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
Thanks for the comments!

The mileage that I am getting out of the Anthem room correction is XTREME as I have Revel Studios in a fairly small room (15 x 13) and the bass would overwhelm the room without Anthem ARC. ARC cleans it right up.

I exchanged some emails with Dan from Modwright, who agreed with you all here - ie GO ANALOG from a great player if possible. If room correction didn't play such a big role in my setup I would go in Analog direct, and preferably find a nice MCH pre. Emm labs Switchman maybe?

Next time - just need to snag a bigger room.

What is the top player up to 5k used of of the MCH analogs? ModWright Oppo 95? Krell Evo 505? That marantz player?

In the meantime digital over HDMI it is I think... but I would like to get a real nice analog player in the future - so I am leaning towards Oppo 95 stock to start with and go digital (and enjoy the nice build quality) and then break off to a real nice analog setup later.
Goatwuss, yes I am running 6 channel analog direct into the D2v and using the 6CH out to listen. I have had no issues with sound quality. I get more dynamic soundfield doing it that way than by running HDMI. I find that the digital route sounds very constrained. I had a McIntosh MX135 prior to the D2v and I always used the 6 channel analog on it as well, of course it didn't have HDMI. You can always make adjustments within either your player or the D2v to sound issues if you have any.
Oppo 95 - PURCHASED

I figure this will be a good place to start to give me flexibility, with possible mods later on
Kal:

Edorr wrote, "If you do not need the Blu Ray, you can get a Sony XA5400. According to Kal marginally better than the Oppo on HDMI out."

I recalled your comment being the Oppo 95 HDMI was marginally better than the Sony XA5400. Did I recall incorrectly?

db