I don't have any experience with the Marantz SA-1 but you asked what members would choose if they were to purchase an SACD player. I have two SACD players, the Marantz DV6001 (no longer produced) and NAD T535 (still produced) universal players. I love both. I listen to SACDs primarily in multi-channel and would never purchase a two channel only unit no matter how good or expensive it is. After Marantz stopped producing the DV6001 and a few others in that series in SACD MC, they only produced SACD players in two channel for quite some time up until now. Their new UD7006, UD8004 & UD9004 all decode SACD in multi-channel.
Maybe it's just my ears but the fidelity and sound quality of SACDs in multi-channel is superior to two SACD channel discs (I have both hear it for myself). If for example you listen to any multi-channel SACDs produced by HeadsUp records, you'll know what I mean. Their motto is "coming at you from all sides". (Spyro Gyra, Fourplay, Pieces of a Dream). All excellent. Of course, you've got to have a well put together surround sound system to get the most of out of these SACDs. So to answer your question about which SACD players I would buy now in my budget (under $1K), it would be the NAD T535, NAD T585, or Marantz UD7006.
Maybe it's just my ears but the fidelity and sound quality of SACDs in multi-channel is superior to two SACD channel discs (I have both hear it for myself). If for example you listen to any multi-channel SACDs produced by HeadsUp records, you'll know what I mean. Their motto is "coming at you from all sides". (Spyro Gyra, Fourplay, Pieces of a Dream). All excellent. Of course, you've got to have a well put together surround sound system to get the most of out of these SACDs. So to answer your question about which SACD players I would buy now in my budget (under $1K), it would be the NAD T535, NAD T585, or Marantz UD7006.