I checked to see if your Sony SACD player in hopes that it would have a digital input and could be used as a DAC.
I have a Pioneer Elite PD-D6-J SACD player and also a Maverick TubeMagic D2 (all available upgrades) DAC (both tube and solid state outputs) and I cannot tell the difference between a CD or SACD on my Pioneer Elite SACD player and iTunes through an Apple Airport Express through the solid state output on the Maverick DAC. I can easily hear the difference using the tube output.
I'm a bit of a flat earther in that from my limited experience I don't have any real evidence that anything before the DAC makes much if any difference. Maybe the horizon will eventually develop a curve, but that's where I'm at for now.
The Maverick DAC is available under $300 new and the Airport Express is about $100 leaving you with some budget for the rest of the needed parts.
I have a Pioneer Elite PD-D6-J SACD player and also a Maverick TubeMagic D2 (all available upgrades) DAC (both tube and solid state outputs) and I cannot tell the difference between a CD or SACD on my Pioneer Elite SACD player and iTunes through an Apple Airport Express through the solid state output on the Maverick DAC. I can easily hear the difference using the tube output.
I'm a bit of a flat earther in that from my limited experience I don't have any real evidence that anything before the DAC makes much if any difference. Maybe the horizon will eventually develop a curve, but that's where I'm at for now.
The Maverick DAC is available under $300 new and the Airport Express is about $100 leaving you with some budget for the rest of the needed parts.