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

This Sony player supplanted my Ayre C5-XE 3, which I still have, months ago. I paid $6000 for the Ayre after determining that it was the best-sounding unit for under $10,000. The Sony blows it away!!!
A unit costing $1500 besting all others under $10,000? That is exactly what it does!
For reference, I am using Audio Research electronics and Vandersteen speakers and subwoofers (about $30,000); a similar system has repeatedly been lauded as "best of show" at CES, so we are NOT talking second-rate stuff here.
This Sony is the only SACD/Cd player I have EVER heard that puts a classical piano live in my living room; nothing I ever had before even comes close.
This unit is a small miracle. I would have gladly paid $8000 for it, but if they want to give the thing away for $1500, who am I to argue?
This unit is going to send the engineers at Audio Research, Luxman, Esoteric, and Ayre back to the drawing board; their current units at 4 to 5 times the price are not even close. Some engineer at Sony is a freaking genius!!!
wa6itd
listener111
26 posts
 
Need know anyone has comapred this to Jolida 100 .. tried searching the forum, but was unable to get Jolida and 5400 on the same thread.

I have Joilda 100 (modified) for last 5-6 years, happy with the Jolida sound but have few SACDs as well and looking for player with SACD/CD capability trying to figure out is it worth getting Sony XA 5400 ES, will it be improvement over Joilda 100 for playing CDs. other components are

Odyssey - tempest, Stratos, and Usher CP 6381 speakers.

Thanks,
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 

This Is from Japs Stereo Sound Magazine:
The Best CD/SACD Players for 2009:
1. Denon DSD-SX
2. Pioneer PD-D9 Mk2
3. Marantz SA-13S2
4. Sony SCD-XA5400es
5. Esoteric SA-10
6. Esoteric SA-50
7. Link Majik CD
8. Accuphase DP-700
9. Metronome CD1 Signature
10. Playback MPS-5

Is that a joke - the Playback behind all those other machines? Or is the list not ordered?
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
missing from the conversation is the implicit connotation that what is "best" is not absolute and hence dependes upon on'es criteria.

it has often been said that there is no best, so while it is entertaining to discusss the merits of the sony player, it is a philosophical and/or rhetorical question--it has no definitive answer.

there is no best anything in life, period.
winoguy17
1,138 posts
 
Well said Mr. T.
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 

missing from the conversation is the implicit connotation that what is "best" is not absolute and hence dependes upon on'es criteria.

it has often been said that there is no best, so while it is entertaining to discusss the merits of the sony player, it is a philosophical and/or rhetorical question--it has no definitive answer.

Indeed, audio is *highly* subjective. I recall a few years ago a lot of people preferred a Sony Playstation as a digital source over units an order of magnitude or more expensive. In fact, with digital sources I think the level of subjectivity is highest.

Still, there are common and prevailing opinions. For example, it would be surprising to see any audio journal rate the Playback machine behind those others if that is actually the case - such a take would be counter to what's typical, in the audio press itself as well as outside of it. (As for me, I've never heard it.)


there is no best anything in life, period.

There's a bit of a silly statement, philosophically. :) So the only absolute is that there are absolutely no absolutes? I disagree.

In audio there may be no absolutes.
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