Price Paid:  $81.00 from eBay

Summary:
The model year was 1997, but my unit was purchased new by the original owner in 1999. Now is 2003, and I got it in practically new condition off eBay for $81 + $27 ship = $108 total. I only use it to decode DD5.1 standard HD audio. This unit is not for someone who might want to use it with a DVD player in a HT environment. You would probably want at least DTS, and possibly 6.1, or 7.1 decoder anyway. I hooked it up to my Adcom 7400 5x100W power amp. With no input, the EP9ES/Adcom combination is dead quiet even at 100% volume level. However, as soon as I turn on the DVD player that provides digital audio feed via 75-Ohm coaxial cable, and nothing playing, there is a mild hiss from the speakers. I think the hiss comes from the DACs inside the EP9ES. The hiss is relatively quiet compared to the audio signal level. It's kind of OK, but I wish the unit or my digital audio system is completely hiss-free.

Strengths:
Full spectrum digital sound despite some low level hiss. Allow delay setting of 1ft/1msec steps Variable center-frequency for equalizer adjustment of bass/treble

Weaknesses:
No specs on the cut-off slope of the filter No midrange equalizer adjustment No subwoofer frequency equalizer adjustment Poor cutoff frequency selection: huge 20Hz steps, and only allow minimum cutoff of 60Hz. This is not low enough. I prefer selectable cutoff frequency down to 30-40Hz, and with 5Hz-or-less steps.

Similar Products Used:
N/A

Price Paid:  $450.00 from unclestereo

Summary:
Looking back at my two previous reports I found several mistakes, and I would like to correct them. The model year is actually 1999. Sounds terrific, no complaints. I love it, and I will be sad to retire it to the bedroom. It's place will soon be taken up by a Lexicon DC-2. I wish it were an ideal world, and I did not find that little complaint about it. Besides, I also wish it had more music playing modes.

Strengths:
Everything except lack of control regarding the eq settings ( you have to do it blindly, trusting sony's choice and the same about the slope of the crossover setting)

Weaknesses:
nothing but what is mentioned above

Similar Products Used:
TAE2000ESD, KC-X1

Price Paid:  $450.00 from unclestereo

Summary:
Looking back at my two previous reports I found several mistakes, and I would like to correct them. The model year is actually 1999. Sounds terrific, no complaints. I love it, and I will be sad to retire it to the bedroom. It's place will soon be taken up by a Lexicon DC-2. I wish it were an ideal world, and I did not find that little complaint about it. Besides, I also wish it had more music playing modes.

Strengths:
Everything except lack of control regarding the eq settings ( you have to do it blindly, trusting sony's choice and the same about the slope of the crossover setting)

Weaknesses:
nothing but what is mentioned above

Similar Products Used:
TAE2000ESD, KC-X1

Summary:
Bought this unit from Sony Central in Chatswood for $500. It sounds really good. All the good things have already been said below, so I'll just add few cons.

I connected my MDS302 MD player to one of the TOSLINK input, hoping to improve the sound quality by using a better DA converter built into the unit. It played beautifully... except that it switches the relay to the output on and off every time I press Next track button. so, if I jump from track 3 to track 9 by pressing >> button 6 times, the relays clicks 6 times, creating horrible clicking and popping noise through the speaker. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Don't know if its just this particular unit or in general, but I think the relay closes way too quickly.

Otherwise, dolby digital decoding is done beautifully.

Strengths:
Sound Quality

Weaknesses:
Annoying Relay

Similar Products Used:
Onkyo AV receiver

Summary:
This is to add to my previous remarks:
Sony advertises that this unit has six channel test tone for setting up the level of speakers; that not correct.
It has a traditional five channel test tone. Also, sony refuses to clear out the issue on the parameters on this unit. There is no information on the slope of the crossovers used in this unit, there is also no information on the bandwidth or "Q" of the equalizer incorporated in this unit! These kind o finformation should be standard, especially at this age of information revolutin and this kind of features should be standardised a la THX! So that we don't have change our setting blindly, if ever we have to,when switching from one processor to another in the same system. Barring this I have only praise for this unit.