Actually, that's exactly what it does best. CD payback is good, SACD is excellent, but with a first-rate digital cable (NBS 0 RCA-RCA) through a really fine external DAC (dCS Purcell and Elgar) it out-performed my Levinson 37 (using a balanced NBS 0 cable). One caution--it's the transport part of the Sony that most requires the extended break-in period. Don't expect this result before you've had 4-500 hours use.
Sony SCD-1 as transport?
Does anyone have any direct experience in using the Sony SCD-1 as a transport for their DAC? If so, does the SCD-1 make a good transport? Any comparisons to other transports would also be helpful. There has been both negative and postive comments made on the Sony 777ES as a transport in a previous thread.