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Review: Sony SCD-XA5400ES CD Player

Category: Digital

I love natural recordings that capture the full acoustic envelope of the performances. The Shostakovich Sonatas performed by Ax and YYMa comes to mind...the Sony portrays the entire event in such an unforced and natural manner that it triggers ones acoustic memory into believing it is real. A player that offers no tone color or openness would be my worst nightmare. I replaced my BAT VK D5 24 bit CDP and was amazed at how much resolution and color was lost on the older design. The Sony re-creates the space, music and acoustic tones with overtones so completely that you start to smile and realize that you have been given a great gift...a peak into the performance as it occured at the recording session. My opinion of the Sony applies as much for the redbook section as it does for the SACD section. This player will become a classic product for digital playback....much better it does not get! It's a keeper at any price,,,for $1500 USD it is a freakin steal. This is Sony's best effort to date and manages to break new ground in the digital domain:)

Associated gear
Wilson Sophia speakers
Krell 400xi amp
Harmonic Tech Cables
MIT Oracle AC 2 power cord

Similar products
Sony SCD-1
Sony SCD-XA9000ES
Sony SCD-XA777ES
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Wadia 851
Krell SACD Standard
MF A5
BAT VK D524bit
ARC CD 3
128x128dave_b
dave_b's avatar
dave_b OP
3,159 posts
 
This player is not discontinued as far as I know...it just came out last fall to replace the XA9000ES. As I've said, I have owned most of the top shelf offerings and the Sony puts you squarely in the ballpark with the others. The price to performance ratio is off the charts. Clarity, dimensionality, natural warmth, extreme extension, tonal accuracy, lack of any grain-distortion or other digital nasty's...it just does the balancing act so well:)O
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,691 posts
 
Apparently, it is nearly impossible to find in Europe and that has created some annoyance over there.

Kal
dave_b's avatar
dave_b OP
3,159 posts
 
Kal is correct...I didn't say it would be easy to find one! The US outlets seem to get orders filled within 2 weeks.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b OP
3,159 posts
 
Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention, I owned a Meridian G08 and thought it to be uniquely one of the most a-musical players I have owned. Cold, sharp and grey sounding.
cyrilmartin
8 posts
 
Possible to find in Germany from hifiberlinshop.de for ~1200euros incl. shipping. Just as many reviewers / buyers, I am impressed by the blend of qualities getting out of this player, and would go even further and say that it lost the "explosive" sound that Sony elements traditionally carry, to a more refined and measured experience. I use the XLR outputs to a Plinius pre/amp and a pair of Magicos, and am very pleased with SACD playback. CD playback is excellent too, although there is a very faint amount of sibilance likely associated with linear phase upsampling that could yet improve, but this is really a minor defect.
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