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Sony SCD-XA5400ES-Best SACD for under $10,000

This Sony player supplanted my Ayre C5-XE 3, which I still have, months ago. I paid $6000 for the Ayre after determining that it was the best-sounding unit for under $10,000. The Sony blows it away!!!
A unit costing $1500 besting all others under $10,000? That is exactly what it does!
For reference, I am using Audio Research electronics and Vandersteen speakers and subwoofers (about $30,000); a similar system has repeatedly been lauded as "best of show" at CES, so we are NOT talking second-rate stuff here.
This Sony is the only SACD/Cd player I have EVER heard that puts a classical piano live in my living room; nothing I ever had before even comes close.
This unit is a small miracle. I would have gladly paid $8000 for it, but if they want to give the thing away for $1500, who am I to argue?
This unit is going to send the engineers at Audio Research, Luxman, Esoteric, and Ayre back to the drawing board; their current units at 4 to 5 times the price are not even close. Some engineer at Sony is a freaking genius!!!
wa6itd

Showing 5 responses by dbphd

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dbphd
1,616 posts
 
I bought Neal's XA5400ES and am very pleased with its portrayal of timbre, dynamic range, and soundstage. In my system the sound is detailed yet smooth. I use analog XLR interconnects to my preamp, and replaced the power cord with something that looks like a garden hose.

db

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dbphd
1,616 posts
 
Mrtennis,

I output analog XLR as well as HDMI from an XA5400ES to a Cary Cinema 11a, so by selecting the input I can compare the Sony processing to that of the Cary. I prefer the Cary processing for both CD and SACD, but the big thing for me is that DSD is available with HDMI, and in particular multi-channel DSD. It can be glorious!

db
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dbphd
1,616 posts
 
I think the most common suggestion is upgrading the power cord. I have been a skeptic of this as an upgrade, but I added a cord recommended by my audiophile friends, a cord that looks more like a garden hose than a power cord. It may have made a difference, but not the kind of difference those who rave about such things would suggest. OTOH, changing to the XA5400ES from a DVP-S900ES made a big difference.

db
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dbphd
1,616 posts
 
Mrtennis,

While I think your series of posts in this thread have been mostly mental masterbation, and thus unworthy of reply, one comment in your 3/18 post left what I think is a misimpression. My impression is the number who extol the virtues of the XA54000ES far outweighs that of those who highlight it's flaws.

Caveat: I'm a very satisfied owner of an unmodded XA5400ES.

db
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dbphd
1,616 posts
 
I have two Sony XA5400ES players sitting in boxes, because I found the sound with the Ayre C-5xeMP to be superior.  But I've never heard a pre minimum-phase (MP) Ayre.  Always planned to sell the Sonys, but never got around to it.  It's on my to-do list.  I rarely spin discs anymore since Roon.

db
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