Sony TA-E88B

Sony's big push toward... understatement !

Strict dual-mono structure with two transformers, select parts, an (almost) outboard power-supply and no superfluous controls, the TA-E88B was the second pre-Esprit component to appear and was introduced along its Class D TA-N88B mate.

The underlying philosophy was : no ICs ! The sealed volume and balance controls are stepped with 150 gold-plated contacts, made by ALPS on Sony's specifications : ZP-1 Perfect Balancer.

Germany saw the limited edition WEGA version of the TA-E88B in the Lab Zero series : 250 units. Same preamplifier with revised looks (actually a complete E88B in a supplementary enclosure) with an added sub-enclosure for the bright & shiny LED level display.

The TA-E88 is the original japanese version (silver), TA-E88B is the export version in grey or "gun metal". However, the first export batch was silver.

The final design was drawn in the spring of 1976 by Shigeo Takahashi, along with various layout versions which would later on resurface in other Sony products..

Sony sold thousands and thousands of TA-E88 and TA-E88B worldwide - a real bestseller which remained available in Japan until 1981 and Germany until about 1984.

Apart from the ESPRIT TA-E900 (directly derived from the E88) and the much later TA-ER1, the pre-Esprit TA-E88B is probably Sony's best preamp and one of the best ever at any rate.
Given the scarcity and current pricetags of the TA-ER1, the TA-E88B can be seen as Sony's best... which one can actually own and use !


Detailed images and actual 100Khz measurments of a real E88 at the indispensable amp8.com.