News help choosing a SACD Player / transport

McIntosh transports send DSD to their DA2 DACs in their preamps and integrateds via a proprietary MCT link. I own about a dozen SACDs and the SQ between them and the hi res pcm files being streamed is very slight if anything at all. I can’t really even describe the difference I hear on some musical passages, more of a feeling of some depth or three-dimensionality. But again, it’s slight and only some tracks. 

There are restrictions on outputting DSD from SACDs, look at the AI Google Overview for

are there restrictions on outputting DSD from SACDs 

However the "AI Overview" from Google, if you query 

sacd player that outputs dsd

sacd players that output dsd

may give you potential (different) answers.  Any outputs will not be standard coax or toslink, only USB or IIS will be supported and may be in a vendor specific protocol.

Google's Ai overviews are usually an interesting starting point, BUT they can contain errors so verify results, hence the two slightly different queries. 

Question, which Esoteric model were you trying?  The new XD units sound rather different from the older XS components and they have the ultimate bulletproof drive mechanisms.  Used 03XD or 05XD models may be in your price range.

I use a McIntosh MCT500 transport with a McIntosh D150 DAC.  These models have been around at least 10 years or so.  Used,  they might get close to your budget.  This is what I do.  Proprietary DIN cable between the MCT500 and the D150 to play SACD and CD.  COAX cable between the MCT500 and D150 to play higher res PCM from the MCT500 USB stick slot where I have all my ripped CDs, higher res PCM, and ripped SACDs.  Note: You have to switch inputs on the D150 when going from DSF or SACD to higher res PCM coming from the COAX. cable.  Recently I added a  Volumio RIVO+ streamer to stream Qobuz and hold all my ripped .wav CDs, ripped .dsf SACDs, & higher res PCM connected by USB cable to the D150 DAC along with a 13.5" OLED screen to show the Album art.   I use a 1 TB MicroSd card to hold all my music into the RIVO+ which is very fast.  USB sticks are also supported, but, microSD has the cleanest sonic path.  I stream Qobuz through the RIVO+ and switch to my ripped files at will from my Volumio iphone app.  I rarely every use the MCT500 transport anymore.  I used to use it for SACD, CD and USB stick drive, and the user interface on the small screen is decent, but, the Volumio user interface integrated with streaming is at another level.  Regarding sound, I do not think I can tell the difference between SACD and SACD ripped dsf files.  I tried a couple of times, and I am not sure...  I think I like the RIVO+ playing .wav and .dsf files through the USB connection on the D150 dac better than the USB stick input on the MCT500 transport, but, I am not sure.... Likewise on CDs and ripped CD .wav files.  Regarding SACD, CDs, I would be hard pressed to say any ripped files sound as good as the hard copies, but, I am also not convinced I could pick out the difference in a blind test.  I do believe there is a good logic to be able to play your hard disks, but, if I had to choose between one or the other, I would choose the Rivo+ with the ripped files.  I hope this answer helps you.  

I thought that the PS Audio Transport would pass on the DSD signal to any DAC that has an I2S input.  That’s why I toyed with getting one a while back.  

    OP:  To clarify,  better DSD sound from the Esoteric unit, bypassing the Lampy?  

    Assume yes...DSD over USB is DoP (DSD over PCM);  that is DSD 1 bit files embedded in PCM protocols (files).  Using asynchronous USB allows room for clock errors (jitter) to potentially degrade the signal (also conversions back and forth between Raw DSD and PCM). The Esoteric has beaucoup/very good clocking protocols to filter any jitter.

   PCM and DSD converters are completely different animals, though Esoteric controls both thru the FPGM chip.  The Lampy has to convert DSD to PCM to feed the ladder DAC, it has no RAW DSD DAC.

  There is so much quality of recording/mixing differences between CD and especially DSD productions, either RedBook CD or native DSD or DoP can sound better.   Your ears are the final judges!

  The "breakout boxes" you mention extract I2s (music only) signals from HDMI connectors/cables...pin configurations between Transport and DAC must match.  I have a cheap $60 one between an OPPO 85 and a Pontus II (12th) DAC.  This may violate SACD rules but I bought and own the Discs and am not duplicating or making $$s...so fair?