Sony TA-F800ES
Sony TA-F700ES
(1987 - 1989)

Sony's first 1980s big integrated amps that "looked" like big integrateds (bar the 1983 TA-F777ES). Part of the units designed by the first official ES team assembled as such in 1986. Incredible as it may seem but there was no such "fixed" team since... 1965 !

Sony's first units to sport the Gibraltar chassis made of polyester, calcium and carbon. Trivial differences between the 700ES and 800ES are the mention of DAT as possible tape source and minor lettering layouts. The real differences lie in the F800ES' second power transformer and triple Sanken output push-pull ; the F700ES only has a double push-pull but the devices are the same: Sanken A1186/C2897. Available with sideburns depending on the market and sold in Japan as TA-F333ESX (F700ES) and TA-F555ESX (F800ES).

What is interesting, in retrospect, is that many are always willing to bash Sony for not ever having made serious audio. Sure. But these amplifiers sold extremely well, worldwide. The proportion of equivalently priced Pioneer, Onkyo or Sansui must be around 1 to 5, if not more: there are thousands and thousands and thousands of F800ES and F700ES everywhere. Especially in Germany. And especially in Japan ! Now, Sony didn't force people to buy their amps so the latter must have had some qualities, right ?
Well, selling as they did, the F700ES and F800ES gave way to a series of integrated amplifiers which sold even better than the original two, this time within a gradually folding market. Amazing, isn't it? Especially coming from a brand which never, ever, made anything worthwhile besides flashy portable gadgets !