Yakbob, I have never compared s2100 or s3000 with s2000, and never auditioned them. They have essentially different DACs, s21000 and s2300 have built in ESS Sabre 8 channel DAC, where s2000 likely uses PCM (I guess 2-channel) DAC. This may give some difference in super audio performance, though I am curious whether this also extends on ordinary CDs. An inexpensive OPPO BDP 105 has a similar ESS DAC, as well as more expensive (almost 4k more) McIntosh MCD550. I am also also curious on their
sound performance, compared to the above ones, and even more expensive super audio players (like Krell Cipher or Audio Research cd9, for instance).
So far, I am not convinced with SACD players, in general. I have noticed much more sound improvement using Reimyo DACs (I use DAP 777 and there is a newer model DAP 999). In general, JVC 20bit K2 signal processing is perhaps a quite efficient converting technology, at least based on my experience so far the most efficient one. Another advantage is that K2 CDs need no special CD players and can be directly copied.
With Yamaha s2000 having a bullhorn (megaphone) sound I meant an "echo-like" (indirect) reflective sound. Although, there is really a lightly notable such effect. On the positive side, Yamaha s2000 reads almost all cd-s easily, ones that other players cannot read, and is faster in reading and moving in between the tracks.