Sony SS-G333ES (1988–1991)

A 3-way bookshelf speaker from Sony's ES series, built with advanced driver materials and a tuned enclosure.

Overview

The Sony SS-G333ES is a 3-way, bass reflex bookshelf speaker from Sony's Elevated Standard (ES) series. It was built around 1988-1991 to improve sound clarity and dynamic range through new materials and structural tuning. It appears to have sold poorly, even in Japan where it was sold. The layout is tri-amplified: a 31 cm woofer, a 12 cm balance drive midrange and a 2.5 cm ceramic dome tweeter. All of it sits in a high-density perticboard enclosure with a 40 mm thick baffle.

Specifications

Product type	3-Way, 3-Speaker, Bass reflex system, Bookshelf Type speaker
Playback frequency band	30 Hz to 25000 Hz
Output sound pressure level	91dB/W/m
Impedance	6 Ω
Rated maximum input	100W
Instantaneous maximum input	200W
Crossover frequency	500 Hz, 4000 Hz
External dimensions	Width 400x Height 695x Depth 350 mm
Weight	32kg
Woofer	31 cm cone type
Midrange	12 cm Balance Drive Type
Tweeter	2.5 cm dome type
Original price	¥ 60,000 (around 1988)

Design

Sony developed the SS-G333ES around improving sound beauty and audibility through digital speaker research. The woofer and midrange use H.S.P. (High Stiffness Polyolefine) diaphragms with a sound propagation speed of approximately 10,000 m/sec. The woofer has a strontium ferrite magnet (9,000 gauss) and a 65 mm voice coil. The midrange has a 13,000 gauss magnet and a 50 mm voice coil. The tweeter is a polycrystalline alumina ceramic dome driven by an 18,000 Gauss cooperative magnetic circuit. The crossover uses European metallized polypropylene capacitors and a 1.5 mm φ woofer coil, laid out in a distributed arrangement to minimize signal interference. The enclosure is high-density perticboard, and the 40 mm thick baffle is curved to reduce sound diffraction. The cabinet is tuned to resonate at 365 Hz (rear), 457 Hz (sides) and 550 Hz (top), which correspond to the notes C, F and A.

Context

The SS-G333ES shares its design philosophy with the larger SS-G777ES. Both belong to a small family of high-end Sony ES speakers from the late 1980s. It was marketed in Japan and has been praised in hindsight as a gem of 1980s audio engineering, though sales were reportedly low.

Market

A 2012 listing noted a pair imported from Japan selling for 950€. Another owner reported getting a pair in poor condition for $100. One listing confirms the inclusion of copper wires, grilles, original and PDF instructions, and a remote.

Similar items on eBay

No exact Sony SS G333ES listings are live right now — these searches show current Sony and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:

Search Sony SS G333ES on eBay Browse Sony audio gear on eBay

As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.