sony products i would start buying your products from canada. trust me!

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alot