I would avoid spending $8K on a digital source that you have not demo'd. Digital sources, no matter the brand, depreciate faster than other audio equipment, because transports contain moving parts prone to failure over time and innovation in digital-land is still happening a lot faster than in amp/preamp-land.
So, I would make the trip to an Ayon dealer, tell them you are interested in hearing the CD-5, and ask them if it is OK to bring along the Sony 5400 so you can do a side-by-side comparison. (They might say no, but it never hurts to ask).
You can try to buy the Ayon used and flip it if you don't like it. However, the risk of some financial loss is pretty high, especially since you most likely will be buying from the "original owner" and selling the unit as the "second owner", and because of that are likely to take a haircut.
The fact that Doug Schroeder, who wrote that glowing review of the Ayon CD-5 in Dagogo and has other top-of-the line components in his setup, most notably the $15,000 VAC Signature preamp and two $10,000 VAC Phi 200 monoblocks, has since become a disciple of the Eastern Electric Tube Dac Plus at one eighth the price of the CD-5 speaks volumes.
I personally have owned both Ayon and PS Audio's Perfect Wave gear and am in agreement with Erikminer. But you may have different tastes, and an Ayon CD player may pair better with your Ayon amp than it did with my VAC Phi 200.
But forget what I think. Get yourself to a dealer before you make the jump from a $1100 Sony 5400 to an $8K Ayon CD-5.
So, I would make the trip to an Ayon dealer, tell them you are interested in hearing the CD-5, and ask them if it is OK to bring along the Sony 5400 so you can do a side-by-side comparison. (They might say no, but it never hurts to ask).
You can try to buy the Ayon used and flip it if you don't like it. However, the risk of some financial loss is pretty high, especially since you most likely will be buying from the "original owner" and selling the unit as the "second owner", and because of that are likely to take a haircut.
The fact that Doug Schroeder, who wrote that glowing review of the Ayon CD-5 in Dagogo and has other top-of-the line components in his setup, most notably the $15,000 VAC Signature preamp and two $10,000 VAC Phi 200 monoblocks, has since become a disciple of the Eastern Electric Tube Dac Plus at one eighth the price of the CD-5 speaks volumes.
I personally have owned both Ayon and PS Audio's Perfect Wave gear and am in agreement with Erikminer. But you may have different tastes, and an Ayon CD player may pair better with your Ayon amp than it did with my VAC Phi 200.
But forget what I think. Get yourself to a dealer before you make the jump from a $1100 Sony 5400 to an $8K Ayon CD-5.