"SACD performance is not as good as Marantz SA-1 or Sony SCD-1, better than Marantz SA-14, XA-777ES"
Interestingly, I thought the SA-14 killed the Sony SCD1 and XA777es on redbook and bettered them in SACD playback, and have a few friends that have sold their SA-1's for SA-14's, and some that favor the SA-1 overall. Many feel the SA-14 sacd playback at least equals the Esoteric DV50's, whoes playback many gush over. Goes to show just how vital that putting the gear into your own system really is! Not that reviews are useful, just careful never to take them as gospel, and make sure all comparisons offered are direct A/B, not just by memory as I see so often, which is VERY misleading.
I have no vested intrest in any of these machines personally, as a Modwright sig truth SACD1000 and Benchmark Dac owner, having owned and sold all of the above machines, including the lackluster Denon pieces (2900 and 5900...yuck) :)
Interestingly, I thought the SA-14 killed the Sony SCD1 and XA777es on redbook and bettered them in SACD playback, and have a few friends that have sold their SA-1's for SA-14's, and some that favor the SA-1 overall. Many feel the SA-14 sacd playback at least equals the Esoteric DV50's, whoes playback many gush over. Goes to show just how vital that putting the gear into your own system really is! Not that reviews are useful, just careful never to take them as gospel, and make sure all comparisons offered are direct A/B, not just by memory as I see so often, which is VERY misleading.
I have no vested intrest in any of these machines personally, as a Modwright sig truth SACD1000 and Benchmark Dac owner, having owned and sold all of the above machines, including the lackluster Denon pieces (2900 and 5900...yuck) :)