I'm shocked! My Sony DVP-S9000 sounds soo much better than my XA777ES!

We'll, I just couldn't believe my ears. Have been listening to my 777 exclusively on a daily basis. Then, for the heck of it, put a SACD and a redbook in the 9000. It was sooo much better sounding. Voices were not recessed as my 777 was. They were loud and strong. Instruments were also MUCH more dynamic. This was using the same cables/same inputs/ and no bass manager. In disbelief, I had my 17 yr old son do a comparison without me saying anything to him on my findings. He played a couple of cd's that he likes. I went into the other room while he was listening. His audition was cut short. Dad, the 9000 blows away the 777!!! Disgusted, I sold the 777. I have now purchased a dedicated redbook player(Musical Fidelity a308). I have gone full circle with this Sony stuff with mixed results. I have had the xa20es(great), 333es(lousy), 222es(Exc. redbook), 555es(ok), 777es(???). This MF player is really a beautiful sounding player. Will get back into it in the near future for a multi-channel player again. This stuff can drive you crazy!

John

 

That would be a very short trip in my case

For some reason I still hanker after re-acquiring an Accuphase DP-70V CD player that I had and sold many years ago - just a different sound not better and one that i would like to hear again from time to time. Big beast of a CD player though and I can't think where I would have space to fit it in.

Gary if you lived in a country with "full-size" voltage rather than the scaled down bonsai voltages you have over in the 'shire then you could have picked up a Musical Fidelity and snuck it back over whilst you were here.

Andrew

 

John, You should not have been shocked (at least not on SACD). The DVP-S9000ES is an excellent SACD player and is suppose to have an even simpler DSD electronics chain than the SCD-1/SCD-777ES. I have both the 9000 and the SCD-1. On SACD they are very close with the SCD-1 having slightly better bass. I have never bothered to compare the redbook that much. At HE2001 I saw many hi-end systems using the 9000 as their dedicated SACD player.

 

Echoing what ALP sez: I believe ya! This early-gen SACD player uses the VC24 circuitry similar to the SCD-1/777ES. Sony obviously focused on it's stereo performance back in the day. Many modders like the design so much, they started offering expensive mods to the 9000ES for even improved performance

The XA777ES/XA9000ES stepped away from Sony's custom DACs and went to Burr Brown 1738s. Certainly high-end performance, just two different ways to get there.

 

Very interesting observations! My brother has an 'S9000ES, and he loves it! It's a very nice machine.

Your observations about other Sony components struck me as curious. I own the 'C333ES and two 'C555ES changers and had a 'C222ES briefly before getting the second 'C555ES. I would hardly call the 'C333ES lousy. Actually, I think it's a very good CD and SACD player. However, the 'C555ES is better in both modes. The 'C222ES is also a quality player, but I prefer the 'C555ES. The 'C555ES is just great. When I had the 'C222ES, I compared it to the 'C333ES with some of my favorite SACDs, and I thought the 'C222ES was a shade better. The 'C222ES began developing some problems with the carousel drawer, however, so I exchanged it for a 'C555ES.

 

Gary!!! isn't what you state above what really counts. You have a great machine so enjoy it. I'ts not a very practical goal to own every component ever made Forget changing players and go out and spend the same money on discs then, sit back and enjoy them. On the other hand, they say that the Data Conversion Systems components sound real good so if you have a spare 30-40K.......

 

Those are good news... I own the 9000

 

Thanks for all your replys. My 9000 is a keeper!

John

 

I purchased a 9000 used several months ago and enjoy it a lot. I have had only one problem with it. Tonight for some reason it would not read the Audio Fidelity Searchers SACD, which I have played several times before without any problem. I stuck in the Zombies SACD. It played no problem. Stuck in a CD. Played no problem. Put the Searchers disc back in and it wouldn't even play it. But it has a nice sound on the 99.9% of my discs that it plays and it plays DADs. If you compare its price used to the price of a used 777ES or SCD-1, you will see it is somewhat less than half the price of the 777ES and about 1/5 to 1/4 the price of the SCD-1.

 

Strange...I've had my 9000ES since they first came out and I have not had any problems with it (Knock on wood!). I will check what firmware I'm running this evening, when I get home.

To enter service mode on the 9000ES is as follows:

1. Make sure your player's video circuitry is on.
2. Turn the power off with the remote, leaving the player in the standby mode.
3. Keep your TV on with the DVD channel selected.
4. On your remote press [TITLE], then [CLEAR], then [POWER] and, as the player turns on, you're in the "Test Mode Menu".

Once in "Test Mode" you can also check the total run hours for SACD/DVD & CD, under the Emergency History sub-menu.

FYI, The run hours for SACD & DVD are totaled together.

 

I had the same problem on my XA777ES with the Audio Fidelity Deep Purple SACD. I thought for certain it was the disc, as it was the only disc I had with that problem. I took it to a friends house and it played fine. I bought a new copy, and it played perfect. Assuming it was a bum disc, it sat on the shelf. Turns out, it is a laser focus issue with the player! Theses hybrids have a lot less reflectivity than CDs or single layer SACDs. If the player is not perfectly focused, it won't read it properly. If there's the the slightest manufacturing or reflectivity differences with some discs, the player will just choke.

 

Heck; I still love my 500V on both SACD and CD; yes I do.

Richard.

 

I guess just like vinyl, clean disc are very important.

 

On the 9000ES you can actually run a "Drive Auto Adjustment" once in service mode. I did use this function once before when I though I had a problem with my unit playing one of my DVD-Rs. I realized after it was just the way I had authored the disc.

tone ded freb - you may want to try the following:

On the "Test Mode Menu" screen, press [1] on the remote and the "Drive Auto Adjustment" will display. You should see the following:

0. All
1. DVD-SL (Single Layer)
2. CD
3. DVD-DL (Dual Layer)
4. SACD

Normally, [0] is selected to adjust DVD (Single Layer), CD, DVD (Dual Layer) and SACD in this order. But individual items can be adjusted for the case an adjustment is suspended due to an error. In this mode, the adjustment can be made easily through the operation following the message displayed on the screen. The disc used for the adjustment must be the one specified for the adjustment.

BTW, I'm running Firmware version 1.301

Hope this helps!

 

Well, the disc that gave me trouble was 'like-new', not a mark on it. But it may have something to do with the discs' manufacturing.

 

Thanks for the tips, guys! I haven't ever had my player hooked up to a TV. But it looks like I'll have to try the test mode. I'll give the gremlins a few days to get tired first, then I'll try the Searchers SACD again. If that doesn't work, I'll try test mode.

 

I hope it wasn't a case of one player playing back in the opposite polarity from the other, although it shouldn't happen with the same manufacturer.