Sony CDP-XA55ES

1 9 9 8 1998
2 0 0 1 2001

Ultimate ES CD player of the last "classic" years, last evolution of the CDP-XA7ES with, give or take, the same mechanical build quality.

Three R-Core transformers (the same as in the CDP-MS1 / CDP-X5000 or SCD-1 / SCD-777ES) but not the big two-in-one Twin Core molded into a resin block as in the original XA7ES.

The other power-supplies are also somewhat reduced and definitely gone was the luxury of copper-plating the chassis as in the "real" X7 players of the 1980s, 1990s and said XA7ES.


The digital-to-analogue section is similar to that of the CDP-XA7ES : same Pulse and Current Pulse ICs.
Where the CDP-XA55ES really changes is in the added 24bit VC24 filtering and S-TACT signal treatment : the former for tailoring the low-pass filter's frequency response, the latter to refine the way digital signals are deciphered, handled and transmitted.

S-TACT :
The Synchronous Time Accuracy Controller pulse generator reads the pulse code data and forms the pulse waveform accordingly.
The pulse is formed using the clock generator, which is controlled by a quartz oscillator. For this reason, the pulse formed using S-TACT is extremely precise, and therefore generally referred to as quartz precision. Conventional systems incorporate digital calculating devices like a noise shaper on the clock generator side.

VC24 :
VC24 is a 24bit digital filter which, through sampling math, allows to overcome the abrupt low-pass characteristic of its curve above 20Khz... and therefore "play" with the higher part of its curve to "tailor" a bit the highs' frequency response. Four custom curves are preset, plus the normal/regular one.
The Feed Forward filter/function of the XA7ES is here cumulated/integrated to the VC24 chip.

S-TACT and VC24 are covered in the TECH sections of the SCD-1 TVK page - see there for the detailed details.


Other niceties inherited from the CDP-XA7ES are the cast-iron off-center feet (for less vibration transmission through layout symmetry), the Frame & Beam chassis, the all-DC analogue signal path and a reinforced diecast zinc base supporting the optical pickup.

Gone however were, for instance, the second anti-vibration top plate, the XLR and FET-charged outputs or SEPP headphones' amp : if the CDP-XA55ES shared the same KSS-273A (or 273B ?) laser as the original XA7ES, it "only" was an X5 and not an X7.

Pity Sony didn't carry a decade long evolution like those of the X7 series for the XA7 or XA5. But then, in 1999, SACD was finally there !


All about the chips inside the CDP-XA55ES, right here.

Sony CDP-XA55ES, image 1 Sony CDP-XA55ES, image 2 Sony CDP-XA55ES, image 3
Sony CDP-XA55ES specifications
Title Value
Frequency response : 2Hz...20Khz (± 0,3dB)
THD : 0,0017% (EIAJ)
S/N ratio : 119dB (EIAJ)
Dynamic range : 100dB (EIAJ)
Separation : 110dB (EIAJ)
Analogue outputs : 2V / 50kOhm (fixed RCA ; 10kOhm load)
0V...2V / 50kOhm (variable RCA ; 50kOhm load)
28mW / 32 Ohm (headphones)
Digital outputs : 0,5V p-p / 75 Ohm (coaxial)
-18dBm / 660nm (TOS optical)
PC : 20W
Dimensions : 43 x 12,5 x 37,5cm
Weight : 13,2kg.
IR remote : RM-D950
List price : 99,000¥ (1999)
page online since : january 2009
page updated : june 2010
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 183.36 Kb / 0 b
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