2. digital
  3. 193965-199203

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.

mattsca
gimmer
28 posts
 

@hifipassion 

Since you are preferring the sound of your SACD's over I2S I am assuming that is through the Denafrips Terminator and which version do you have?  I picked up my Onix from Shenzhen and got it last week.  I can confirm the build is nice but I have not used it yet.  I was going to get a separate DAC and the Terminator is top of the list, followed by the Holo May.

 

 

 

hifipassion
20 posts
 

@gimmer 

I'm running the Zenith into the original Terminator via i2s.  Also tried the Zenith paired with the Laiv Harmony DAC via i2s.

bergenma
5 posts
 

@richardbrand 

Thanks for the keystrokes. I mistakenly thot you had the junior Reavon. My bad sir. And yes I am familiar with the Magnetar.

Still waiting for what others have to say, but given the guts of the X110 are inferior to the model you have I might lean more to the Onix (Shanling) as I anticipate Blu-ray players will be manufactured for some time to come.

Honestly, all of this would just be so much simpler if Oppo would just start up transport production again and roll out another audio flagship. Like what's the big deal, it's not like it's soooo much to ask!

f1a
200 posts
 
I can confirm mahler’s assertion. My OPPO UDP-205 sends DSD via HDMI to my ARCAM AVR30 receiver. ARCAM display shows “DSD” at 2.8 MHz, both for stereo and multichannel. Sounds great!😊
bergenma
5 posts
 

@f1a thanks for the confirm. Appreciated.

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