Sony XA5400ES vs XA9000ES

Thanks Ozzy for giving me your candid opinion I appreciate it. You are just offering what you heard in your system and it just surprised me thats all. You maybe right it just sounded good in my buddies system. He is going to let me borrow it fairly soon so we'll see. The 5400 does intrigue me.

I didn't have the 9000 but had a SOny scd-1 and the redbook playback wasn't even close to my Simaudio moon eclipse( I owned both at the same time). I sold the Sony almost immediately.The redbook playback of the xa5400es is miles ahead of the scd-1.

Hmmmm...Looks like the teeter is swinging toward the 5400?

One more question? Has anyone compared the Sony's to a Raysonic 128 or Cary 306/200?

I have owned many cd players. I am currenty listening to a xa9000es. It is as good as I've heard w/sacd... It is also very good with redbook cds, imho. Possibly other room/equipment matching issues has caused some owners to not apreciate the redbook performance. I have not heard the xa5400es...but think it would carry on the sony tradition of "analog sounding" cd players, scd-1, xa777es ect...if there is such a thing.