No, cannot be modified to read SACDs. Yes, it is outdated, but if you love the sound, why change it?
I have a Rotel RCD-1080...I think that was the model...anyway, very well regarded CD player, for the money, and asked a modder about it and he said he wasn't particularly fond of modding those, except as transports. I left it alone, and later looked into changing the clock and opamp with Burson's and that looked promising. Check it out. Eventually I decided not to mod anything and bought a Squeezebox Touch, that has replaced the Rotel altogether.
I have a Rotel RCD-1080...I think that was the model...anyway, very well regarded CD player, for the money, and asked a modder about it and he said he wasn't particularly fond of modding those, except as transports. I left it alone, and later looked into changing the clock and opamp with Burson's and that looked promising. Check it out. Eventually I decided not to mod anything and bought a Squeezebox Touch, that has replaced the Rotel altogether.