Sony XA-5400ES used a system called HATS only compatible with matching Sony AVR to send the DSD layer, like PS Audio does. I switched to Marantz SA-10 when PS discontinued their transport. You could use this as a transport via coax but it plays sacd and upconverts everything including pcm to DSD 11.2. The "dac" tech is proprietary. Not a chip, not a ladder, not a ring dac. New model SACD-10 just released, way more expensive, making lightly used or open box or even new old stock SA-10 very affordable if you can find one. Listed for $7k, which was way less than new Luxman or Esoteric. Has not been reviewed yet and I'm hoping it will. SA-10 predecessor never had a really thorough review I could find.
SACD Player/Transport Choices
I am planning to acquire a McIntosh MCT500 to go with my C53 (proprietary MCT connection). But I am wondering if there are other good SACD transport choices that will send a true DSD stream to an external DAC on a non-proprietary basis, either through USB or I2S. I’m trying to research this, but it’s difficult to find definitive answers regarding the actual digital stream from SACD - often I discover that the stream is converted to PCM. I do know PSAudio has a scheme similar to McIntosh.
I realize simply purchasing DSD and streaming from an SSD is probably more practical these days. But I am sort of fixated on a physical disc player. Budget-wise, most interested in transports around or below that of the MCT500 (~$5K). Thanks for your thoughts and advice.
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I have an MCT 500 and love it. I am not aware of any other SACD transports, just players. It’s the proprietary nature of SACD that make a transport difficult to make without some sort of special connection like McIntosh provides. If I were looking for an SACD player of the highest quality I would shortlist both McIntosh and Esoteric. |
There's also the Playback Designs MPT-8 Dream Transport. The perfect name for something that starts at €23,990.
All the best, |
PSAudio have just announced a new SACD transport at AXPONA for I believe $8,500 and limited to 200 units. Personally I use a PSAudio PerfectWave for SACD playback via I2S into a Denafrips Venus 15th DAC for native DSD playback and that works superbly. Maybe a 2nd hand PSAudio is the way to go? The Music Room have 2 for sale right now Mark 1 $1,300 Mark 2 $3,500. |
- 66 posts total