My 981 does this too :-( but only with RBCDs, SACD sounds fine, although my Depeche Mode SACDs play the RBCD layer (I know there is a fix for this, but I don't have a TV hooked up to it right now to upgrade the firmware). It is because of this that I am now looking for a higher end player, I just haven't decided whether to go the RBCD+outboard DAC and separate SACD player route or go for one of the combined models.