Sony SCD-XA5400ES-Best SACD for under $10,000

Not sure if anyone is still following this thread but I'm looking to gather your opinions...After 3-4 months with my 5400ES, I can no longer tolerate,nor can I seem to do anything to eliminate the GLARE in the upper mids. The player scores PERFECTLY in virtually every other area but in my system (which I'll describe below) the upper mid glare on things like the upper range of piano is really irritating. Horns are more spit than bell, snares are more spring than skin, and stringed instruments are more bow than body. (and did I mention that David Russell now sounds like his fingernails need trimming?) I can minimize this artifact by swapping power cables but then I'm also altering other characteristics when I do. Interconnects, I've tried every pair in the house, same with speaker cables, and I've also tried two pairs of speakers.
The way I see it, my choices are: Spend a couple thousand dollars on various power cables and hope I get lucky (the unit responds to pc swaps pretty dramatically), have the unit modified (not something I would normally consider and I would prefer not to have any tubes added to my system), or replace the player. Since I am presently of "limited means" the most likely replacement would be an Arcam CD37 since I have a dealer friend who gives me great deals and because I've spent $300 on SACD's since I got the Sony.
Opinions?? (I know, I'm opening up Pandora's box here)
My system is Marsh Sound Design P2000/A200S, HT Truth Link and Pro-11 cables, and either one of two pairs of ProAc speakers, Response 2's or Tablette 50 Sigs ( I prefer to use the Tabs since the listening space is small and I realize that they are adding to the problem as they are a bit brighter than the R2's. I eventually plan on selling both pairs and grabbing the Response D1's)
Sidebar: The 5400ES replaced an XA7ES which never sounded harsh or offensive. I'm currently listening to an Arcam CD17 I borrowed from my friend which sounds nice and relaxed but lacks the detail retrieval and dynamic range of the Sony.Certainly no glare on the CD17 but the timbrel accuracy of the Sony isn't there either. Does anyone know of a mod which will just address the glare issue on the Sony without adding a pair of tubes sticking up through the top of the chassis?
Before you tube guys start railing on me, I've owned complete ARC and C-J tube systems in my life,and I'm an electric guitar player of 40+ years. "I got nuthin' against tubes!" Just want a SS stereo this time around.

I would certainly consider the VSE mods to your 5400 with the Terra Firma Lite clock. I heard this in Allen Wright's system in Schaffhausen and he uses Acoustats so any glare in the delivery system would be exposed. You need precision in the treble region with the Tablettes. No valves in the VSE board.

Are those amps balanced or single-ended?

Regards,

Presently, I'm running them single ended but balanced connections are available. As a former C-J user, all my best cables were single ended.
I'll check out Allen's mod. I had only seen the Modwright mod with those 6sn7's poking up through the top. Any idea how much the VSE mod costs?

Around $1650

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue47/sonyscdxa5400es.htm

Regards,

That sounds enticing and I appreciate your thoughtful suggestion, however at this time, the only way I could raise that much money would be to SELL the 5400ES (as well as a few other things). I don't know if I possess the nerves it must take to spend that much on a mod. In better days perhaps, but I'm semi-retired now and cash flow isn't what it used to be. I may call Bill at Music Technology (where they install the VSE mods) and speak with him about it. He won't remember me by name, but we have a mutual friend, so maybe he'll spend a few minutes on the phone with me. If he can assure me that the mod will get me to where I want to go, then maybe I'll hang onto the Sony and figure out how to raise the money.
Meanwhile, the Arcam on loan (which is the lower priced unit, not the CD37 I would purchase) is beginning to sound pretty darn good. Being an audiophile in a small market is getting really frustrating because there just aren't any opportunities to audition much of anything! My friend is always happy to order things like the 5400 and the Arcam and he gives me a good enough price that I can listen for a few months and get out without losing my shirt if I don't like the equipment, but I'm limited to what he can get me.
If we had better public transportation I would just sell my car and get something REALLY nice. My car wouldn't get me a DCS rig but it could get me a Wadia. :-)