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Sony 9000es v. Phillips 963SA - anyone compared?

OK, the Sony is the internet darling, we know that. Infinitely modifiable, very well built, good stock performance, especially at the going rates.

The new Phillips at a retail of $500, with switchable 24/192 upsampling of redbook, and capability of playing CD-R, as well as SACD, is getting some good buzz.
Sony typically has excellent reliability, but POOR service experiences abound (I've had a few).
Phillips, onthe other hand, at least with the 1000 SACD, had some questionable reliability, and I've not heard anythign re: service experiences.

SO,

anyone compared the Redbook and SACD performance of these machines?

Should I sell my 9000ES???

thanks!
gthirteen

Showing 2 responses by sorlowski

sorlowski
236 posts
 
People, what are you talking about???
SONY 9000ES "is very good with SACD" ??? "has excellent reliability" how come mine 9000ES as SACD player sounds worse then my old Arcam 6 CD Player (bought in London for 300GBP), how come mine SONY broke after 2 months ??? After reading Odes to Sony now and then I have started to think that my wife and me are unlucky persons additionally deaf. But I have found, first time in my life in last TAS that SONY SACD players are sonically inferiors to good CD players.

I'm going to subscribe to this magazine because it is what I'm hearing.

More details about 9000ES in http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1053858815&openflup&18&4#18
sorlowski
236 posts
 
Bluefin, Gthirteen,
I had audition Arcam 7 few years newer CD Player then mine and did not like it, bright unmusical. I did not have chance to addition 8,9 models, but old ALPHA 6 (top of amateur serious) really beats SONY SACD in spades in vocal harmonics generally in liveliness and acurateness of presentation.
I had burn in as stated 400h over before any audition.
Did I find successor of Arcam?
It was supposed to be famous SONY SACD, but because I cannot afford audiophile SACD, I'm back to CD Players.
I was inclined to buy used Wadia, but on HE in SF I have heard it and it was fast, dynamic transparent but very hi-fi, so I do not know anymore, I prefer more analog presentation. Something like my old Arcam but much more dynamic, more airy, transparent but in this direction.
Maybe Audio Areo Capitole, but on the show there was not even one unit to be found. And I have heard that there are problem with reliability. After very bad experience with reliability of "suppose to be reliable SONY" I do not have courage to buy something described as beautiful sounding but unreliable and troublesome. So I had real problem. But I'm patient and maybe time and gurus from audiogon will resolve my problems in the future.
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