Sony SACD Player SCD-XA5400ES; YAY or NAY?

update:

I just ordered this 4 CD set

before this player, no way would I buy CD’s unless LP version didn’t exist. Now, preference is based on price, not format.

3 systems: what I did: Main: xa5400ES is my single SACD/CD player.

sony 6 disc carousel put back in for continuous play, i.e. Christmas CD’s; Parties ... It is the most compact, handles 6 discs, even though the Yamaha and Onkyo Integra are preferred sound. Garage/Shop: Onkyo Integra CDC-3.4 II (don’t need SACD there). Bigger than the Yamaha, but prefer smaller remote. Yamaha DVD-C961 I restored: just sold for a decent profit.

Office: CD Player in Computer good enough, very rarely used, primarily to make copies.

I can confirm that the XA5400ES outputs DSD from an SACD. CD playback is NOT DSD but PCM at the standard 44.1 kHz sampling rate. 
 

How do I know that? I’m using the HDMI output of my XA5400ES, connected to the HDMI 4 input on a Bryston BDA-3. (The BDA-3 has four HDMI inputs. Only input 4 is HDCD 2.2 compliant and I found that it was the port I needed to use.j

The BDA-3 uses LEDs on the faceplate to identify the sample rate of the incoming signal and to identify an incoming DSD signal, if that’s what the source device is sending it.
With CD playback, the 44.1 kHz LED lights but the DSD LED doesn’t. 

IMO, any decent dac in the $1000-$2000 range will far exceed the Sony. I owned both the 5400 and it’s more- expensive predecessor, and found them well-built and non-offensive, but lacking in portraying instrumental textures and realism. Keep the Sony for a transport and SACDs. People seem to be thrilled with the Denefrips Aries, which is under $1000. Or if you want to play around, try a Topping DX3Pro+ from Amazon for $200. I bought one to use as a headphone amp and it is stupidly good. Using it with a $10 Amazon Basics optical cable, BTW. I was never a fan of budget gear, but the Topping is really good.

It's a SALAD, not just a DAC,

it's how many DAC's? Over-Sampling; Re-Clocking; Anti-Jitter physical and software; Filters; Shaping, OEM proprietary tricks, .....

How the bejesus can you say 'ANY MODERN DAC?' 

Right now I'm enjoying the heck out of a DG CD of a Mozart's Requiem I just fished out of my collection. DG, Herbie the K at the controls. A bit hashy when everyone is yelling and screaming, but considering its curriculum vitae, it's sounding mighty good. Performance, of course, is an unmitigated treat.