Sony scd-1 vs Ayre C5xe

Didn't mean to push you away from the Ayre it is very good if not the best at its' price point. The emm will be better IMO. The sonys (scd-1/777es) are great players when modded properly but getting parts may become an issue as they have been discontinued for awhile.

Chuck

Most of the time everyone sticks up for their gear. I have an Ayre C-5xe. One of the design attributes that brought me to it was that the transport is easily replaced in the future. Mods are interesting, but tough to compare. Listen to everything you can. The Ayre player has gotten enough press and several reviewers use it as a reference. I will say that the DVD-A performance is awesome. I have several 192khz discs and it is fantastic. At it's price new or used it's tough to beat. I have no complaints.

I've owned three modified Sonys,(777ES, two 999ES) and a couple stock SCD-1s. I prefer the Ayre over all of them.

I too own Ayre C5xe and have a valhalla power cord on it. Stunning, and far more musical than sony. Sound stage is an affect that too many people try to get to with gear in audiophileism. Music is what's most important! If the speakers are set up properly in the room then the sound stage will fall in to proper place accordingly. If the speakers are set up right for the room and the coherency, timing, rhythem, timbre, etc., all couples well to that room and the soundstage still lacks, well it's time to upgrade! C5xe is better and it's a much better design internally. Valhalla power is like adding butter to toast. You have to have it.

Thanks guys.
Interesting feedback from the Ayre owners.
Still on the fence but now I am looking at both a Transporter for the convenience, and then maybe the Ayre for the disc's.
This will fit my budget and make the system really easy to use for my wife and offer a new way to listen to my music.
Been reading the latest on the Linn Klimax DS and I think that this will be the future.
When I was in Seattle for Definitive Music Matters show in Feb there were a number of companies (Sooloos, Linn, Sonos, etc doing demos with their digital servers and to be honest it gives a new way of enjoying music. The level of convenience is first rate, the SQ was hard to judge except in the Linn room. The sound was first rate to say the least.
Again thanks.