I heard the new 777ES SACD player

Gmorris:

If I could state my opinion about the new SCD-XA777ES?? I didn't think much of its looks either. To me, the original SCD-777ES looks a whole lot better, even if it loads like a dinosaur by comparison. And to think that they're going to charge $3,000.00 for that thing?? But then again, there might people who own the original SCD-777ES who might like the newer SCD-XA777ES a lot better. So much better that they might want to unload their "older and slower" SCD-777ES players off to the used market. Do you imagine that we might see those SCD-777ES players flood the used market anytime soon?? If so, then I may want one. Otherwise, if I want an SACD Player, then I might take a look at the SCD-XE670 ($300.00) model when it comes out in September, just so I could get my feet wet with the format. But being for the type of music I listen to, I don't believe that I am going to see a whole lot of titles (if any) in my chosen genere to warrant the purchase of a more expensive player. Then again, if I see a platoria of titles being released in my chosen genere, then I'll already have a player in which to play them on, though, it may not be as good as higher end "ES" player. If the format does take off and so forth, I'll go ahead and get a more expensive ES player then. But until then, I think I'll be better off getting a very good CD Player. I guess that's my $.02 worth, if you could choose to call it that.

--Charles--

I agree that the new 777es doesn't look as exotic as the first model, however it by no means looks cheap or less sturdy than the original. Infact, I would have to say that it looks more like a CD player much like the Marantz SACD player looks more like a CD player than the 777es. If you turn the 777es off (original model) to the everyday "Joe" they wouldn't know what it was. Does the new 777es look more exotic? Yes! Does it look better? Well that's a matter of taste. Another, thing the top loading feature to me takes up too much upper rack space and they have gotten rid of that puck device as well. Do I really need the puck to hold my SACD steady? Will I hear a difference without one? Did it do any good for the sound when it came to the XA-20es cd player? Sony cut off a lot of the fat and went with what they knew worked and that was machine that will remind everyone of the best CD player that they ever made... The XA-7es!!!

Did they say if it does 16/44 upsampling to DSD? Someone on Audioasylum said that it did.

Remember, the original SCD-777ES listed for $3,500. The new 777 lists for $500 less, has bass management and multichannel option. It still plays stereo. However, the real test will be when someone is able to compare the sonics of each.

I attended the SACD panel discussion at the NYC Stereophile show. Here's the way that Sony explained their SACD introduction stategy: 1. Appeal to(and listen to) the audiophile community. 2. Have some software introduced for initial adopters of the format. 3. Introduce more reasonably priced players with surround capability for the general public. 4. As more SACD machines are sold, many more SACD titles will be released by Sony music along with releases from additional labels. 5. Sony is willing to license any manufacturer interested in introducing an SACD player.

It seems that Sony's two initial players were styled to appeal to high end sensibilities and now Sony is initiating their plan to make SACD a more mass market product. The features and styling of the new players(including the new 777ES)seem to support more mass market familiarity. Sony plans to have 14 different SACD players available by the end of the year- including DVD players and Dream System players with SACD playback capability. A salesman at Oade Brothers Electronics said that they expect at least 2000 SACD software titles to be available within a year.