Oppo 105, Oppo 205, or Legacy SACD (Esoteric, Cary CD 306, etc)


I currently have a Cary DAC-100t for all of my digital files, but I would like to purchase some sort of CD & SACD transport / player. The challenge in my decision lies in that the Cary DAC does not support DSD and likely cannot be used unless the player has conversion to PCM in the player. I know that Oppo has this capability, but I also want to spend a budget like that on equipment that is solely invested in audio. So I guess my question is, with a budget of no more than $2000, should I settle for one of the Oppos, or go for something more legacy like an Esoteric DV-60, Cary CD 306, etc?

I would love to find something that has a solid transport and laser, can upsample CDs well, and either has a great internal DAC for SACD or has DSD to PCM/Redbook conversion so I can use my existing standalone DAC.

System includes
VPI 299D integrated
Audio Art SC-5se (R) and Clear Day Cables Double Shotgun
Alta Audio Lelantos
DH Labs Corona power cables
PS Audio Power Plant P3

The Lelantos are resolving yet refined and all of my stages are all tube, so I don’t mind a player that can present serious detail.
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I do not believe you can use the DV60 as a dac and it certainly won't do DSD.  You would need to look at one of the newer Esoteric players which are a lot more than 2K.
Hey @stereo5 I wasn't intending to replace my Cary DAC from other sources. Rather I was looking for a SACD player that could perform very well on its own internal DAC or have the player be able to convert SACD to PCM so it could play off my Cary DAC.
@jafant Thanks, looks amazing especially as I love Cary's products, but unfortunately it does not play SACDs.
@jafant I ended up going with a used Yamaha CD-S2000 on which I negotiated an attractive price. It’s my first foray into SACD and my first serious CD player (have been more into hi-res digital files and vinyl). From reviews it seems to have a solid build, transport, and good set of Burr Brown DAC chips as well as a solid power supply, so perhaps it will work well for me.
@thiefoflight , 

I have the CD-S1000 which is pretty much close to 90% of the CD-S2000 and it is a wonderful player, built like a brick at 33lbs, and seriously one of the smoothest/quietest tray mechanisms I have ever owned.

Congrats on your purchase.

Bill

Very nice player- thiefoflight.

keep me posted as you massage this spinner into your system.

Happy Listening!

I am planning to get the Sony SA-60, supposedly the last 1 bit DSD SACD player before they switched to the more modern multi-bit Chips . Suppose to have a great SACD sound. PS audio would be a new player that will do SACD  and CD but probably works best with its own PS digital streamer or other DAC with I2S input
I would get the Oppo 205 for your SACDs.  It will also output DSD over HDMI.  It will be an upgrade over your current system for SACD replay and then when your budget allows it can be a transport for a DAC that will accept DSD over HDMI, such as the Bryston DAC 3
Thanks for your reply. That would be a future plan perhaps but for now I am thinking of doing M-ch direct. There is no m-ch DAC that accepts native DSD. They all are converted to Pcm. Though Bryston may make one I hope, to compete with exasound? 205 would be for Blu-ray surround in future. I am now buying an esoteric SA-60. It is supposed to be better than stock 205, which I was told not much better than 95. A mod 205 may perhaps be best, but then a mod esoteric may possibly be even better. I will see,  and since resale value of esoteric is quite good I can still sell later if I get 205 that can actually replace it.
@stereo5   What makes you think a Esoteric DV60 won't do DSD?? Clearly you have no idea what a Esoteric DV 60 is...
a response year later ! The SA-60 works great for M-ch SACD! There is however some noise on the main 2-ch. probably need some repair/refurbishment.  Is it worth getting a mod ? Is SACD going to continue to be made? There are still lots on sale, new productions. 
What kind of music do you listen to?  There are thousands of Classical titles in SACD and will remain so in the foreseeable future.  Pop music will probably not be a big SACD presence.
  I have a Sony 5400 ES CD/SACD Player currently not being used that is built like a tank, currently not being used , will output DSD over HDMI or play SACD from it’s native DACS.
   In your position I would look at Universal players from Sony or Pioneer.  Sony sells them for around $350.  You can use them as a transport for Redbook into your current DAC and then just use the native DAC in the Player for what sounds like a small SACD collection.  The Pioneer funds about a grand, is supposed to sound really great.  Both can play Blu Rays, DVD Audio
You might look into an Oppo, either 105 or 103, and rip your SACDs and then use any number of programs to convert to DoP, a lossless conversion to a PCM file that your DAC may be able to use.  JRiver, for example, does that seamlessly.
I have explored some of these options but I don’t want DSD—> PCM. Any DAC that can accept DSD natively via HDMI and then do M-ch? byrson only does DSD stereo. I have huge collection of SACD. Ripping as iso files may work but I have no DAC that does DSD M-ch