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would the Sony SCD 5400 Ex make a good transport?

I recently acquired a Sony SCD 5400 hoping it would be an upgrade from my Rega Apollo. While there is much to admire in terms of resolution and PRAT I find the sound has a lot of the digital glare/hardness; strings are quite steely which is tiring. Was wondering if this could be corrected with a (better?)DAC using the Sony as a transport. Or is it better to look for another player. The Sony costs as much as I want to pay for a CD player
rrm
podeschi
303 posts
 
I finally got to hear the difference of NOS 6sn7 tube rolling in the VAC. Just inserting one pair of Sylvania Chrome Tops in the outside slots on the 300.1 gave more punch and weight. Now I'm weighing if I should do the NOS hunt (RCA vt231, KenRad vt231, RCA grey glass 6sn7, etc) mixing and matching, or simplify and just buy a couple of pairs of Sophia 6sn7s for Modwright and VAC gear??? Any advice?
rrm OP
47 posts
 

Would like to update this thread as I posted 13 years ago and digital has moved on enormously since then. still have the Sony SCD 5400 ex. have upgraded the rest of my system and now I think the CD sound is a bit flat and hard.

would like to reconsider using the Sony as a transport. Has anyone been successful in using a modern DAC with the Sony to get better sound.

 

mksun
448 posts
 

Digital has definitely improved since then and I would recommend going with a dedicated CD transport for Redbook CDs and using the Sony for SACD playback only. I had the Audiolab CDT6000 for many years and it outperformed my older Rotel CDP used as a transport. The CDT6000 is still available on Amazon for $480.  I have since upgraded to the Jay’s Audio CDT2 MK3 transport which has taken my CD listening to a whole new level. 

jafant's avatar
jafant
19,368 posts
 

rrm

Nice thread.  The NAD 565 is a keeper, as is, Sony 5400ES.

 

Happy Listening!

mahler123
3,253 posts
 

I use my 5400 as a transport mainly for SACD.  My Bryston DAC 3 has 4 HDMI inputs and I have 2 of them connected to the Sony and an Oppo 105.  Both machines export DSD over HDMI.  I primarily use the Oppo for this since I lost the Sony remote but every now and then throw a disc in the Sony just to keep it going.  
  Sonically they sound similar.  The Sony used to reside in a surround system that has become exclusively video.  I had replaced it and the previous Blue Ray player with an Oppo 203 to reduce the box count in that surround system and the Sony moved into the 2 channel as an unwanted orphan.

  Btw couldn’t disagree more with the OPs assessment of the sound of the Sony.  If anything using its native DAC.  I thought it was soft, a sonic deep pillow.  As a transport playing DSD it’s just fine

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