Sony ES TA-N1 Amplifier and TA-E1 Preamplifier Set

Description: Sony ES TA-N1 Amplifier and TA-E1 Preamplifier Set - The Best Sony Ever Made WHO WE ARE SkyFi Audio is a small startup business specializing in the purchase, reconditioning, and reselling of high end audio equipment. We only buy equipment that we admire and are passionate about. No mid-fi, no gimmicks, no junk. Each piece of equipment is cosmetically restored and fully tested in our well-equipped lab by an engineer with 30+ years of experience in the HiFi world. If it does not meet or exceed the original manufactures specifications, it will not be sold. We are very selective about the equipment we purchase, focusing on mostly analog, high-build quality, American, and European built units.Through our sister company, which is an authorized dealer for McIntosh, Audio Research, Sonus Faber, ClearAudio, Project, and Sony ES, we have access to OEM parts, service, and support. Super rare and collectible amp/preamp set from Sony, and hands down the best kit they ever produced. One of only 100 sets EVER produced! Also known as the Sony 1 Series. The preamp was tested and calibrated right here in our shop. The amplifier only needed testing as it was otherwise working right to manufacturer spec. Physical condition on the preamp is a 9/10. The amplifier is rated a 7/10 because of one ding on the side metalwork. Overall very very clean and striking. Please note that this set is not for the weak. The amplifier alone must weigh close to 150 lbs. It will ship via Freight for $400 flat in the lower 48 US states, and please for a quote if you're outside this area. It also includes custom cover. We have the matching "1 Series" Sony SCD-1 SACD/CD player if you'd like to have a full set. It's not currently listed on our site. World's first SACD player. More from The Vintage Knob: Sony TA-N1 Amplifier Part of the fairly rare "1" series, expressly designed for Sony's SACD launch, along with the reference player, preamplifier and loudspeakers. This bombastic mammoth of 70kg (155 lbs.) holds 10 pairs of non-magnetic & gold-plated Sony MOS-FETs (2SJ120A & 2SK1530A), Metal Core Modules, a non-magnetic chassis made of 15mm and 10mm aluminum slabs and copper plates, specially designed 4N aluminum foil electrolytic capacitors, a 1,5kVA Torus toroidal transformer houséd in a ceramic compound, 30A rectification diodes and a fully balanced circuit and set of input plugs. Each diecast heatsink block weighs 16kg (35 lbs.)! The final stage is, unlike the previous and its updated version, setup in Class AB for a better efficiency and (much) less heat problems. Metal Core Modules are made of an aluminium alloy circuit-board on which circuit patterns are formed with copper and parts are surface-mounted - better conductivity, better heat regulation, minimal track lengths. To stand the bandwidth required by SACD sources, the Linear Phase Circuit was designed. The production is supposed to have been halted after the first 100 pieces but there should be a bit more than that around the neighborood - rich neighborhoods. Sony TA-E1 Preamplifier Part of Sony's last series of High-End units, specifically designed for the SACD format and the flagship - all with outer-space bandwidth requirements. As for the xxx-rare R10 units, no expense was spared for the "1" mini series. High-bandwidth oblige, the star of the show is the Phase Linear Amplifier, allowing phase to remain linear up to 100Khz, with only 5dB attenuation around the 100MHz region ! The chassis of the TA-E1 is a sandwich of 1cm aluminum and 2 x 2mm copper plates; the top plate is 7mm thick, enlarged to 10mm for the front and back parts. Power supply and rectification are set in a separate enclosure, very much like the preamplifiers :) The resistive plastic ALPS attenuator has a 5cm diameter and allows channel balance error of only 0.5dB between 0dB and -100dB; depth is of 9.5cm while the structure of it is full oxygen-free copper made under hot casting conditions. Ultra-low resistance plastic is uséd. The power transformer is "amorphic" and toroidal with ultra-magnetic materials (nickel, cobalt, and iron) uséd for the metal core and precise winding arrangement; it is houséd in a ceramic box for optimal damping and avoidance of any possible flux leaks. The four die-cast Metal Core Modules hold the input/output stages PCBs and are uséd as heatsinks as well (decoupling the boards from the chassis along the way) and as components are surface mounted, shortening signals paths as well. The rest of the parts is on par with all the above, and so was the pricetag. How many E1's were produced is a mystery: it is even said that only the initial production was completed - that would make 100. However, the highest serial spotted outside Japan was #500 104 and outside Japan a bit lower than that. So probably around 200 made - few at any rate. But then, as a prospective replacement to CD, SACD wasn't that successful either... Sony in 2004 sort of launched a Japan-only and even more reduced set of high-end separates (SCD-DR1, TA-DR1 and TA-DR1a) with this time really undefendable design à la melted ice cream. The DR1 set ended Sony's adventure in high-end audio (bar the SS-AR1 loudspeaker all-time masterpiece). But you can still read the enthusiastic april 1999 Sony press announcement . The SkyFi Testing Process for Preamplifiers: We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure there are no signs of stress or aging. Capacitors are checked for telltale sings of bulging or leaking, resistors are checked for signs of overheating or cracking, and transistors are checked for signs of stress or damage. Special attention is paid to the power supply which is the most common source of failure for preamps. We then power up the unit and run a simple 1k sine wave while monitoring the low voltage output on an oscilloscope for signs of distortion or noise to get a baseline. At this point we will lubricate and clean all switches and potentiometers (that are not sealed) with a high quality contact cleaner, and then re-test all functions for any signs of noise or scratching. Final testing involves putting actual music through the preamplifier We have learned over time that some issues are only noticeable to a trained ear while listening to a familiar source material. Our test bench has reference vintage KEF speakers that we are super familiar with which will quickly reveal any discrepancies. Some preamps will then move into the listening room where they will be tested with our in-house reference system. The SkyFi Testing Process for Solid State Amplifiers: We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure there are no signs of stress or aging. Capacitors are checked for telltale sings of bulging or leaking, resistors are checked for signs of overheating or cracking, and transistors are checked for signs of stress or damage. We then power up the unit carefully and run a simple 1k sine wave while monitoring the output on an oscilloscope for signs of distortion or noise. Finally, we run the amplifier to its full rated power into the appropriate resistive load provided by our Sencore amplifier tester. If there is an issue, it will usually be noticeable at this point. If everything reads clean, we will often test for THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) measured by our Keithley distortion meter, and compare it against the original manufacturers specifications. The amplifier then remains powered on to "burn in" on our test bench for a few hours to make sure there are no heat related issues. If there are balanced inputs available they will be also be tested. Final testing involves pushing actual music thorough the amplifier. We've learned over time that some issues are only noticeable to a trained ear while listening to familiar source material. Our test bench has reference vintage KEF speakers that we're very familiar with which quickly reveal any discrepancies. Some amplifiers will then move into our listening room where they are tested with our in-house reference speakers of choice. ---------- PURCHASING FROM SKYFI: This item will be professionally packaged and insured for safe transit to your home unless you opt for local pickup from our shop. Please note that all local pickup items are only wrapped with industrial strength clear cling stretch wrap if the original manufacturer packaging is unavailable. Local pickup is available in Glen Rock, NJ, just a half hour drive from Midtown Manhattan, with convenient parking near our building. If we don’t have the original manufacture’s packaging, we use heavy duty double-ply corrugated boxes with custom made to your item Instapak expanding foam custom inserts. In many cases this has proven to be better than the original packaging! We also use high quality fiber reinforced tape to seal our packages. Lightweight items will be bubble wrapped and shipped in a high-quality box. ---------- PURCHASING GUIDELINES: We do not accept or review any offers that do not go through the official eBay system. We have too many items for sale and it’s nearly impossible to keep track of offers outside of the official system. Please don’t message, email, or text any offers. TRADE IN POLICY: We accept trade-ins of equal or lesser value under certain conditions. Please visit our website to submit your gear for full consideration. We will only consider high-end equipment from mainstream manufacturers such as McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Audio Research, Krell, etc. and will typically pass on displays, projectors, receivers, dated surround processors, and mid-fi equipment of any type. We will offer a fair value for your equipment, but keep in mind we’re running a business and will need to be able to resell the equipment at a profit after investing a great deal of time and resources in testing, certifying, repairing, cleaning, and packaging the incoming equipment. If you’re looking for top dollar, we suggest selling direct on your own. SELL US YOUR GEAR (Working or Broken): We’ll also purchase your uséd or broken gear and arrange pickup if you’re in our local market. Simply visit our website to submit your gear for full consideration. SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT: We are currently operating from our shop inside our dedicated building in Glen Rock, NJ. You’re welcome to make an appointment if there’s a piece of equipment you’d like to see in operation before or after purchase. We have several well-equipped and dedicated listening areas, plus a dedicated listening studio with tons of equipment of all makes and models. We’re not a store, so please don’t make an appointment if you’re just curious as to how a speaker or piece of equipment sounds. In essence - no tire kickers please. You can message us here on eBay with any questions or to schedule an appointment. We can also arrange to install, calibrate, and tune your newly purchased gear in your listening room if you’re local to our area. This is super useful when purchasing large speakers or heavy amplifiers. It’s also great for ensuring your new turntable is setup correctly in its final resting place. eBay v1.2 Item Included Original Box No Manual Online Remote N/A Cables Yes - Power Physical Condition 7 Working Condition 10 eBay integration by

Price: 25779 USD

Location: Glen Rock, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-03-18T21:58:31.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD