Sony TA-F777ES

The REAL first ES integrated amplifier which, however, was not available outside Japan.

The TA-F777ES was designed by Takashi Kanai, senior designer at Sony (and still active at Sony today), unlike the TA-F555ES best-seller which was designed by somebody else... The reasons for this separation of designs is a mystery but quite typical from Sony :)
However, to make things even, the structure of the updated TA-F555ESII took much of the original F777ES, only smaller, and was tagged, just like the latter, a Stereo Sound Best Product.

Inside is LC-OFC wiring, two rows of sharkfin heatsinks, a bigga transformer and 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.

Also, as always, select parts, proper blue 4-gang ALPS pot, 330pF or 100pF MM settings, 40 Ohm or 3 Ohm MC loading

At 19kg, 2x 180W on 4 Ohm loads and up to 2x 550W on 1 Ohm loads, the TA-F777ES was no toy but is now quite rare - why Sony kept it available for only a year in Japan and didn't export it either is also a mystery.

Originally meant to receive (never-delivered) wood sideburns, just like the F555ESII ; multiplied by two, the power transformer found its way into the contemporary ESPRIT TA-N902.
The Sony-tagged capacitors were custom-ordered to Nippon Chemicon, like those in the slightly earlier TA-AX6, TA-AX7 and TA-AX8...

Sony's last two-channel audiophile amplifier was the TA-FA777ES - a way to close the circle.


A real F777ES here, with nudies.