Sony 9000 ES SACD output stage cold

I got a similar problem with my 9000ES. I have burn in my player for 200+ hours with SACD. However, they still do not sound as good as my XRCDs. In some cases, my audiophile normal CDs sound better than the SACDs that I bought (including the SACD sampler).

The system I use are Plinius CD-LAD, Plinius SA-250, Harmonic Tech ic, MIT MH-750 shotgun speaker cables, PSB stratus speakers and Synergistic reference and AC master coupler power cords.

The only conclusion I can draw is that 9000ES is designed to be a top of the line DVD player from Sony with the option to play SACD. When come to playing SACD, it is nowhere near Sony SCD-1 or SCD-777.

Since I have not tried either of these players, I'm not sure if it is true. Any comments?

I received my 9000es from Stan Warren (541/344 - 3696) a couple months ago and posted results. In brief, Stan substantially improved detail, size of the soundstage, imaging. Better midrange and bass. Mod costs $250 plus shipping.

Simon: Are you saying that this is so of both playback modes? Thanks.

I'm going to take a flyer here (is that the expression?) and suggest that some audiophiles may not like the sound of SACD. In many ways it is not "spectacular." Compared to redbook CDs, it may strike you as softer and less well defined and you may like it less. Nothing to be ashamed of. I think this is why a mainstream audience is not going to demand it.

As others have said, SACD sounds warmer and smoother. For me, the main thing it has going for it is the way the music flows. Hard for me to find other words than that. This quality is both subtle and profound at the same time.

Excellent observation, Drubin. I might add that the sound of SACD is also more open (not a feeling as if listening in a box), with less high frequency hash and accordingly less apparent energy in that frequency range. Some people may miss that energy on rock and jazz recordings, although, at least for classical music, I find SACD's presentation to be more natural. And while the dynamic range improvement of SACD over CD is substantial, very few recordings out there available on SACD take full advantage of that increased range, certainly no pop recordings I have heard.