Which of these SACD players would you choose?

My new Pioneer Elite PD-D6-J Super Audio CD Player arrived this afternoon and was waiting for me on the porch. The SACD version of Norah Jones' Come Away With Me was in the mailbox to complete the evening experience. Bottom line, it sounds wonderful.

The soundstage is similar to my Integra and the borrowed SACD player using analog cables, but sounds much better across the board.

The improvement in sound quality on regular CDs is enough that my wife can't deny hearing it. Obviously, the sound of the SACDs is, again, simply wonderful.

My EE friend that's very much into music and audio equipment stopped by for a demo and commented that it sounds very close to the smoothness of vinyl without the "hiss" that is ofter associated with it. Neither one of has the resources or interest to get vinyl where it would sound better than this, but I'm sure that it can be done.

On the first listen through Norah Jones CD I've already heard things that I couldn't hear before. There are things that have definition that my previous setup with Infinity IL-50 speakers and Onkyo TX-SR606 receiver just left sounding similar to the analog vinyl "hiss."

I'm happy!

Anyone in the market for a CD player should consider this unit. It is simply amazing. All of the standard CDs that I have played have given me something new to hear. The ones that are SACD just go another step beyond.

Lucky for all of you I'll be gone camping for the next few days or you might just have to read post after post about this thing.

"The Pioneer is probably over 8 years old and the Integra is fairly new. I'm not sure why that matters as they nearly sound the same. "
For some reason I thought you were comparing the new Pioneer to Integra that already had some hours on it. The reason I asked for hours is, based on my personal experience, electronics do take some time to stabilize (speakers, even more). And I did not want you to take a decision based on couple of hours of equipment "burn-in". But since it not the newer equipment, my question does not mean anything.
But I am glad you liked the new Pioneer. I think you should post a pic of your system along with the new player :-) Enjoy your music.

Mceljo, John Marks say about the album you used in your evaluation, "Perhaps I first should have consulted my horoscope in the local newspaper. But I can't imagine what it could have said that might have warned me off. So, in blissful ignorance, I went to the local big-box consumer-electronics chain retailer and laid down my lettuce. I thought I was buying the SACD version of Norah Jones' Come Away With Me (Blue Note 5 41472 8), but, by the end of the affair, I felt I'd gotten The Royal Scam."

http://www.stereophile.com/thefifthelement/1104fifth/

Hmm, I won't dispute what the article says on the Norah Jones CD, but it wasn't the only CD used for comparison. I think it does sound better in the SACD format, but it isn't a significant difference. I'll listen a little more carefully next time and see what I think now that my perception it tainted a bit.

It'll be later today as I'll be listening to tunes while watching Nascar...repetitive turning left makes for a great opportunity for listening to music.