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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
tuffy72561
184 posts
 
I had the Ayre C5xe Universal player and added the MP upgrade to it. I had to sell due to finances. Bought the Sony SCD-XA5400ES based on Audiogoners opinions here and am happy as heck I did. I find it better in most ways than the AYRE. I have just installed Audioprism reference ground control to the Sony and what an upgrade. I'll bet this has brought me close to halfof the way of what a modwright upgrade does performance-wise. It was a very large upgrade. I have also put ground controls on my amp and speakers, and every improves the sound markedly!
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i ecenetly spoke to dan wright about his mods to the sony and the opp 83 se.

here is a choice. in essence, warmth vs detail. one is not better than other , rather one is different than another.

players have strengths and weaknesses. one man's rupture is another's rapture.

so it is highly conjectural to speak of best player under any dollar amount.

just listen as much as you can.

i happen to be in the market for an sacd player, but it won't be the 5400. hopefully, it will have a tube or two in it.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
In the abstract you are correct Mrtennis, but practicaly speaking, some things are better than others for the money. The 5400, modded or not, is such a player. The NAD C565BEE is another overachiever, albeit for a different buyer perhaps. Balance is the word that comes to mind, and I'll take that over exteme detail, warmth, smoothness or any other hyper characteristic. I find the best way to evaluate any component/system is to utilize live recordings...ones I have had experience with from direct participation or those that I have used repeatedly for evaluation of several different systems.
mitch2
4,036 posts
 
Mr. T, when you say,
i ecenetly spoke to dan wright about his mods to the sony and the opp 83 se. here is a choice. in essence, warmth vs detail.
Which one is warm and which one is detailed? Is this based on your conversation with Dan? If so, is the difference in Dan's opinion large, or a matter of shadings?
mystang
74 posts
 
Mitch2
I have both and the Oppo is the warmer one and to me it is obvious on a short listen but I would not call it a great difference.
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