Rare upgraded version of the TA-F555ES bestseller, designed by Takashi Kanai.
Although not yet resting on a Gibraltar base, the F555ESII gained power, weight and a fully copper plated chassis, although some batches seem not to have had that : partly the Europe and the "General Asia" exports.
The internal layout, however, would be carried onto all the later 555ES versions : TA-F555ESX, TA-F555ESXII, TA-F555ESR, TA-F555ESG, TA-F555ESL, TA-F555ESA and the ultimate TA-F555ESJ.
Kept from the original was ACT (Audio Current Transfer) which uses current amplification to transfer signals from preamp to power amp stage and achieve 120dB of dynamic range and outstanding levels of stereo separation.
Kept as well was the total value of smoothing caps but spread over four Great Supply 10,000µF /85V instead of two For Audio 22,000µF /63V in the original TA-F555ES.
The available loading was somewhat dropped : speakers A or speakers B but not both at the same time.
Inside, the TA-F555ESII really is a smaller TA-F777ES and this revised version garnered a Stereo Sound "Best Product" award, following in that -surprise- the original F777ES !
However, the auxiliary input was replaced by two audio/video inputs plus a loop/monitor and the phono MM pF setting was scrapped - sign'o'the times.
Wood sideburns were planned, shown, advertised but generally not actually made available - like the TA-F777ES.
Despite much better sonics than the original, the F555ESII didn't sell nearly as well as the original. But Sony made up up for that with the following F555ES "versions" which all sold like pancakes, croissants and bagels like pancakes, croissants and bagels do any day of the week.