Sony SCD-555ES CD Players Reviews

Scytales

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1340.00 from Second hand

Summary:
Through reading the bottom reviews, it seems that some reviewers actually describe the U.S. multichannel 5-discs SACD changer SCD-C555ES, whereas the name of this topic do very apply to the earlier European and Asian stero-only SACD player SCD-555ES.

Let it be clear that this review is about the 2 channels SCD-555ES, which is wastly diffrent than the U.S.-market only changer.

I own this player from more than three years, now. To say anything but this is an excellent player, for regular CD as well as for SACD, is difficult. Difficult, because after extensive use, I still cannot established a stantard way of this player to reproduce music, nor find any real sonic flaws. I really do believe that this player is such a performer that further upgrade for playing CD or stereo-only SACD would only be for proud of ownership instead of well-thougt necessity. It's sort of useless exercice to describe the sonic of this player, as it actually would be to describe the way each and every specific disc is recorded and produced.

From an user perspective, the tray runs smooth and silent, the remote control is good, as are the layerness of the front panel controls, the analog ouputs are heavy well-machined gold-plated RCAs, and the finish of my (black) unit is beautifully managed. There is hardly something to criticize there.

For RBCD, you can selected one from 5 different types of signal-processing. Enjoy trying to hear a diffrence.

Bear in mind that some reports of difficulties to read CD-R seems to exist, but I cannot tell anything about this, as a do not engraved my own CD. More annoying is the susceptiblity of the mecanics to skip tracking some hybrid SACD. This seems to be linked with the wear of the lens of the powerful dual-wavelength laser over an extensive usage. My unit do have problems to track one or two very specific hybrid SACD, but that make me think that this is disc-related problem rather than the more generic failure laser problem reported elsewhere. This annoying tendency is, as far as I could tell, the only caveat of the SCD-555ES.

If you believe in the skill of little exotic manufacturers to built excellent sonic players with selected componentry, do never pick an eye inside an SCD-555ES or on its schematics: you'll see tons of audio-grade passive components, sophisticated and carefully layered circuitries, mighty proprietary digital chips, various anti-resonance and so on tweaks, as you'll never see elsewhere such huge extensive use. That could, as I once was, shocking you to the point of rethink, first- what is called audiophilia, and second- how objectively lesser built players could be marketing way more expensive than this Sony.

You see the point: perhaps someone could dislike this player, but certainly not for Sony hasn't put inside nothing but the best.

Strengths:
Smoothness and ergonomy of operation. Sonic transparency. Built-quality. Sophisticated engineering if that matter to you.

Weaknesses:
Reported premature failure of the laser block (Note that IMO the the rest of the player more than make worse the money to replace the laser-lens if that failure indeed happen).

Similar Products Used:
Rega Planet.

peterl69

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
1.40 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $450.00 from internet

Summary:
After 2 days of breaking in my new B&W 804's I put my cheap old Sony DVD/CD player away and connected the new Sony 555ES with the same Redbook CD. The music suddenly became intolerable harsh. You might argue that my B&W speakers which tend to be somewhat forward in the high end (I call it wonderfully spacial, lucid, and revealing) had not broken in yet and the higher fidelity of the new Sony brought that out. However, after 2 days of breaking broken in, I feel they should have mollowed enough in the high frequency range and that the Sony 555ES player has a tendency to be bright and will make speakers like my B&W's which are already slightly forward sound harsh. So, without checking out the full capabilities of this player, I took it back since I wanted to use it heavily with regular CD play. In summary, I feel if your speakers are already plenty lucid and forward in the high frequency range when playing regular CD's, the Sony 555ES may induce listener fatigue rather quickly. Conversely, if they sound a little dull, the Sony 555ES player may pep them up.

Strengths:
Good price, built like a tank, multiple disk, plays SACD.

Weaknesses:
Harsh highs with my new B&W 804 speakers when playing redbook CDs.

Similar Products Used:
B&W 804, Denon 2805 Receiver

Price Paid:  $999.00 from Good Guys

Summary:
I'm an audio anthusiast that was looking for an affordable mid-high end/quality cd player, and came across this player. I have it hooked to a Yamaha RX-V3300 and am listening through Energy Veritas speakers so i have the opportunity to listen through some good components. I purchased this player after testing 10-12 other players while working at Good Guys and though it is a lot higher priced than other players, it has terrific performance and the build quality is superb, this Sony ES player definately worthy of the ES branding. ["Elevated Standards"] I hope your receiver/amplifier has a power outlet on the rear because this cd player does not have a remote power button. So you have to push the power button on the front of the unit every time u turn it on or off, this cannot be turned on or off from the remote.

Strengths:
ES ! Gold plated inputs on rear. Gold plated headphone jack in front with volume control. Audio playback. SACD playback. Machine tooled buttons on front panel.

Weaknesses:
Louder than average tray mechanism. No standby/power on/off from remote; it's either completely on or off all the time.

Similar Products Used:
Tested many other Sony, Denon, and Yamaha cd players.

Price Paid:  $800.00 from Tweeters

Summary:
The Sony has been satisfying playing red book CD,s.Detailed highs without harshness and extended bass reproduction were evident. Midrange is smooth and engaging.Playing SACD,s will spoil you with it's marked increase in realism due to detail,rythm,pace,clarity and extended highs and lows not possible in redbook format.

Strengths:
SACD playback excellent and very good redbook playback

Weaknesses:
Could be more user-friendly

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer and Kenwood products

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I just wanted to debunk the hype. Stereophile writes that the CD playback of this player is "good". I would assume that they mean "good" by audiophile standards. The CD playback of this player is terrible. I use it as a transport to an outboard assemblage DAC. Considering the price of multi-channel SACDS, and the fact that I have 200 CDs, I would expect excellent CD playback. But I was disappointed.

Strengths:
good looks, solid construction

Weaknesses:
bad redbook quality (sound quality compared to the analog output of outboard DAC)

Similar Products Used:
DVD player with outboard DAC