Sony DVP 9000

She'll know when she sees the light (blue). I love mine and I'm only 1/2 way through break in. Tom

Hate to rain on everyone's parade, but the 9000, ES or not, is strictly an average CD player. There are many better sounding CD players, at this price, below, and above it. As a transport fed to a good DAC, it is superb. A mod, of which many are available, is said to significantly improve analog outs. As a DVD player, it is very good. SACD is the best of all, by a wide margin. It, too, will be improved by mods, but offers superb sound from the stock unit. SACD is an experience not to be missed.

I think the 9000es is a great buy at it's price range. It replaced the CAL. Ikon mkII in my system. I brought an umbrella Madisonears :)

Why would anyone spend more for a CD player? CD never cut the mustard. The only reason that I even have a CD player is to be able to play the new music that is only on CD. It is no match for analog or even SACD. IMO, CD is the worst thing that ever happened to audio. For a car, it is fine. Much better convenience than a cassette tape. That is what CD is good for. If you must use digital, then SACD is the best. Sadly, few titles. I have done exhaustive comparisons between SACD and Vinyl. Vinyl always wins with a comparable recording. The only time digital comes out ahead is if the vinyl or the analog recording is a piece of crap. And if the SACD is mastered off of the same piece of crap analog recording, the vinyl still sounds better. Also the "Digital Remastering" they do usually re-EQ's the disc with a punched up bass and sizzled out highs, which puts the vinyl even further ahead. Enjoy the 9000 for what it is, but don't try to fool yourself into thinking it, or any other CD player, is the equal of analog.

Twl, I have the s9000es and the sonically superior SCD-1.

I'm not big of vinyl right now, but the SCD-1 is a pretty fantastic player. For whatever it's worth, Michael Fremer and gang rated the SCD-1 sound up with the best of analog but without analog's shortcomings.