What's the best Sony CD/SACD player?

Guys-I think you're all missing the point for the existence of the 5400; that is passing multichannel SACD data over an HDMI interface to a proper decoding processor. The fact that it plays stereo CD and stereo SACD well is just a bonus

Give it a try; multichannel blows away stereo, by miles and miles! None of that darker, warmer, more neutral, etc., stuff - you are just there, right at the performanace.

Russ

OK, so what is an example of a proper decoding processor? And how many would perform better than the analog out of the 5400ES?

Also, if I have it right, the XA9000ES and XA777ES offer multi channel analog out, while the SCD777ES and 5400ES do not. It might be just me but I find the various Sony models with 777 in the name a bit confusing.

The 5400 is a clear winner I have 1,000s of hours voicing sysytems and especially with modificationsand capacitors.
The 5400 platform once runin which takes some 500 hours to fully run in I played mine 4 weeks straight and have heard subltle differences after 3 weeks a very natural warm tone with excellent inner detail and very taught Bass.
I am going after the max potential ,for 1 music direct sell 1 ampslow blow Hifituning fuses ,a clear improvement ,a solid digital power cord and quality cables also 3 damping sheets buy 3 for the transport and all over the top cover and sides , .I al replacing all the stock electrolytic capacitors with the Nichicon fineGold series
also the Best clock and regulator board out there by far the Terra Firma clock modificationwhich is a revelation .
The 5400 have a excellent platform to build on as several Modding companys are douing this ,the dual R core transformers are excellent as well as the Burr Brown 1796 dac ,the opamps are also BB.for under $2k in Modds this unit will go toe to toe with ANY player in the $10k range with No problem. I heard one 2 weeks ago ,I brought my player as a direct comparison,it was destroyed compared to.
The word High quality Analog and natural are the only ways I can describe the sound in a brief term well worth the expense IMO.

After servicing by Sony Laredo the sound of my DVP-S9000ES is much improved -- since I got a PS3-80, I've used it only for stereo with video processing turned off. But the sound of my XA5400ES is superior. The 5400ES exhibits what might seem opposite ends of a dimension: The sound is much smoother than that of the DVP-S9000ES yet considerably more detailed. The XA5400ES also has much greater low frequency extension, yet the bass is if anything tighter. Depth of soundstage is superior.

Whereas with the DVP-S9000 ES I prefer using the DACs in my Proceed PDSD, with the XA5400ES I prefer using the analog XLR from the Sony to my PAV. I also have a 9100ES, but have for some reason always preferred the 9000. perhaps just because the 9000 is so handsome.

db

I Must admit when I am wrong, While out west on business I had the opportunity to hear Dan Modwrights new modification upgrades for the Sony 5400 sacd player.
As good as the Terra firma clock was ,the Modwrights had a much more
3 dimentional presentation ,using the 6sn7 Vacuum tube for the analog section was a excellent choice a warm very
involving sound with tons of layering around the instruments I am sure the seperate power supply also had lots to do with the solid tight Bass which was also Vacuum tube.
Dan said he is using the latest Audiocom 4 superclock
from the U.K and custom building his own regulation for the Masterclock.I gave him the deposit and have sent my unit for the superb upgrade it is the best I have heard
to date for under $10k.