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Best SACD Player in the $2000 Range

My set up is Quad electrostatics, with Thor Linestage,
Thor 150 watt monoblocks, Stibbert By Blue Note Cd player and a Cary 306/200 with a Thor Dac. Listen to a lot of classical and want to hear the difference between SACD and redbook. What SACD player would anyone on the site that has one in his system recommend at or close to my price range? Any help appreciated.
kjl
metralla
945 posts
 
I can recommend the Sony SCD-XA5400ES also. It does take a while to give of its best, but it is a very articulate and alive-sounding player. Nice balanced outputs if you can use them. Useful remote functions, fast reading of SACDs.

I got mine from Crutchfield, an authorized dealer so a 5 year warranty.

Regards,
blindjim
3,092 posts
 

Modright did some very good things with the Dennon 3910 series players, including tube rectifycation, and other audiophile upgrades throughout. It playes everthing.

A really nice one should run no more than what is in your budget now, and equal or surpass many new units just out in the stand alone one box categories.

Look for one of those 3910 from an orig owner in great shape!
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
Maybe it is too early to jump. Sony will intoduce a new player at the CES in January that will do SACD and Blu-Ray. The 54oo will be dropped. Apparently Sony is going to use Blu-Ray to take SACD to the next level in audio. Gives them the chance to re-issue the SACD catalog all over again. The new player will be about $2K.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
a Turntable that plays vinyl.
kjl OP
31 posts
 
Will Blue Ray take SACD to the next level.
My understanding is that SACD has a higher resolution than
Blu-Ray. It might make sense to wait until January to see if Sony is seeking to raise the bar on the quality of sound.
My personal opinion is that Sony is interested in mainstream, feels that the SACD experiment was a failure and that Blue Ray will only be for the video and sound purely secondary. Any thoughts?
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