Sony used to make some awesome equipment, both looks and build quality! I have an SCD-XA5400ES SACD player and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't develop the infamous SACD playback issue! It doesn't have the looks of this machine though.
The ES range was probably the last great hifi range that Sony produced, I have the ES minidisc player and ES amplifier, both excellent build and good performance. A nice look back to when the big Japanese companies still made excellent equipment. So are you making a video about that Sony ES tape deck that has Dolby S?
I agree with you about the ES range. I loved the minidisc format, I still have one working but it's not from ES range, and yes, I will make a video of the deck as soon as I can, it's a DTC 60 ES DAT player, it's a wonderful great sounding machine.
I had it for quite some yers. Bought it new and it wasn’t cheap. Used it to play SACD’s, which it did pretty good. For CDs i used Meridian which definitely sounded better.
Great Video Joao, I recently acquired on of these players that is in mint condition, but it needs a Front PANEL BOARD. Do you have any sources fro this part? Thx in advance, Blaise
Thanks 🙏. Sorry, I don't know any available provider for parts, you can try find it on ebay, maby. Hope you'll find it 🙏, it is really a great player 👍
For disc reading problems - there was a non Sony brander laser for sale for about 60$. I don’t know how easy it to change it - but since the player has self calibration feature this should be possible.
@@eur1gys yes, some people did change it succsseffuly, don't know if the quality as a transport remains the same though. It's not easy to replace it but it's doable. Still have this unit working as a transport for CDs but i'm looking to buy a Esoteric or Acupphase SACD player now. 🙏
@HiFi-JV the problem with this player is the grease that hardens with the passing of the years. Putting oil without removing every bit of that grease makes it worse. Once I discovered that issue, I was capable of restoring not only the extraordinary resolution in sound but also the gradual loss of recognition of the SACD layer in a hybrid disc. I'm a perfectionist, almost pathological, so I was willing to risk a machine that was functioning pretty well for the sake of increased audio quality and the reproduction of the DSD encoded sacd layer. Worth it? Depends of the success or failure of the operation.
@HiFi-JV I had three spare laser assemblies. I changed the original when the player quit detecting the high definition layer, thinking that a new one would solve the problem, but in a very short period of time, the problem arises again. I cleaned the lens without success, don't use alcohol please, and lubricacion the moving parts. The mechanism freezed when the oil mixed with the original grease, so I put another laser assembly, also new, unused. The player worked again, but no playing of hybrid disc sacd layers. I started to connect the dots, so I disassembled completely the shafts and every part that would need cleaning. I had nothing to lose. I cleaned that mechanism and let it rest a few years without knowing for sure if it would work again. One day, frustrated and daring to risk everything, I changed one for the other, and the miracle occurred. You first must remove until the last residue before putting that bearing oil slightly, of course. Tomorrow I will give you the brand. I bought it on e-bay if I remember correctly. If you are handy, you can let it a try, but I won't accept any responsibility if you fail in the intent. Tomorrow we will speak again.
To my shame, this morning tested my player and it couldn't read the sacd layer of a hybrid disc. Please forgive me. I wrote a more elaborate response but I don't know were it went. The sound quality improved but nothing else so under my point of view, it isn't worth the risk to ruin your player. I'M REALLY SORRY 😞
The SCD-1 was a great sounding player, I had it playing in my system for a period of time years ago, sad that Sony doesn't continue to guarantee their optic replacement.
Of course everything "sounds better" when you know you're listening to SACD. If you didn't know which one was playing you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
I can hear the difference between CD and compressed audio immediately. I can tell the difference between hires audio and CD assuming of course the hires came from high res masters and high res tracking - or good analog originally. I've done this blind out of curiosity.
@@redneckcoder Since no one can, I don't believe you. Blind tests need to be conducted properly, and in every properly conducted double blind test, people's results are about 50/50.
@@Wizardofgosz LOL general population studies yes, not people who actually know what differences to listen for between them. NEXT! And you're on ignore now cuz you're stupid.
@@Wizardofgosz lol... generalizations are not becoming of science. "no one" is a blanket generalization. The studies showed an average ability. They did not show every individual was about 50/50. Learn some statistics before spouting off next time.
Sony used to make some awesome equipment, both looks and build quality! I have an SCD-XA5400ES SACD player and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't develop the infamous SACD playback issue! It doesn't have the looks of this machine though.
Yes they invested heavily in the SACD format and the players at that time was a clear example of that, built with impressive quality.
The ES range was probably the last great hifi range that Sony produced, I have the ES minidisc player and ES amplifier, both excellent build and good performance. A nice look back to when the big Japanese companies still made excellent equipment. So are you making a video about that Sony ES tape deck that has Dolby S?
I agree with you about the ES range. I loved the minidisc format, I still have one working but it's not from ES range, and yes, I will make a video of the deck as soon as I can, it's a DTC 60 ES DAT player, it's a wonderful great sounding machine.
I had it for quite some yers. Bought it new and it wasn’t cheap. Used it to play SACD’s, which it did pretty good. For CDs i used Meridian which definitely sounded better.
Well built 👍🏻 ES series 🤩
Great Video Joao, I recently acquired on of these players that is in mint condition, but it needs a Front PANEL BOARD. Do you have any sources fro this part? Thx in advance, Blaise
Thanks 🙏. Sorry, I don't know any available provider for parts, you can try find it on ebay, maby. Hope you'll find it 🙏, it is really a great player 👍
For disc reading problems - there was a non Sony brander laser for sale for about 60$. I don’t know how easy it to change it - but since the player has self calibration feature this should be possible.
@@eur1gys yes, some people did change it succsseffuly, don't know if the quality as a transport remains the same though. It's not easy to replace it but it's doable. Still have this unit working as a transport for CDs but i'm looking to buy a Esoteric or Acupphase SACD player now. 🙏
@HiFi-JV the problem with this player is the grease that hardens with the passing of the years. Putting oil without removing every bit of that grease makes it worse. Once I discovered that issue, I was capable of restoring not only the extraordinary resolution in sound but also the gradual loss of recognition of the SACD layer in a hybrid disc. I'm a perfectionist, almost pathological, so I was willing to risk a machine that was functioning pretty well for the sake of increased audio quality and the reproduction of the DSD encoded sacd layer. Worth it? Depends of the success or failure of the operation.
@@salvadorrodenas3071Thanks for sharing that. Where is located that grease? I could try to do that
@HiFi-JV I had three spare laser assemblies. I changed the original when the player quit detecting the high definition layer, thinking that a new one would solve the problem, but in a very short period of time, the problem arises again. I cleaned the lens without success, don't use alcohol please, and lubricacion the moving parts. The mechanism freezed when the oil mixed with the original grease, so I put another laser assembly, also new, unused. The player worked again, but no playing of hybrid disc sacd layers. I started to connect the dots, so I disassembled completely the shafts and every part that would need cleaning. I had nothing to lose. I cleaned that mechanism and let it rest a few years without knowing for sure if it would work again. One day, frustrated and daring to risk everything, I changed one for the other, and the miracle occurred.
You first must remove until the last residue before putting that bearing oil slightly, of course. Tomorrow I will give you the brand. I bought it on e-bay if I remember correctly.
If you are handy, you can let it a try, but I won't accept any responsibility if you fail in the intent. Tomorrow we will speak again.
To my shame, this morning tested my player and it couldn't read the sacd layer of a hybrid disc. Please forgive me. I wrote a more elaborate response but I don't know were it went.
The sound quality improved but nothing else so under my point of view, it isn't worth the risk to ruin your player. I'M REALLY SORRY 😞
I have Sony SCD-1 that has the same problem. Junked it aged ago.
The SCD-1 was a great sounding player, I had it playing in my system for a period of time years ago, sad that Sony doesn't continue to guarantee their optic replacement.
Old shit breaks fast
24 years have passed and it still reads CDs, DVDs and SACDS fine, only the best players can do that and this is one off the best players Sony has made
Of course everything "sounds better" when you know you're listening to SACD.
If you didn't know which one was playing you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
It is an good idea to make a blind test. Maby I'll do that someday, invite some friends and make a vídeo of it to see the results.
I can hear the difference between CD and compressed audio immediately. I can tell the difference between hires audio and CD assuming of course the hires came from high res masters and high res tracking - or good analog originally. I've done this blind out of curiosity.
@@redneckcoder Since no one can, I don't believe you. Blind tests need to be conducted properly, and in every properly conducted double blind test, people's results are about 50/50.
@@Wizardofgosz LOL general population studies yes, not people who actually know what differences to listen for between them. NEXT! And you're on ignore now cuz you're stupid.
@@Wizardofgosz lol... generalizations are not becoming of science. "no one" is a blanket generalization. The studies showed an average ability. They did not show every individual was about 50/50. Learn some statistics before spouting off next time.