If you are lucky enough to find one of these pre-amps like I did at a pawn shop, or elsewhere, buy it regardless of it's going price. It was way out of my range as a youngster in my twenty's. This, particular "pre" captured my eye from the unbelievable cosmetic condition on the shelf in the store, so I took a shot at it without having it connected to anything except a pair of Sennheiser 250 circumaurals and a Denon player via the optical inputs. The salesman did not know what the hell it was. So I got it for $100.00 dollars with the original remote. If you are fortunate to have access to five channels of high end amplification, you will not believe your ears! When transfering digital (sp/dif) music in/out, it cannot be beat even at todays standards of Hi-Fidelity. I am writing this as of 2010. I do not have have any of the problems that other reviewers scorn about (loose connections etc..) As an audio enthusiast, I would have to pay thousands to achieve this level of sound today. The Sony TA-E1000ESD was way ahead of it's time. I am glad to be able to experience this level of audio before I give up on Hi-End, which I cannot afford today getting closer to early retirement age. I have owned several hundred components in my lifetime, and this Pre-Amp really caught my attention. I have even used it professionally at a dance club with high comment. I cannot tell you how versatile the features are here in short. You just have to experience this device yourself if you can find one in mint shape as I did. If it was to fail, I would hope that the Sony Corp. would still be able to repair it. That's how much this Pre-Amp impressed me. Keep your eyes out for one, you will not regret it. ...Jake from Jagsound Digital.

perfect marriage with top quality sattlite digital recievers like Humax 5400

too fragile to connect and reconnect can cause damage to digital transistors that causes sound like bulet shot in speakers when changing sources(will need simple repair) be carefull.

I agree that it is an outstandig major componant to the system as sound quality and it realy controls your AV system to its best hights, but if you are a HIGH END Audophile this unit is not for you. IMPORTANT:It is perfect with sattlite digital recievers It wil change your life stile ...endless high qualith intertanment

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It sounds better than th 2000 models

Good quality materials, solid building good sound (2 or 6 channels)

Not digital, only surround but very good quality surround...

I used to be an audiophile, limited to only two channels... Then I've found a surround digital preamplifier on Ebay called Sony,TA-E1000ESD. At this time I didn't knew the existence of this wonderful site (audioreview), and decided to buy this preamplifier without knowing anything on its performances. But I had only a two channel amplifier: a Harman-Kardon Citation. I had to buy 4 additional channels then i bought two ROTEL RB/951 on Ebay (120 Euros each).one for the rear channels, one for the center and the subwoofer. And then i finally discover what a really good surround system is. The sound is clear, and the preamplifier allows lot of possibility (usually standard in sony systems). The only thing I regret is the remote: it does everything (perhaps too much), but hard to use (every button are the same...). I can't believe anyone who can change of input without looking at this *** remote... Then i found a solution, I bought a JBL TC1000...

Very good design, perfect with digital inputs, richest surround processing at its cathegory, can control everything with its learning remote control.

A little bit distorsion audible with analog inputs when equaliser is in full power.

First of all this unit is best with digital connections. It has 2 optical & 1 coaxial inputs and 1 optical rec out. When increasing eq. by +12dB with it''s 3 separate adjustment bands, there is no noticable harmonic distortion. But if you do that with analog RCA connections a little distortion is audible. Surround processing is really good, tastes real, not artificial. You can turn on/off all your home system and control power amplifier, CD player, Dat or Minidisc with this unit if you have its ''Countries other than Europe'' model with 3 switched 540 watts and 1 unswithed 300 watts connections. European model has 1 switched 540 watts only but practically this is no problem with extra electric plugs. Comparing TA-E1000ESD with TA-E2000ESD reveals the TA-E1000ESD''s richness. TA-E1000ESD has extra analog front panel adjustment knobs, has 3 mode digital input leds on the front for 32,44.1,48kHz sampling modes and has cable based remote control connections at the back. There is another model called TA-E1000ES which is an inferior model of TA-E1000ESD. It lacks golden RCA inputs, lacks aluminium front panel and sounds slimmer than TA-E1000ESD. I am using this pre-amplifier with its complement TA-N220 which is a 4 channel power amplifier, so I can hear the real surrond processing details that the control amplifier gives.

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TA-E2000ESD and TA-E1000ES.

i have use this product since 1994, outstanding dsp features
& connectivity..it serves me well on music listening.. i have upgraded most of my stuff from cable to amps but not this unit..

lack of dd & dts but who cares pro-logic works fine to me...

excellent sony product... six years of used and am not dissappointed at all.

extremely adjustable DSP for it's time

It predates 5.1

I've had a tan 1000 since 1991 and am as excited to turn it on today as when I purchased it. I would purchase a second one if I found one for sale

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Kenwood '98 models my father in law has. I dislike the TV menu system and lack of adjustments in his Kenwood

digital processing,equalization

cheap nickel plated rca jacks

bought this unit in 1991 and used it until 1996 when i traded it in on a citation 7.0 and later traded my citation for a lexicon mc-1.
this unit has a lot of digital features such as digital expansion/compression/eq/and surround modes and was a pretty good processor for its time but is far out dated now.
unit also had cheap nickel plated rca connectors which came ungrounded over time causing a loud hum in my center channel.
not comparable in sound quality to the citation or the lexicon.
current system:
Elite DVL-91 DVD
Lexicon MC-1 SSP
Classe' CA-200 & CAV-75 AMPS
Dunlavy SC-IV & SC-I/AV speakers
Rel Stadium III subwoofer
Better Cables
past equipment:
Sony ES Processor,Amps & CD Players...almost all had reliability problems
Acurus A-150 amps
Citation 7.0...excellent analog stereo surround processor

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citation 7.0/lexicon mc-1

The reverbs on this unit are superior to those on the 2000

fewer EQ channels, and fewer Q selections than the 2000, slightly brighter sound dry, but smoother reverbs

If you like reverb, this unit is better than the 2000. See reviews for 2000 for more detail :o)

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other sony preamps

1st on the block with DSP. Incredible digital manipulation capability and versatility

Incredible digital manipulation capability and versatility. Remote that requires a magnifying glass and degree to operate. Grounding problem developed (just this year) in subwoofer channel.

I bought this unit used not long after it was first introduced for what was a relative bargain at the time of 750 bucks. I was really enamored with the parametric equalizer and digital manipulation of sound that this unit provides (try to find 10 soundfields on a unit today!). However, so many of the adjustments one can make to the soundfield are so fine, that I don't find them to be audibly noticeable (E.ref time (in msec!), E ref level (should it be 81%...no sounds better at 82%) reverb density, spread etc.) and therefore impossible to set. I can understand why Sony has taken a number of these adjustment capabilities out of their following models. You just cannot hear differences changing some of the parameters (at least I can't). For this reason, in the 10+ years I have owned this amp, I have not altered these various parameters enough times to justify their being on the unit.

After 10+ years owning this pre-amp, however, I cannot be much more pleased with it's versatility and sound. It is somewhat outdated now in it's surround sound for video, but for music which is my passion, I have a lot of affection for this component. To this day, it still raises eyebrows in people who visit me as to it's technological prowess. Even though there have been refinements in the technology of digital manipulation, it still comes across as state-of-the-art.

I have had no repairs to it either, but after a recent move have noticed a hum out of my subwoofer channel. From other reviews seen here, it is evident that some soddering may be in order and that grounding may be an issue. 10+ years without a hitch,though, and I put this machine through a LOT of hours.

Yes - $173 - that is ABSURD isn't it? Especially considering I just decided to find one and there it was - I got it for $173, and I've always thought of getting one becasue this thing is by far the best preamp ever made. I would know because I've worked in high end a long time and heard everything.

brittle sound compared to best - but run it through ADC Eq and old Kenwood amp to warm things up - and I don't mean mud - I mean SLAM :)

SOny componentry from about 8 years ago was the absolute zenith of consumer audio flexibility. Since then, every company has been REMOVING features - it's RIDICULOUS! ANyway, yeah I dig the total adjustability of this thing it makes it so lush that you don't have to turn up your music really loud to dig it or feel the waves of sound and mood. You can do it at low volume or high - it will do it all.

Get yourself an old sony and save your ears LOL THese things absolutely rock solid baby :)

$173 I can't fu*king believe it! :-D

All hail Ebay

Oh, and run a Sony CD changer with the DSP on it through this - two layers of ambience - god it is so cool sounding! I have n 89es changer, and the 1000 preamp - very elegant too - together they match up nice. The best CD player and preamp combo on Earth as far as I am concerned. I have heard it ALL and if i ever received anything else - no matter what the price - I would just turn around and sell it maybe get fancier speakers :) There is nowhere to go from here except a computer based surround thing - the sony 1000 or 2000 is simply IT! :)

Have fun :)

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There are high end things like Citation and Threshhold - they basically suck compared to this. Or Macintosh maybe? God the reverbs on the Mac equipment suck soooooo bad it is just PATHETIC!! Anyway - yeah this sony really kicks ass I would be interested maybe to hear a 2000 if it sounds any smoother but this ain't half bad :)