I had the same problem others have posted here. My 999 stopped playing hybrid SACD's after a very short time. I sent it back to Dan Wright and he replaced the laser assembly. I got it back and after a month or two it did the very same thing. It plays non-hybrid SACDs fine, but not the hybrids. I play a lot of SACDs so i had to replace the player. I still have it. If anyone wants a very good player with a Jena Lab upgraded umbilical and tube power supply cheap, let me know. Great player, but the SACD problem was frustrating.
modwright Sony 999es platinum truth.
This is my reference cd player,has been for 6 years.The other night while looking up reviews for this player a reviewer said there are things you can do to this player to make it sound better.He said hook it up to video monitor (a TV will do) and turn off light display,make sure all digital sound outputs are off. So I hooked it up to a TV and went to menu and turned off display and all the digital were off but in the audio settings there were to settings was a standard setting and a WIDE RANGE setting and this unit was on standard. So I put it on WIDE RANGE and put it back into my system. WOW the extension in the upper range and the bass bloomed. I could not believe the difference the music just flows uncumbered.I was blown away not to mention the low level detail is unbeleivable. If you own a Sony player check to see if it's on standard and if it is switch it to WIDE RANGE a listen for yourself,it's like night and day