OK you snobes. I have auditioned the Linns, Muse, Meridian 588, and the Sim. The Sony is better, not just SACD but straight red book. I had the same reaction. Since the SCD-1 came out Sony have come out with a series of players that are competitive with the hi end stuff. I listened to the $3500 Linn which was running warm and broken in in a Listen Up show room. System included a Levinson pre and mono blocks and B&W 803s. I asked to hear the Sony. Since I had purchased stuff from the sales person before he humored me and went into the store room and pulled out a boxed XA777ES. He plugged it in cold and my wife who is a musician and has listened to systems with me for many years said after 5 minutes...wow It blew the doors off the Linn.
Read the Sim Moon and XA777ES reviews in Sterophile. Clearly the Sony wins. Their opinion and to a lesser degree mine.
