Sony TA-N80ES Vintage ES Series Solid State Amplifier - 200W

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General:

This is the second of four TA-N80ES amps that will eventually be listed. The Sony TA-N80ES is one of the best Sony stereo amplifiers ever made from the golden era of Sony’s ES range. The successor to the amazing TA-N77ES, the N80ES has various upgrades, including increased filter capacitance and XLR inputs on the rear.

Key features include classic Sony ES styling with rosewood side panels, a brushed aluminum faceplate, and 200 watts of rated power into an 8-ohm load (stereo). In testing, this amplifier sounded powerful and dynamic. It is perfect for a power-hungry set of speakers such as Magnepans.

Also worth noting, this amplifier can be used in bridged mono configuration pushing a whopping 600W @ 8 Ohms. 

As all of our gear is, this unit was toughly tested and electronically inspected. The front input controls were also cleaned so they operate without scratchiness and smoothly. 

Included with the amplifier will be a reprinted copy of its owner’s manual.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Overall it's presentable for its age. The top surface of the faceplate has some marks. There is a small mark near the mono light on the front panel. The side panels have wear on sides and corners. The right panel also has a damaged plastic screw cover. (See Images).

Brand Background:
Since 1950 Sony has been building the most innovative products in the audio industry.

Ownership:
Single Owner

Connections:
XLR, RCA, Captive power cord

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
7/10 = Good. One or two minor scratches. Well Maintained. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Unit, manual, and power cord.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Specs:

Power Output

• 200 W per channel into 8 Ω
• 270 W per channel into 4 Ω
• Bridgeable mono operation

Performance

• Frequency Response: 1 Hz – 200 kHz
• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 0.004%
• Damping Factor: 100
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 120 dB

Input Sensitivity / Impedance

• RCA (Unbalanced): 1 V / 30 kΩ
• XLR (Balanced): 0.5 V / 600 Ω

Inputs

• Balanced XLR
• Unbalanced RCA

Amplifier Design Features

• Super Legato Linear circuitry
• Pure complementary SEPP output stage
• Dual protection circuits
• G-Chassis construction
• Resin-cast power supply capacitors
• Triple push-pull discrete output transistors

Construction

• Copper-plated chassis
• Rosewood side panels
• Large heat sinks
• Heavy-duty speaker terminals

Dimensions:
18.50 × 7.28 × 17.32"

Weight:
60 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1990

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Speaker Cables - Better

Kimber Summit Series Monocle XL Speaker Cables (PAIR) - Best

Kimber Summit Series BiFocal XL Bi-Wire Speaker Cables (PAIR) - Best If Applicable

Testing Process:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

If the amplifier passes visual inspection, we move on to a controlled power on sequence using a Sencore safety analyzer to monitor current draw in real time. Once the amplifier is determined to be safe to operate, we connect it to full AC mains for function and power testing. We connect the speaker outputs of the amplifier to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which acts as a dummy load, DC offset monitor, and oscilloscope interface. We start with a low level 1 KHz test signal at the amplifier's input and slowly increase its amplitude while monitoring the output on an oscilloscope for signs of noise, clipping, distortion, or improper channel balance. We continue increasing the signal level until the amplifier reaches clipping.

At this point we take an output power measurement and compare it to the spec sheet of the amplifier to verify proper performance. If the device under test has both balanced and single ended inputs they are both tested at this time.

We finish off the bench evaluation with a 1 KHz square wave check and a 20 Hz to 20 KHz sine sweep to assess the amplifier's frequency response characteristics.

This battery of tests will usually reveal if the amplifier has any issues that need further attention.

Before the device leaves the bench, we perform a listening test with actual music using a variety of preferred test tracks. Our benches are outfitted with familiar monitor speakers which help us identify inconsistencies that will not always show up on our test gear. The main things that we are listening for are hum or noise with no signal present, proper center image, clicks, pops, or any other obvious undesirable audio characteristics.

If the unit passes all of these tests it is moved to our long term testing rig where we simulate real word operating conditions for 6-8 hours minimum. This allows us to monitor the unit for signs of thermal runaway or intermittent issues that only crop up when the unit has fully come up to temperature.