Ayre C-5xe-mp v Sony XA5400ES

There's no comparison. The Sony is a good player but the Ayre is so much better that you don't even have to hear it in the same system to make a comparison. I wouldn't trust Stereophile to buy equipment. Listen to both players. That way you'll know for sure.

I also agree with Zd452, another option would be to mod your sony. Best of Luck

Zd542,

I'd really like to hear both, but we live in Montecito, a small town adjacent to Santa Barbara, so sampling is limited unless I venture into the dreaded LA area, and even then, the Ayre has been discontinued. I suspect you guys are right though. In a reply to my post at Audio Asylum about whether seeking an Ayre still made sense with Hi-Res computer downloads, he suggested an SACD on an Ayre could better a download.

db

I realize I left out a referent to he. It's John Atkinson. I'm likely to buy a used Ayre if I can find one under $3K.

db