Upgrading a CD/SACD player with integral DAC

Hello Skyscraper,

     I usually shop at Silver Platters,  a local  retail outlet in Seattle WA.  They have Blue-Ray audio, BR. Movies, DVD audio, SACD Stereo, SACD multi-channel, and CD's out the wazoo. They have every silver disk that you can think of. I am not sure of what retailers there are in you area. Best Buy ( Egads! ) used to have a large inventory that you could special order recent releases of remastered CD's and Records. High end audio retailers used to carry some SACD's and High-Rez. Audio. Check to see if there is a Silver Platters in your area. You might try CD Japan, as they have re-issues of many out of print disks. You would have to special order them as an import from their website. These suggestions are a decent outlet for pristine stock. I don't  know if you want to take a risk on the used market. Everything is going streaming these days, limiting options.
     I hear the Ruby has an excellent USB port for your computer. The instructions tell you how to download the appropriate driver onto your computer from the Marantz website. Streaming is not my favorite thing either. However, I wouldn't  know about my favorite musician Adrian Von Ziegler without streaming his music videos via Youtube. There are new and innovative musicians out there. How do they reach the public with a dwindling inventory of physical media? They are still going to have to pry my silver disks from my cold dead hands; because I resent anyone who thinks they have the right to limit my options. Separate me from my music? Who do they think they are? Sorry, it remains a sore spot of an issue for me. The ' For The Roses '  version on Spotify sounds like an audiophile dream, and I will be downloading the album onto my Android device tonight. I will also be looking for a CD. copy at Silver Platters, getting the best I can out of it on my Ruby; now that is what having options is all about.
     I could look online for the selection at Silver Platters, or you could do the same. They can take your special order online and ship disks to you, whatever you desire. 

eBay seems to be pretty good at differentiating between standard and SACD, that’s where I got the several I have. I just searched for SACD IIRC.

BTW I am listening to my $2 Goodwill John Prine CD (I have been hitting Goodwill hard since I got the Ruby and started listening to CDs again) on my new $60 Philips headphones via the HP amp on the Ruby. I am impressed but I suspect if I had any reference of what a good headphone setup actually sounds like I might have a different opinion.

I have an Oppo 105 that I purchased primarily for SACDs and DVD-A discs.

When my trusty 20 year old Pioneer PD 65 died I started using the 105 exclusively: stock, it was decent but no cigar. While searching for a red book player, I stumbled across parts upgrades on E bay that looked fairly easy to do.

First, I moded with a easy to install silver IEC to power supply jumper. I was so happy (and now familiar with the power supply area) that I then replaced the crappy OEM power supply with a Linear Power Module. These were both sonic game changers. The icing on the cake was when I installed Machina Dynamica New DARK Matter to the tray, which IMHO is an absolute must for any transport/player

Also, I use the Oppo via its XLR outputs (there’s a huge difference between token XLRs and true deferentially balanced circuits) directly into my dual mono ES 1200 class D amp. I have owned many SS ans tube amps over the decades, the EVS is at the very top. If interested see my thread

hth

Pettyofficer, you're lucky to have a good retail outlet for CD's in Seattle. I Iived nearby in Monroe and Bothell throughout the eighties. I used to love driving there to shop at Towers and Peaches and that place under the monorail that specialized in imports. There was a great used record store in Everett too at the time that had lots of rare material. Here in Roanoke the last place left selling CD's was the Barnes & Noble book store at the mall and they might have quit too for what I know.  Thank goodness for online shopping and thanks for your suggestions on where to search. 

Jafant thanks for the info on how to search for SACD's on Amazon. I'll do that today.

 Sebrof, I'll check out Ebay too. I've had pretty good luck with used CD's so far, way better than second-hand records which so often are crackly sounding even if they look perfect. I did get one used CD online from our local Goodwill recently. I haven't yet figured out if there is a physical Goodwill store to go to to check out their stock, or if it was only an online venture. 

Tweak, I'll look up the Machina Dynamica New Dark Matter today. Sounds like you've had some good luck with system improvements and modifications.

Mike