Sony TA-N9000ES
(1998 - 2003+)

Heir to the... nothing !
Sony's first truly dedicated multi-channel surround-sound power amplifier, made to match the TA-E9000ES digital multi-channel preamplifier.

Sony heads will naturally compare the inside of this 5-channel amp with well-known bestsellers such as the TA-N77ES or TA-N80ES update.
And this is where it may hurt a little : with a smaller power-supply and less capacitors, how can the N9000ES power FIVE channels while its two-channel predecessors needed much more to feed TWO measly stereo channels ?

There is no answer to this. Or, more precisely : it may be a bit of a deception as power rating is much lower than that of either 1980s oldies : 5x 140W (8Ohm) or 5x 130W (4Ohm) ; the BTL mode for using front channels only gives 2x 210W (L/R, 8Ohm) and 1x 140W (center, 8Ohm). Measured performance is however closer to 2x 150W (L/R, 8Ohm) or 5x 100W (8Ohm)...
Japanese listprice was at 150,000¥ in 1999 - 50k¥ less than the E9000ES or the contemporary TA-FA777ES.

The transformer is nevertheless a "Stress Free, Linear Core" of the "EL111x100" kind (?), said to be the biggest ever put in such a multi-channel amplifier (in 1998)... Power transistors are of the MELF kind (?), Sony-developed. Basic circuits are Sony's staple Legato Linear and Spontaneous Twin Drive.
Square-wave measurement shows only 5% disformation at 40Hz and 3% at 1kHz ; distortion is venishingly low, peaking at 0,005% at 1kHz ; s/n ratio sets at 115dB (103dB unweighted).

Today, N9000ES go for fairly little money (and there are many of them around) so this may be a better investment today than it was... ten years ago. Especially when teamed with the TA-P9000ES with its four analogue inputs and beautiful (copper-plated) construction and power-supply :)

Technical details, specifications and images which my japanese catalgs do not show or talk about right here.