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Review: Sony SCD-XA5400ES CD Player

Category: Digital

I love natural recordings that capture the full acoustic envelope of the performances. The Shostakovich Sonatas performed by Ax and YYMa comes to mind...the Sony portrays the entire event in such an unforced and natural manner that it triggers ones acoustic memory into believing it is real. A player that offers no tone color or openness would be my worst nightmare. I replaced my BAT VK D5 24 bit CDP and was amazed at how much resolution and color was lost on the older design. The Sony re-creates the space, music and acoustic tones with overtones so completely that you start to smile and realize that you have been given a great gift...a peak into the performance as it occured at the recording session. My opinion of the Sony applies as much for the redbook section as it does for the SACD section. This player will become a classic product for digital playback....much better it does not get! It's a keeper at any price,,,for $1500 USD it is a freakin steal. This is Sony's best effort to date and manages to break new ground in the digital domain:)

Associated gear
Wilson Sophia speakers
Krell 400xi amp
Harmonic Tech Cables
MIT Oracle AC 2 power cord

Similar products
Sony SCD-1
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Sony SCD-XA777ES
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Wadia 851
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MF A5
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ARC CD 3
dave_b

Showing 2 responses by tino_miky

tino_miky
2 posts
 
Dear Cyrilmartin, thank you very much for your research on this player. More than 1 months ago, I have added my technical comments in my audio web page:

http://digilander.libero.it/agostino.manzato/audio/reportage/sony_xa5400es/sony_xa5400es.html

Now, after about two months of break-in (during which the player improved its sound) I can confirm that I hear some problems in the high frequencies. This problem is subtable and not easy to describe. I can hear it in particular with female voices, which appear "veiled", but also with well recorded classical music, where the highs are not so shining and lively as they should be. I thought that it can be due to the OPamps output stage and I'm waiting the Wrights (Dan Modwright or Allen VSE) mods to see if they can improve the overall performances, but now you draw my attention to the digital filter in the Sony decoder. That could be really the origin of the highs problem and it should be a very difficult one to solve.
Have you tried to compare the digital output of the Sony via the Cambridge Magic DAC II with minimum phase?
Best regards, Tino
tino_miky
2 posts
 
I have also upgraded the XA5400ES and you can find details here:
http://digilander.libero.it/agostino.manzato/audio/DIY/sony_xa5400_mod/sony_xa5400_mod.html
Now highs are much more open and natural than before.
Tino
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