Sony 900ES SACD sound vs CD - Help


I now have a little over 120 hours on my 9000ES DVD. Here's the problem: When I use the Sony as a transport (The digital output fed into an MSB Link Dac 2) the sound quality is MUCH better than the Sony supplied SACD music played through the SACD internal decoding circuits and output form the analog outputs on the Sony.

How can this be? I thought the SACD was supposed to be much better than the CD. Is it possible that the SACD circuits need much more time to break in?

The Sony when used as a transport is almost as good as my SimAudio Moon Eclipse cd player (when also used as a transport) which has a floating suspension.

I have the Sony on a magnetic levitation system which I designed that floats it 1/4 to 1/2" off the shelf.
This isolates the transport and circuitry from low frequency vibration. The result is: better bass, more open midrange, and clearer highs.

I just don't understand why the SACD part of this doesn't sound as good as everyone says it does. Maybe the sampler sacd is very good?

Any ideas??
128x128darrell

Showing 3 responses by drubin

Golly Martice, it is so wonderful of you to save us poor slobs from our dumb-ass purchase mistakes. But really, I think everyone on this forum who choses to buy an SACD player is doing so with eyes wide open as far as the viability of the format. Maybe it is just worth it to some folks to have SACD playback in their systems, even if there are never a lot of software titles. Maybe they will find they want to add an outboard DAC for redbook CD playback in the future, maybe not. Why do you care?
I do own a 777 Martice. I bought it to use as a transport and to play SACDs and, as Art Dudley suggested in a recent Listener editorial, to vote for the new format with my wallet. But at $1500, it was practically a no-brainer. I am plenty interested in others' experiences with these players, including your experience. But your opinions seem to be based soley on your sense of the industry and the outlook for the format, and apparently not on first-hand experience with the products. Meanwhile, lots and lots of owners (many are knowledgeable and experienced audiophiles) are very enthusiastic about the Sony players. Are they wrong?