I recently acquired the Sony XA5400.
It turned my system upside down, gave me a completely new sound I didn't realize was possible. The soundstage is phenomenal, it's like attending a live concert in an intimate acoustic setting. It stretches the octave range up and down and makes the middle come alive with incredible vibrancy.
I am listening to all my CDs anew and as if I hear the tracks for the first time, they sound that different. I am hearing instruments that were previously masked, little details like the bench groaning as Oscar Peterson was slightly shifting his weight during a live recording. At times I am holding my breath, waiting for what comes out next.
This is the single best invetment I have ever made, like I got a completely new system.
The funniset part is that I am using Snell K7 monitors. They are tiny bookshelf monitors, but very precise and neutral. I have a matched Snell Basis 150 hidden in a corner. When my friends hear the system they think all this grand soundstaging is coming out of these tiny cans only.
I have a 24 bit recording of Copland's Third Symphony, and when the big drums kick in people are almost falling out of their chairs. The realism is such that it is almost frightening.
Thanks to Sony for introducing this amazing sleeper product. If there are better sources out there I hope they are as affordable as this unit. Otherwise I urge everyone to have a good listen.
My former unit was a Sony S9000ES. No slouch, but compared to the 5400 it's like an old relic from college.
My other gear is Cary, Modwright and Simaudio.
It turned my system upside down, gave me a completely new sound I didn't realize was possible. The soundstage is phenomenal, it's like attending a live concert in an intimate acoustic setting. It stretches the octave range up and down and makes the middle come alive with incredible vibrancy.
I am listening to all my CDs anew and as if I hear the tracks for the first time, they sound that different. I am hearing instruments that were previously masked, little details like the bench groaning as Oscar Peterson was slightly shifting his weight during a live recording. At times I am holding my breath, waiting for what comes out next.
This is the single best invetment I have ever made, like I got a completely new system.
The funniset part is that I am using Snell K7 monitors. They are tiny bookshelf monitors, but very precise and neutral. I have a matched Snell Basis 150 hidden in a corner. When my friends hear the system they think all this grand soundstaging is coming out of these tiny cans only.
I have a 24 bit recording of Copland's Third Symphony, and when the big drums kick in people are almost falling out of their chairs. The realism is such that it is almost frightening.
Thanks to Sony for introducing this amazing sleeper product. If there are better sources out there I hope they are as affordable as this unit. Otherwise I urge everyone to have a good listen.
My former unit was a Sony S9000ES. No slouch, but compared to the 5400 it's like an old relic from college.
My other gear is Cary, Modwright and Simaudio.