Review: Sony SCD-XA5400ES CD Player


Category: Digital

I love natural recordings that capture the full acoustic envelope of the performances. The Shostakovich Sonatas performed by Ax and YYMa comes to mind...the Sony portrays the entire event in such an unforced and natural manner that it triggers ones acoustic memory into believing it is real. A player that offers no tone color or openness would be my worst nightmare. I replaced my BAT VK D5 24 bit CDP and was amazed at how much resolution and color was lost on the older design. The Sony re-creates the space, music and acoustic tones with overtones so completely that you start to smile and realize that you have been given a great gift...a peak into the performance as it occured at the recording session. My opinion of the Sony applies as much for the redbook section as it does for the SACD section. This player will become a classic product for digital playback....much better it does not get! It's a keeper at any price,,,for $1500 USD it is a freakin steal. This is Sony's best effort to date and manages to break new ground in the digital domain:)

Associated gear
Wilson Sophia speakers
Krell 400xi amp
Harmonic Tech Cables
MIT Oracle AC 2 power cord

Similar products
Sony SCD-1
Sony SCD-XA9000ES
Sony SCD-XA777ES
Levinson 39, 390S, 360S
Wadia 851
Krell SACD Standard
MF A5
BAT VK D524bit
ARC CD 3
128x128dave_b
XA5400ES is an excellent player best value on the market it sounds best via HDMI into Sony DA6400ES/5400ES receivers via HDMI with HATS enabled for lowest published jitter and bi-amp the receiver for sound equal to High End separates.Thers is no sibilance or problem with HF response as some posters have said .
Disbeliever is right...no problems with sibilance or high frequencies whatsoever. In fact, the high frequency reproduction of the XA5400ES is one of it's outstanding features...pure, grain free and harmonicaly full of life with zero glare or digititus:O)
Well, just a quick note.I connected this player in my system consisting of B&W 802D,bryston 4b sst and bryston BP26. I only tried it connected via balanced outs..My most recent players have been MF A5, Simaudio moon eclipse, bryston bcd-1 and esoteric XO-3se. I've only had this player a few day so it is not burned in yet. WHat I can tell you is that at a msrp of $1500 this thing is sick.The rendition of harmonics and their layering is better than any player I have heard to date but I haven't heard that many. It is very holographic but doesn't possess the pinpoint imaging of some others.However the imaging is more believable( people who hear live music know what I am talking about).
Anyways I can't believe it was possible to have this kind of sound for $1500.This thing is an absolute steal.
Budt, several hundred hours of play time will bring a fuller, more palpable and layered sound.
I was thinking of upgrading to a Raysonic to serve as the most recent last cdp I will ever buy but after reading this, I will give this a try.

How long a delay is there between inserting the disc and hearing music?