As compared to the B&K Reference 20:
1. Price (a $800+ disadvantage)
2. 32 bit surround processing (The Sony use 3 separate 32 bit processors, one of which is the same used in the Denon 5700!)This translates in the best surround sound of any pre-amp on the market today.
3. 24 bit 96kHz digital and analog conversion
4. DSP modes
5. Front panel Controls and Front Panel Data
6. Tone Controls (the Sony has a very cool graphic equalizer)
7. Phono Input
8. Theater sound with ordinary headphones
9. Base management
10. Digital volume control (digital volume control enhances low level detail)

As compared to the B&K Reference 20:
1. No hardware upgrade path
2. Support and Service
3. 2 channel stereo (no analog pass-through)
4. Remote Control
5. Not U.S. Made
6. No Tuner
7. No 2 Zone Control
8. No On-Screen Display
9. No 4 Channel Stereo
10. No Assignable inputs
11. Lack of 12 vdc control

In the latest edition of the “Perfect Vision,” the reviewer states that the Sony has the best sounding surround modes available. I would enthusiastically agree. Further, the article states that the stereo sound quality was slightly below that of the Parasound AV2500. That was quite a statement considering that Parasound lists for nearly twice the price of the Sony. The analysis of the Sony TA-E9000ES was the best that I have seen anywhere. I found the B&K stereo sound to slightly outperform the Sony. However, my wife and fellow audio enthusiast friend could not distinguish any difference between the two. Even I as I write this review, I am torn between the superior technology of the Sony and the service, support, upgradability of the B&K. And let’s not forget the fact that it is made in the U.S. of A.

The price difference is huge, and if you consider the street prices for this preamps, the price difference approaches $1,000! Further, the B&K Reference 20 is being replaced by the Reference 30 that will make it competitive with Sony. The Ref. 30 should be out within six months. After speaking with B&K about the planned upgrade, I estimate that the upgrade will cost $800-$1000. Why? Well to upgrade from a Reference 10 to a Reference 20 will cost you a whopping $500 and all you get is DTS processing! The next upgrade will encompass DVD audio, 24/96 audio, EX surround, improved bass management, and a host of other stuff.

I would love to have the Reference 20 (I own the Ref. 4420 and 4430 amplifiers) but the real price difference is too great. That is, the real price difference is the Ref. 20 + upgrade Cost – Sony Price = $1600. I will have to suffer with the poor service, the dismal remote, and the fact that this unit has a life expectancy of less than 1 year before it will depreciate like a 10-ton rock.

The Sony gets 4.5 stars for overall performance, 2 stars for service & support, and 5 stars for value = 3.8 stars

The B&K gets 4.2 stars for overall performance and 5 stars for service and support but 2 stars for value = 3.7 stars.

Similar Products Used:

B&K Reference 20

looks ok

too many

I feel a total fool.I bought the sony 2 weeks ago. The remote just bust. Its sond does not blow me away either. Why did I buy this.I wonder why I bought from a company that does not give a damm about its customers. Im not even bothering updating the software or trying to get the remote fixed.I just spent $1200 on this equipment. I am not wasting my time fixing this companys mistakes.This is an inherently flawed product bought by people like me that do not quite appreciate the reality of buying an inherently flawed product by a company that does not care to fix it.
Thank god Uncles stereo is taking it back(5 stars for Uncle). Im upgrading to an Acurus Act 3( i emailed acurus with a question- reply 15 mins later- what a relief- definitely worth extra $400)
Dont support this flawed product with your cash.Sony doesnt care about you why should you support them.I refuse to upgrade/fix a product as soon as i buy it why should you.

The obvious ability to download new code to the unit

THAT STUPID REMOTE

While the file name and all the supporting documents SEEM to
suggest that the version is still 1.10c, the file lengths
are different. The 1.10c that was previously on Sony's web site was 495,628 bytes long. The current version, which is
supposedly 1.18c, is 448,362. Seems odd that it is smaller.
One would hope that new features were added, such as Dolby Digital EX, resulting in a larger file. Has anyone
downloaded it to their preamp and actually displayed the version #? (of course my logic could be all wet because I looked at the 1.04c file length and it is 728,342 bytes; go figure).

Plenty of inputs

Remote control sucks
Dumber than other ES Preamps

I have had nothing but problems since I purchased this piece of equipment, and finally returned it for a Denon AVP5700. Now all my gripes are gone.

1. Sony in its infinite wisdom has decided to switch its 'remote control link' from Control-S to S-Link, so now I cannot hook up the remote control to my ES Tuner. My tuner is now marooned with no remote. Before using the 9000, my TAE1000 controlled the tuner. Sony reps say they have no converter cable either.

2. The first thing I did was blow the fuse on this preamp because its switched AC outputs can only handle 120W. The TAE1000 which it replaced could provide 700W of switched outlets.

3. I need a third eyeball to look down at the remote. Not only is it dim, but I have to keep looking down at it. The power button is on the side, so I have to gingerly pick it up each time. Who knows how many times I shut down the whole system from picking up the remote. The remote at times absolutely refused to let me make adjustments like speaker levels.

4. The laserdisc AC3 inputs are very intolerant. Unless your laserdisc puts out the exact perfect signal, forget about using it. Mine started dropping out after about 10 minutes. Warranty repair kept the unit for 3 weeks and replaced the entire AC3 section to no avail. My laserdisc now works fine with Denon.

5. No REC-OUT setting. I cannot watch or listen to one thing while recording another. This 'dumbing down' of the preamp over previous models is uncalled for.

6. I brought the unit back to the repair shop again when it started dropping out after an hour when playing DVDs. They kept it for 4 weeks, and still could not find the problem.

7. It doesn't even match any of previous years models of ES components; no more wood side panels.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVP5700

x-over settings, price performance ratio

no 5.1 analog inputs and the remote ( no component switching, or second zone out)

Can't ask much more for the price,
great bass management and speaker set up,
I could ditch the EQ for steeper slopes on the x-over tough.

just hope Sony comes up with a solution for not having
six analog inputs for dvd audio or multichannel sacd,
as well as a real remote......

I use both the Sony DVP-7000 and DVP-3000 with this pre-pro, own well over 100 titles in addition to numerous other titles I've rented, and have never seen/heard a sync problem. Five thumbs up! (like I've mentioned before).

I had owned the TA-E9000ES and TA-N9000ES for about 3 weeks and had been using it almost everyday as part of the run-in.
I previously owned a Denon AVC3800 and this Sony is a very good unit with exceptionally clear sound reproduction for both music and movies titles.

I dod not experience any kind of audio lag as mentioned by others.

The unit I had was made in Japan and only available in Snigapore for slightly more than 3 weeks...I am the first few in the country to own it....perhaps the japanese has done some rectification to the unit...or it may be for some unit mufactured in certain countries.

Well, here is my follow up. I called sony on the lipsynch problem again, they did acknowledge getting a few more calls on it. I tried a sony dvd7700 player, which did elimiate a lot of the problems I was having, however it did not eliminate them. It was about on par with the panasonic a110. The pioneer 414 was a nightmare, and the toshiba 2108 was so-so. The hiss I could live with, the cross-talk from the tuner section I could live with. But the lip-synch I couldn't. I had hoped the sony player would eliminate the problem, so I could keep it, or sell it off in with a clean concious.
Luckily the dealer I bought it from (Ron, at Sound Seller), was good enough to let me exchange it for the Sherwood piece which I've auditioned. While not the powerhouse that the sony is, I didn't see the lipsynch problems which was really, really bugging me. (I'm very particular)

Hopefully Sony fixes the problem, it sounds absolutely spectacular which is what killed me in returning it. Since it seems some owners are having the problem and some aren't maybe there was a bad batch of chips, who knows. However after buying and returning 4 dvd players having varying degrees of the problem with my tae9000 and then comparing it in stores to other set ups I decided to return it. I'm going to give it 3.5 stars, this is a 5 star piece if the lipsynch problem is resolved, the hiss is eliminated, and the remote upgrade is there.

I have the TA-E9000ES for 2 weeks now. I do not know if I have a problem or not. When I play the analog thru the TV set and the optical thru the Pre-amp, I hear an echo, the analog and the digital is out of sync. Visually, both sound tracks are acceptable, they are not noticeably out of sync with the picture. I do not turn on the TV sound when watching DVDs. Do I need to do anything ? Please advice.

Ok, the remote stinks but that's well documented, there is a hiss, but only when selecting an analog source and cranking the volume with out a source playing. The unit sounds great for music, great for theater, and in all regards is a nice piece.

HOWEVER, there is an audio lag on dvd's via the digital coax hookup, and I've read it in newsgroups, web pages, and experience it all the time myself. Different DVD players give different results. My first hope it was just the DVD player, and DVD's. However after 3 dvd players, two cables and numerous trips to the local audio store. Part of the problem must be in the 9000es itself. I called sony and explained my situation (I copied this from another post I've left at a news group)

I've had the problem with 3 different DVD players. Toshiba 2108,
pioneer 414, and the panasonic A110. The Pioneer was the worst, whole
movies (wedding singer) was off. The toshiba just in spots, and the
panasonic, still in spots but not nearly as bad. I also get a "popping"
noise on occasion in movies. Usually in or around the same spots though so
my hope is it's the dvd itself. I called sony and after finally getting
through I explained the situation to the customer service guy. He went and
asked someone about it and they told him it was the first he had heard.
After some prodding I asked him to put it down on record so to speak and he
did. I gave specific players, chapters in moves (chpt 22 in weddding singer
is particuarly bad), and my cable (monster digital coax). He did give me a
service number. I URGE YOU, to call sony and no matter what it takes
complain about the situation. My first thought was that it was the DVD
player alone, and I hoped to clear it up with a new sony s330 when it comes
out. However, it's beginning to look like there is a problem in the Pre-Amp
also. I love the piece, but will return or sell it if the problem isn't
resolved. So call sony, complain, check out some of the threads on
www.hometheaterforum.com If we all complain hopefully a fix will come out.
I also complained about the hiss and remote problems. They did first ask
that I take it in for service. Like most I'm not taking my new pre-amp in
only to have it returned and told it's not a problem. Sony engineers will
need to experience this themselves. Please call Sony.

Overall it's a killer unit, sounds GREAT, built like a tank, has future upgrade capabilities. But this problem annoys the hell out of me. To others it might be a small incovienence. 3.5 stars for the minor problems.