History of Sony ES "7" series CD Players

M

mikehr

New Member
Hello All,
I need some input as to the history and any comments you would like to make
about the history of the "7" ES series of CD Players. They were the best that sony had to offer from 1983-2000. SOLID built and the best of components for the time. I made up a list with notes. Please feel free to add information and comments... I just picked up a XA-7ES and it sounds beautiful... Direct into restored SAE 2500 amp using variable analog outs. Now I am hooked :)
Sony CDP-701ES 1983-1985 1st ES CD PLAYER
Sony CDP-X7ESD 9.88-1989 2nd ES CD PLAYER?
Sony CDP-707ESD(us model)/557ESD 6.87-11.88
Sony CDP-X77ES 10.89-10.90
Sony CDP-777ES 10.91-10.92
Sony CDP-X707ES 1992-1994 LAST ES CD PLAYER?
Sony CDP-XA7ES 10.94-1999
Sony SCD-777ES 5.99-2002+ INTRO US SACD PLAYER
 
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Sony CDP-520ES, 1985-86.

Oops, you are looking for 7's. The 520ES might have been a TOTL unit. Not sure.
 
My, in comparison, lowly CDP-337ESD has the BU-1 transport which is used in a few of those players. I can testify - it is superb.

Even more excited now that a very, very resourceful friend of mine has brought the transport back to life which had bad jitter - caused by a bent spindle!

Any of these players are worth buying. Trust me.
 
I love my 777ES, really one of my favorite CD players of all time. We set mine up against a friends Krell 505 and there was absolutely no discernible difference in sound or performance. Heck, I have a CDP-C79ES that sounds pretty amazing as well and that one considered to be mediocre at best. Great machines in general.
 
They aren't the same sort of animal, but they are great players, generally.

ES back then definitely stood for "Elevated Standard" - nowadays it tends to be used on the products which have a bit of metal on the facia or a few extra features.

I when I get the time, I'll take some photos of the innards of my "low end" offerings from the ESD range - they are quite something to behold!
 
Of those models listed by the OP I have five with the best of the best being the SCD-777ES, a beast of a machine with a feather light touch. Of the CDP's mentioned, in my opinion the XA7ES is surely the most elegant with it's fixed laser and smooth as silk drawer mechanism with performance to match, closely followed by the X707ES, especially in champagne with the high gloss radiused sideburns. Or maybe visa-versa; I can never make up my mind.

I might add that the CDP-XA20ES, smaller brother to the XA7ES is no slouch either even though it is 7-less, and the under appreciated CDP-507ESD (it has a 7) with it's twin Phillips TDA1541A DACs while pretty low on the beauty list is an excellent performer that can be had for considerably less $$$ than the TOTL's mentioned above.

But I digress.
 
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hi all
im just wondering about the cdp-xa-20 , xa-30 and the xa-50, in that line of es gear there is no 7 involved, is the xa50 of lesser grade or did they simply use a 5 that year for the top unit?
mike
 
I have the Sony C801ES which was the top of the line 5 disc carousel and its very nice and smooth in operation. Sounds fine. I'm hoping to get a XA7ES or a SCD-777ES someday... just worry about the laser pickups not sure how much longer they will be worth looking for.
 
i have four sony es players now that i love to use,
for movies a dvp-s9000es
cd player cdp-xa50es
mini disc player mds-ja555es
cd player cdp-302es
not a 7 insight but still top gear to me ,
i do have a piece in the 7 series, this is the str-da777es ,this is a great unit ,
i do have one other but not a es ,its a ps-x700 table,
im not sure if that one counts?

i like es gear very much,i guess i collect it a little as i have other pieces ,a str-va80es and a str-da80es,
i do have some other bits and pieces but im sure im going off subject now,
the late 90's is my favorite line of gear in the es equipment available ,
mike
 
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