Why is Sony Digital sound more like vinyl?

I agreed, piano is hard-sounding. What your tube DAC has done is limit the HF dynamics. You are getting the sustain and decay, but not the attack. This will make a Steinway sound like a Baldwin. I have experienced this "pretty" sound myself, since I mod so many different DAC's. It isn't real, trust me. To achieve live-sounding piano (which is my reference recording), you need sibilant-free playback with excellent focus and good HF dynamics. My wife plays our Yamaha grand in our music room, so we both know what live piano sounds like.

And just because most stock Sonys can be bettered by more expensive gear means nothing. The key is that the right digital signal processing is being done in there, so with mods, these other deficiencies can be overcome.

Sorlowski - The 9000 is a bit of a problem, you are correct. I am told you can program a "soft" mode, which is digital signal processing that can ameliorate some of this, but evidently you sacrifice detail in the process. I have modded the digital out on some 9000's and they turn-out okay, but are bettered by the older 7700. In fact, since the 7700 is getting quite old now, I am on a quest to find a transport replacment that is just as good. No luck so far.

My impression when I tried the XA777ES in my system was that it compresses dynamics in Redbook mode, making it less harsh on the ears than some players. It can be a pleasant sound, but overall kind of dull. The SACD mode doesn't have that problem. I suppose another component that is somewhat aggressive could complement it and produce good synergy.

I'm not surprised to hear some of you re-iterate what the reviewers have said.."SACD is great but CD is ok!"...bullshit, it is far better than ok with a properly tuned system. Remember, I am talking about acoustic instruments sounding reall...not artificial stuff, although everything seems to come off sounding better...I wish someone lived nearby to hear what I'm trying to say i.e...go to symphony hall and hear what music does in a real acoustic space in an average seat,,,that is what the sony does amazingly well!!!

Audioengr: Playing music and playing a disc such as the Ayre that i mentioned are very different things in terms of how it "works" the component. This is due to the differences in spectral balance and average levels achieved. By working the entire audible spectrum at a high average level, the break-in is both faster and more thorough in my experience.

As far as the analogue outs vs the digital outs, my experience with this player is that they sound very similar if using a relatively neutral DAC. In effect, the transport seems to impart much of the sonic signature that the 963 brings along with it. Quite honestly, i was amazed at how much the sonics of a transport impart into a system. That is, once i had a DAC that was good enough to reveal these things : ) Sean
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