Sony TA-N77ES
- Thread starter dfvtr
- Start date
-
- Tags
- sony ta-n77es
jhoyt
Incomprehensible space llama
Listen for several seconds after you power it on, and see if you can hear a "click" 2 to 5 seconds after turn-on. That's a very good sign. Also, if you're careful with the volume you can hook up a smartphone to it for testing, maybe even as a regular music source.
Congrats on your find!!!
Congrats on your find!!!
wu6fiend
Well-Known Member
To get any kind of use and enjoyment out of the TA-N77ES, you are going to have to get a pre-amp. They are designed to work together, as a unit. The TA-N77ES provides the brawn, while the pre-amp (the one you want is the TA-E77ES) is the brains. I had a quick look at a popular auction site, and there are several Sony pre-amps for sale, in the range of $100-$250. No TA-E77ES, unfortunately, at the moment. The nice thing is, if you can find the matching pre-amp, they have great value as a pair, if offered for sale together. I really like the TA-E77ES (compared to the TA-E1000ES which I also own), because the former is really simple and easy to operate, versus the latter, which is the first generation of "heading in the direction of the A/V world" type of pre-amp, with inputs for multiple video recorders etc., along with various sound processing effects (eg. outdoor concert, disco, club).
mad shadows
Super Member
Any pre-amp will work, you don´t have to limit yourself to Sony.
Last edited:
Roypercy
Super Member
You could attach a pair of speakers to the amp, and then turn it on. If you don't hear buzzing or any other bad noises from the speakers that's possibly a good sign. And then I would second the suggestion of getting a cable with a headphone plug on one end and two RCA plugs on the other, and connecting your phone via the headphone jack to inputs on the amp (but TURN THE VOLUME ON THE PHONE ALL THE WAY OFF FIRST!). With speakers attached and the phone plugged in to the amp, power up the amp. Tell the phone to play some music, and slowly raise the volume on the phone until you get some output from the speakers. In this case, the phone is kind of acting as its own "preamp", which will be good enough to test the Sony. Depending on your phone, there may be a soft buzzing or humming noise in the background as you turn up the volume on the phone. If at any point in the test you hear very loud buzzing or humming from the speakers, shut it all down.
Hope this helps. If you decide to try it, let us know how it went
Wow! I love it when good people save treasures!
There is an alternative that could give you all you want, for relatively little money. Find yourself an integrated receiver that you can separate the preamp stage from the amplifier stage. I have a Mitsubishi DA-10DC and didn't have a preamp that sounds good with it. About 2 months ago, I picked up a Sansui 2000X receiver. I really like the Sansui 2000 receivers, but had never had a 2000X before. As opposed to the 2000, you can remove some jumpers in the back of the receiver, and that separates the preamp from the amplifier section. I tried that with the Mitsubishi, and they sound fantastic together!
So if you can find a receiver that allows you to separate the preamp from the amplifier section, you will have your preamp and Tuner in one unit.
Congratulations! That is a treasure you picked up there!
There is an alternative that could give you all you want, for relatively little money. Find yourself an integrated receiver that you can separate the preamp stage from the amplifier stage. I have a Mitsubishi DA-10DC and didn't have a preamp that sounds good with it. About 2 months ago, I picked up a Sansui 2000X receiver. I really like the Sansui 2000 receivers, but had never had a 2000X before. As opposed to the 2000, you can remove some jumpers in the back of the receiver, and that separates the preamp from the amplifier section. I tried that with the Mitsubishi, and they sound fantastic together!
So if you can find a receiver that allows you to separate the preamp from the amplifier section, you will have your preamp and Tuner in one unit.
Congratulations! That is a treasure you picked up there!
All good signs. Not being familiar with the amp, I'm thinking the green is power, and red is speaker protection on, and the click is the relay switching the speakers on. Looking good!
wu6fiend
Well-Known Member
I just checked my TA-N77ES. When you turn it on, both red and green lights should come on, but not the meter lights. After a short pause of about 7 seconds, there should be a soft click, the red light goes out, the green remains on, and the meters light up. The red light is "protection", while the green is "stereo" (there is also a "mono" light too, which remains unlit, unless that option is being utilized). Are your meters lit up? If not, the small bulbs that illuminate them are burnt out, which is a very common (the only one, really) problem with this amp. I changed my bulbs to LEDs, which puts a stop to the problem. If you don't want to do that, and only want to return it to stock spec, you can buy the replacement bulbs on eBay very inexpensively.
Sir, you are an angel.
I was carrying my TA-N77ES home when a man had a heart attack nearby. I put my amp down and rushed to his aid. An ambulance arrived within 2 minutes, and they told me I'd saved his life.
I returned to get my amp — but it was gone! I thought, "I save a man's life and this is my reward? There's no justice in the world!"
Thank God it was you, an honorable man who will return it to its rightful owner. PM me and I'll tell you where to bring it. Thanks in advance bro!
restorer-john
Addicted Member
Not as well regarded? By who? How many have you owned? That's complete and utter BS.
The preamplifier offers instrumentation grade response. It is ruler (and I mean ruler) flat. (it's plot is my reference for all other FR tests) It's phenomenally fast, offers inert gas-filled relay switching, has a power supply bigger than many integrated amplifiers and a remote/cpu system that shuts itself off in between operations. Not only that, the front end uses the same Sony fabricated FET differential pair used (in the N77ES too) in the famed Esprit preamplifers made in the mid/late 70s. Clearly, Sony had a stockpile of these and ran them in all their TOTL power amps, integrateds and preamps until they ran out about 1990 and switched to an NEC off-the-shelf part.
The only thing I don't like about the E77ES or E77ESD are the plastic knobs, but the N77ES has them too.
If you have an N77ES, there is really only one preamplifer designed to complement it. The E77ES/ESD is a perfect match, and very highly regarded by people who own them, use them and understand them.
mhedges
Super Member
Well I never had an E77ES but I had an E80ES and it was nice but always had a little noise. My E90ES was clearly better.
I thought the E77ES was very hard to find - most are E77ESD's which digitize everything. And it's really unarguable that they layout of the 77's is a mess compared to the later units.
I mean they aren't bad units exactly - its just I'm not sure its worth going out of your way or paying high $$ to get one.
mhedges
Super Member
No the ESD definitely digitized everything. Which granted it doesn't mean that its bad or really affects the sound.
The E80ES and E90ES are all analog - no digitization.
restorer-john
Addicted Member
This is where you are wrong.
The TAE77ESD does not digitize everything. It digitizes absolutely nothing actually. The E77ES and the E77ESD are identical analogue preamplifiers and exactly the same except the 77ESD comes with a D/A converter board, in a separate shielded box under the main board. (32/44/48) The addition of three digital inputs and some SVHS switching are the other tiny differences.
I have several of each here. The E77ES was sold in Australia, whereas the US got only the E77ESD.
The Sony TAE1000ESD was the first unit that 'digitised everything' in the interests of DSP effects and that was a completely different animal.
The internal layout of the 77es might not be as pretty as later ones, but the emphasis was on actual performance and I can assure you the E80 was no different in that regard, the design of the line stage (the part you listen to) is basically identical, with the addition of that ridiculous motorized input selector that fails with a monotonous regularity. The gas filled individual relays for source selection on the 77ES/D were much better (and more expensive).
This is the 77es/d line stage:
The 80ES also copped the NEC FET which changed the character of the preamp. Basically, as you can see, a virtually identical topology:
The 90es was definitely a better preamp IMO and a cut above the other two.
Last edited:
mhedges
Super Member
This is where you are wrong.
The TAE77ESD does not digitize everything. It digitizes absolutely nothing actually. The E77ES and the E77ESD are identical analogue preamplifiers and exactly the same except the 77ESD comes with a D/A converter board, in a separate shielded box under the main board. (32/44/48) The addition of three digital inputs and some SVHS switching are the other tiny differences.
I have several of each here. The E77ES was sold in Australia, whereas the US got only the E77ESD.
The Sony TAE1000ESD was the first unit that 'digitised everything' in the interests of DSP effects and that was a completely different animal.
The internal layout of the 77es might not be as pretty as later ones, but the emphasis was on actual performance and I can assure you the E80 was no different in that regard, the design of the line stage (the part you listen to) is basically identical, with the addition of that ridiculous motorized input selector that fails with a monotonous regularity. The gas filled individual relays for source selection on the 77ES/D were much better (and more expensive).
This is the 77es/d line stage:
View attachment 1007069
The 80ES also copped the NEC FET which changed the character of the preamp. Basically, as you can see, a virtually identical topology:
View attachment 1007070
The 90es was definitely a better preamp IMO and a cut above the other two.
OK cool I stand corrected.
As far as layout - I'm guessing that's one of the reasons the 80ES also had some noise.
You are right the E80ES input selector was an unceccesary failure point. Relays are better - thats what the E90ES had. But the clicks it made sure sounded cool when it was working right!
restorer-john
Addicted Member
Sadly, I don't see E90ES preamps turn up around these parts. They are a good unit.
