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Sony CDP-XA7ES CD player

It's conventional wisdom among audiophiles: Small, high-end audio companies build high-quality products in small numbers. Products which are often expensive. But not always. Big mass-market companies build cookie-cutter products in big numbers. They're usually cheap. But not always.

The real world is never that simple. Big companies have the expertise, production facilities, and economies of scale to produce exceptional products if they put their minds to it. And sometimes they do put their minds to it. Sony has been making solid, well-engineered, genuinely high-end CD players…

Sony CDP-XA7ES CD player Page 2

It did. My first reaction, coming from living with a more expensive player—the Theta Data III transport driving the Mark Levinson No.36 processor—was no letdown. Initially, listening first to Rickie Lee Jones's version of "Under the Boardwalk," from Girl At Her Volcano (Warner Bros. WPCP-3710, Japan), I thought the overall sound excellent, though with a hint of graininess (more powder than grain) at the extreme top end. But that virtually disappeared on further listening. Whether the improvement was due to acclimatization on my part or breaking-in on the part of the Sony I won't speculate,…

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On material heavily dependent on ambience, fullness, and overall musical perspective, I have to give the nod to the Sony. On Saint-Sa;dens's Oratorio de Noel, the Sony remained the richer and more full-bodied, with distinctly deeper bass. The ARC's bass was perfectly adequate (particularly if you don't have big speakers), but the Sony suggested the word "awesome" on some of the deeper pedal notes (and this on the quieter, more subtle passages), while the ARC did not. The CD1 had a little more air and inner detailing, but the Sony was better at allowing me to forget that what I was hearing…

Sony CDP-XA7ES CD player Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Single-box CD player. Outputs: line out, fixed, unbalanced; line out, variable, unbalanced; line out, balanced; digital out, optical (TosLink); digital out, coaxial. Frequency response: 2Hz–20kHz, ±0.3dB. Harmonic distortion: <0.0015%. Dynamic range: >100dB. Power consumption: 28W.
Dimensions: 17" W by 14.875" D by 5" H. Weight: 33 lbs.
Serial number of review sample: 800146.
Price: $3000 (1996); no longer available (2010). Approximate number of dealers: 50.
US Distributor: Sony Electronics Inc., One Sony Drive, Park Ridge, NJ…

Sony CDP-XA7ES CD player Review System

Sidebar 2: Review System

Associated equipment used in this review included the Rowland Consummate preamplifier, Aragon 8008 power amplifier, and Energy Veritas v2.8 loudspeakers. Interconnects were TARA Labs RSC Reference from D/A to preamp, and Cardas Hexlink from preamp to power amp. The Energys were, ah, energized through a bi-wire set of Monster M1.5 (bi-wire) loudspeaker cables.

Products for comparison included the Audio Research CD1 CD player and the Mark Levinson No.36, connected with Kimber Cable AGDL digital cable.—Thomas J. Norton

Sony CDP-XA7ES CD player Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

I suppose it's inevitable that when you measure a lot of audio gear, you tend to look at things a little differently from those who don't. I tend to be a little put off by products that either measure well but sound bad or sound good but measure poorly. I like consistency in my audio equipment, and am most impressed by equipment that shines across the board.

With one exception, the Sony CDP-XA7ES looked so good on the test bench that I'd like to just limit this section to: "Measures great. Go for it." For those of you who insist on more, the details are…

Sony CDP-XA7ES CD player Thomas J. Norton returns

Thomas J. Norton returned to the Sony CDP-XA7ES in January 1997 (Vol.20 No.1):

Differences in sonic character were quite evident when I compared the Mark Levinson No.37/No.36S combination with the $3000 Sony CDP-XA7ES. And the balance was not, in every respect, on the Levinsons' side—the comparisons drew attention to a quality of the Levinsons' sound I haven't remarked on to this point.

With its exceptional resolution, detail, and overall clean, clear sound, the 37/36S did sound rather cool and detached, appealing more to the intellect than to the emotions. Once we get beyond…

AudioPrism Mana Reference monoblock power amplifier

Victor Tiscareno and Byron Collett of AudioPrism are known in audiophile circles for their complete line of power-conditioning products. (See Barry Willis' omnibus review in the December 1998 Stereophile.) Their intimate knowledge of the ever-capricious electrical supply has resulted in a series of front-end components bearing the company's logo. The flagship Mana Reference monoblocks, under consideration here, represent AudioPrism's collected wisdom and engineering savvy taken to its logical extreme.

The Mana is a fine blend of good looks and contemporary circuit design, even…

AudioPrism Mana Reference monoblock power amplifier Page 2

The final Operate position, Auto-Mute, is interesting and convenient in that it mutes the audio and switches the bias on the output tubes into cutoff after one hour of no signal. The amps disengage the mute within three seconds of signal reappearing. The result is less heat and power consumption, and so longer tube life. As all other voltages remain up while quiescent, the amp is quickly ready to give of its sonic best.

I'm impressed—it's all well thought out and neatly implemented.

Sorcerer, thy name is Mana
Considering its overall character, the Mana Reference impressed…

AudioPrism Mana Reference monoblock power amplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Monoblock tube power amplifier with switchable Ultralinear or triode output stage. Tube complement: eight 5881/6L6, four 6SN7, one Raytheon or WE 5842/417A. Bias: class-AB1 fixed bias with individual adjustment, 6dB global differential feedback (first stage not in feedback loop). Specified output power: 100Wpc into 8, 6, 4, or 2 ohms (20dBW), 115–130W at visible clipping (Ultralinear); 55Wpc into 8, 6, 4, or 2 ohms (17.4dBW) (Triode). Input impedance: 110k ohms single-ended, 200k ohms balanced. Voltage Gain: 26.5dB. Distortion: 1% THD at full rated…