2. digital
  3. 1262881641

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
rfogel8's avatar
rfogel8
192 posts
 
Audioholik, don't take this the wrong way but there are thousands of pieces of audio gear for sale on this website(and others), purchased by lemmings who believe everything they read in the audio rags.

After making a few disappointing purchases, the average 'phile begins to realize that most of those Bozos reviewing all that expensive equipment can't hear, have bad taste or more likely, rarely give bad reviews for fear of losing those advertising dollars manufacturers spend in their magazine.

I'm guessing the Oppo 95 does sound better on redbook than the Sony but I'd be surprised if the Sony isn't better on SACD. Then again, it does all boil down to personal taste.
mitch2
4,281 posts
 
Rfogel8, I agree that many of us have "a few disappointing purchases," and that leads us to start listening and judging for ourselves. I will not go down the "advertising dollars for reviews" road, although I do believe the magazines can play their favorites by giving more coverage to those mfgs who support them with advertising. That's the way the world turns.

What amazes me is the number of times I read reviews where the reviewer has inappropriate supporting equipment, or a lack of relevant experience with equipment similar to, and competitive against, the piece being reviewed.

Regarding the Sony vs. Oppo, IMO SACD is going to become less relevant as more hi-rez software becomes available on-line. Therefore, if the sonics are close between the two, IMO the ability to play burned hi-rez DVD discs and also Blu-ray movies means the Oppo wins. I am really interested in how close a modded Oppo can come to a good player like the Ayre C-5xeMP and/or to a good computer set-up with an upper level DAC from Wavelength, Empirical Audio or equivalent. The Oppo (perhaps modded) seems like a good "last player" for many as they transition to computer audio.
audiozen
831 posts
 
Mitch2...Hi-rez streaming will never surpass the best of what SACD has to offer. The disadvantage of DS devices is that you do not have the variable choice of the best world class SACD players that sell for over $ 30K that will give you the very warm, rich, smooth, analog character. I have listen to DS from online source's, too cold for my taste even though the sound is very dynamic, very low noise and very clean. Also, the new SHM-SACD single layer disc format has taken SACD to a whole new performance level which will be extremely hard to beat by any other format including DS streaming. Two of the finest sounding SACD players on the market that will smoke DS is the Accuphase DP-700 and the Luxman D-08. Play SHM single layer disc on these players and you will forget about DS.
regismc
112 posts
 
Anybody here compared the Modwright Sony to the VSE Sony?
Comments? Is it simply tubes vs no tubes? I'm considering the
VSE mod on a Yamaha CD-S2000 to go along w/my Modwright
Transporter. Just looking for a more neutral source, single box,
front end to 'flavor' my system. Both mods cost the same, so I
was wondering what the net effect was of each & it seems that
the Sony is the player w/the most chance of being heard in each
configuration. Thanx.
wig's avatar
wig
1,288 posts
 
Guys,

Had my MW 5400 modded with Bybee Musicrails and Audio Magic Gen ZX and the sound is "UNBELIEVABLE"! You can litterly walk into the soundstage and touch the performers, you get the musicians are in your room type of feeling. More to follow but if you don't have this upgrade I recommend you consider this. I rate this upgrade over any tweaks or component changes I have ever conducted. You will be blown away!
More to discover