Summary:
I had a chance to purchase the JA50ES for about $900 recently, and I thought I'd share my opinions on the deck.
First of all, this deck is built like a tank. The JA50ES has an aluminum faceplate like most ES gear, and has "anti-resonant" feet. The JA50ES weighs in at about 31 pounds or so, and is about the size of Sony's XA7ES CD player. The JA50ES loads from a tray (ostensibly, to reduce vibrations during playback and recording) rather than loading from a slot like all the other MD decks on the market. It also runs whisper quiet, a noticeable change from the entry level MD decks on the market.

So what makes the JA50ES so much different from, say, the MDS-JB920 (the current top of the line non ES Sony MD deck)?

The JA50ES features a 24 bit DAC (vs. the 20 bit DAC in the 920), advanced fade in/fade out editing controls, a "variable level sync" for recording from "noisy" LP's and tapes (this is basically a fancy way of the deck inserting track marks into analog recordings), a set of digital filters to give the deck a "warmer" (read as: analog sounding) tone.

At the heart of things, however, this is still a home MD deck, and is no easier or harder to manage than any other home MD deck. All the standard features of a good home MD deck are present: two optical inputs, one coax digital input, optical/coax digital output, and analog input/outputs.

So is it worth $2,000 (the MSRP)? That's a pretty tough call. I don't think I would have paid that much for the JA50ES, especially since I already have a 920 (now relegated to my computer room) which has the ES features (aluminum faceplate, current pulse DAC, etc) at about a $300 price. However, the JA50ES is an impressive deck, and the impressive construction quality alone would lead me to believe I'm going to have this deck around for a long time. The editing features are slightly more advanced than the lower end home decks as well. I find myself using the fade in/out feature on live recordings I've made all the time now.

Does it sound any different? Not really, although you can notice audible differences when you use the different filters. However, make no mistake: this is very much a 5 star deck. Whether or not you think it's worth $2,000 to own a top of the line deck, the JA50ES is still the king of the home MD hill.

Summary:
I don't know why you think I'm from conneticut, but I'm not. I'm from heaven,someplae you'll never get to. Anyways, of course I know what you write in your
reviews, I'm the son of God. Anyways, Denon 5600 isn't good as the dsp-a1. How you like them apples. And in my name, Amen.

Summary:
"Jesus", you fool, the Denon 5600DD/DTS/THX is what I just bought for the main theater. The regular DD Denon 5600DD/THX is in the gym room.
First of all, why are we talking receivers in the minidisc section. And second, you ass, I prefer the Denon. Obviously I do because I tried them both out before I bought the DTS version last week. Why would I buy something that was not as good as something else, even if the price of what I bought is higher than the thing I did not buy and is supposedly better? Unfortunately for you, it is all a matter of opinion. I am willing to bet that if you played them side by side and switched back and forth, there is no way you or most people can tell which is which. And if you say you do, that is a buch of bullshit. Anybody that says the can is full of it.

Audiophile? You are a joke. Nothing but knocks on people. Is this what you call a review: "the dsp-1a is better than Denon". ? What the hell kind of a review is that, you dumb F - - K.

Summary:
Buzz, you always have to write what you have. No one really cares what you have. I know the truth and I know you really don't have it. In my
name, AMEN.

Summary:
I did not know you were so involved with ALL of my reviews that you notice that I put what I own in most of them. For one, who else knows for sure when there are some different people in here, other than such an insecure nitwit like yourself. Whoever is stupid enough to call themselves a name other than their real one has some identity problems and completely lacks confidence. They are cleary not happy with themselves and many times, if not all, really do not like or even HATE themselves. In your case where the nickname is such an attention getter in "Jesus Christ", you have as low of an amount of self esteem that is humanly possible, In fact, people like yourself, when looking in the mirror, actually see a loathsome being not much more of a being than that which is considered a subculture of humans. That is indeed you, "Jesus Christ" from Connecticut.
What also is obvious is that you read this review site so you can review other people rather than equipment. Your so stupid sounding and small minded that you probably cannot put together consecutive sentances to describe anything at all, let alone A/V equipment.

What a joke. You are one stupid ass M - - - - - F U - - - R! As far as equipment goes, what do you have? I notice you never write anything. Are you emabarassed? Or, did you forget what lies you told and instead of contradicting yourself you find that never saying what you have is easier?

Take a look back at my reviews, you cocksucker! Am I consistent? Or, do you just think that I am such a good liar because I keep track of my lies by writing them down? What am I trying to prove by lying? You came up with the idea so obviously it was on your mind, what little bit there is, of course! Am I trying to impress others like you, or am I just telling others what I have so that when someone new reads it they can see what I use something with so as to get ideas of what to try out or buy or see if we are in common.

"Jesus Christ" drop dead, you loser. Go up into your little backward ass town in the Nutmeg state - even the state has a shit nickname - and even try to find ANYTHING that they sell there that you can afford. Oh yeah. Almost forgot. Connecticut is the #2 per capita income in the country so you probably can ask your father or mother for an advance on your allowance. Are you not tired of the humiliation of leaching off your parents and still living with them at 35 year of age?