[schalliol]

I'm curious about the TC-KA2ES.  I haven't owned a cassette deck in many years, but if you're trying to get rid of it it might be fun to look at.
 
Quote:

Great thread!  I used to only buy Sony ES stuff, but I got fed up with their proprietary standards and got burned by Sony's first XBR SXRD television so I've since moved on.  But along the way I've owned (and still have, in boxes)
 
STR-DA50ES receiver (one of the first AVRs with DTS decoding)
STR-DA4ES receiver
MDS-JA333ES MD deck
MDS-JA20ES MD deck
TC-KA2ES cassette deck
CDP-CX333ES 300-CD megachanger
DVP-S9000ES DVD/SACD player (this is the only one I don't have any longer)
RCD-W222ES 5-disc CD recorder
 
I just got my DA50ES out of storage to try out as an amplifier with a pair of Hifiman HE-6 headphones I just ordered.  I'm curious to see how it does!
 

 

 

[kfscoll]

Quote:

Just wondering if anyone listens directly through the headphone jack on the CDP or tuner? I typically use the headphone jack on my ES receiver as opposed to the jack on the CDP because I always assume the headphone amp in the receiver is more likely to be higher grade. I have a few Sony CDPs, but no ES models so I can't directly compare the headphone amp in a CDP vs receiver 

Funny you should mention this.  I did manage to get my RCD-W222ES taken apart today to replace the front panel and along the way also had to take out the headphone jack and its volume pot.  Based on what I saw, they're crap.  Granted, this is far from a high-end ES CDP, but I'm sure in my case that my receiver's headphone amp is far superior to the CDP's.

 

[kfscoll]

Quote:

I'm curious about the TC-KA2ES.  I haven't owned a cassette deck in many years, but if you're trying to get rid of it it might be fun to look at.
 


 

I wasn't very impressed with the TC-KA2ES.  It doesn't even have an aluminum front panel (it's plastic).  It's got manual bias adjustment, it's a three-head model, and it has Dolby S NR, but I had a much older TC-K620 3-head deck that I thought was better.  I got the 2ES because I couldn't find a new 3ES at the time.  I should've held out for one -- the 3ES is what you want. 

 

[schalliol]

Good thoughts, thanks!

 

[HiFiGuy528]

 
Thought I do a video on this wonderful SACD player.  Too bad Sony killed production on it.
 

 

[Tony Plachy]

Quote:

I wasn't very impressed with the TC-KA2ES.  It doesn't even have an aluminum front panel (it's plastic).  It's got manual bias adjustment, it's a three-head model, and it has Dolby S NR, but I had a much older TC-K620 3-head deck that I thought was better.  I got the 2ES because I couldn't find a new 3ES at the time.  I should've held out for one -- the 3ES is what you want. 

I am surprised that the KA2ES is such a step down, I have a TC-KA3ES that I really like and still use ever so often, it has a metal front plate.

 

[kfscoll]

Okay, I got my new HE-6 headphones and HE-Adapter yesterday and they work GREAT wired directly into the speaker outputs of my DA50ES.  Not that they're that exciting, but I'll try to get some pictures posted later this evening.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Yay! Can't wait.

 

[kfscoll]

Okay, here's my crappy try at taking some pictures.  Also, I wasn't pleased with the factory finish of the yokes on my HE-6 headphones so I polished them.  I think they look much better now -- whaddaya think?
 

 
 

 

 

[HiFiGuy528]

My beloved Sony CDP-XA7es.
 

 

[HiFiGuy528]

I thought I would make a video showing how serious Sony can be when it comes to Hi-Fi gear.  This unit was introduced in 2000 to show off SACD format.  Hope you guys like the video.
 

 

[Tony Plachy]

HFG528, Thanks so much for the SCD-1 video, as a fellow owner (mine was made in July 2001) I hope you do not mind two small corrections.  Sony introduced the unit in late 1999, I have posted the Stereophile review of it from November 1999.  Also the small switch in back for "Standard" and "Custom" actually controls the anti-aliasing filter used for the DSD data stream on the SACD's.  Because of the much higher sampling rate of DSD (2.8224 Msps as opposed to the 44.1 Ksps for a redbook CD) the cutoff point the anti-aliasing filter can be much higher than the 22.05 KHz used for CD's.  This means that many of the ill effects of the anti-aliasing filter on the audio band signal can be reduce by setting the DSD anti-aliasing filter at a higher frequency.   Now in principle the DSD anti-aliasing filter could be set at 1.4112 MHz, however this is probably overkill for reducing the ill effects on the audio band (20 Hz - 20 KHz).  So in the "Standard" position the anti-aliasing filter for the DSD begins to slope off at 50 KHz with a gradual slope.  Switching to "Custom" moves the filter slope off point to 100 KHz.  Sony was concerned that if the was too much signal in the frequencies above 50 KHz that some amplifiers would react by oscillating and perhaps damaging the amp in doing so.   I have not heard of an amps having this problem when using the SCD-1 with the filter in the "Custom" position.
 
http://www.stereophile.com/hirezplayers/180/index.html
 
 

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Quote:

HFG528, Thanks so much for the SCD-1 video, as a fellow owner (mine was made in July 2001) I hope you do not mind two small corrections.  Sony introduced the unit in late 1999, I have posted the Stereophile review of it from November 1999.  Also the small switch in back for "Standard" and "Custom" actually controls the anti-aliasing filter used for the DSD data stream on the SACD's.  Because of the much higher sampling rate of DSD (2.8224 Msps as opposed to the 44.1 Ksps for a redbook CD) the cutoff point the anti-aliasing filter can be much higher than the 22.05 KHz used for CD's.  This means that many of the ill effects of the anti-aliasing filter on the audio band signal can be reduce by setting the DSD anti-aliasing filter at a higher frequency.   Now in principle the DSD anti-aliasing filter could be set at 1.4112 MHz, however this is probably overkill for reducing the ill effects on the audio band (20 Hz - 20 KHz).  So in the "Standard" position the anti-aliasing filter for the DSD begins to slope off at 50 KHz with a gradual slope.  Switching to "Custom" moves the filter slope off point to 100 KHz.  Sony was concerned that if the was too much signal in the frequencies above 50 KHz that some amplifiers would react by oscillating and perhaps damaging the amp in doing so.   I have not heard of an amps having this problem when using the SCD-1 with the filter in the "Custom" position.
 
http://www.stereophile.com/hirezplayers/180/index.html
 
 

Thank you for the clarification.  You know a lot more about this unit than me.  Can I post your explanation on the video and a pop up?
 
 

 

[Tony Plachy]

Of course, It is out here to be shared.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Tony,
 
I've placed it in the info section of the video.  Thanks for the help.