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What high-end multichannel SACD players are there?

Hello,

My SACD collection is growing! It looks like SACD is here to stay, as more and more discs are popping up on the MusicDirects of the world.

Anyway, I have an ONKYO SP1000 universal player. It plays SACDs. It is multi-channel. It sounds pretty decent, but I'm sure there are much better players out there.

I'm trying to find out what my options are to replace it with a better sounding SACD player. Looks like there are a bunch of players out there from the likes of Esoteric, DCS, McIntosh, Ayre, Krell, etc... BUT they ALL seem to be only 2-channel!

Isn't one of the main points of SACD to be MULTI channel? All the dics have multichannel tracks, and I would hate to give up the option to play them by moving to a better sounding player.

Basically what I'm wondering is this - What are the options for a true high-end SACD player that also has mutichannel capabilities?
goatwuss
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
Go with the best, sound and value, Sony 5400. No one does it better.
zephyr24069's avatar
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zephyr24069
1,240 posts
 
Esoteric SA60, UX-1/UX-1 Limited also support multichannel audio output from suitably capable discs. Check out the product brochures for details. You can also achieve what is reported to be the ultimate in SACD multichannel playback from opting for a P-03 or P-03U with 3 D-03 DACs or a heart-stopping option of the P-01 or P-01VU with 6 D-01 DACs. Esoteric has just released the new P-02 and D-02 transport and DAC; I would imagine you can chain together multiple D-02 DAC components to a P-02 and achieve the same.
edorr
714 posts
 
I presume you are looking at MCH analog outs. The alternitive is to get a SACD player with HDMI out and run into a processor. Oppo 93 / 95 will give you both options (MCH analog and HDMI out). For MCH analog there is an upgrade to the Oppo 93 that takes it up a notch. You can google this.

If you want the best MCH analog out, you can go up the foodchain and get the Denon or Marantz (ud9004) Universal player. For HDMI this is non starter though, because unlike the Oppo these players downsample HDMI output.

Other options for SACD with MCH out are Esoteric and Krell.

Keep in mind though that MCH analog is a dead end architecture, and good MCH analog preamp (which make a huge difference) are hard to come by. You can run through the analog bypass of a processor, but depending on quality of hardware you may be better of running digital. Your safest bet is to get an Oppo, allowing you to do both and compare, without breaking the bank.
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