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Sony SCD-XA5400ES-Best SACD for under $10,000

This Sony player supplanted my Ayre C5-XE 3, which I still have, months ago. I paid $6000 for the Ayre after determining that it was the best-sounding unit for under $10,000. The Sony blows it away!!!
A unit costing $1500 besting all others under $10,000? That is exactly what it does!
For reference, I am using Audio Research electronics and Vandersteen speakers and subwoofers (about $30,000); a similar system has repeatedly been lauded as "best of show" at CES, so we are NOT talking second-rate stuff here.
This Sony is the only SACD/Cd player I have EVER heard that puts a classical piano live in my living room; nothing I ever had before even comes close.
This unit is a small miracle. I would have gladly paid $8000 for it, but if they want to give the thing away for $1500, who am I to argue?
This unit is going to send the engineers at Audio Research, Luxman, Esoteric, and Ayre back to the drawing board; their current units at 4 to 5 times the price are not even close. Some engineer at Sony is a freaking genius!!!
wa6itd

Showing 2 responses by tubegroover

tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Dave b states

"Just a sidebar here, I owned the 5400 and then Modwrighted it...just great! Recently I picked up an NAD C565BEE for my sitting room system...I'm blown away! Very fleshed out and sexy sounding with weight and authority..sweet highs. If SACD is not a priority then this could warm your soul for redbook!"

Hi Dave I recently commented on your review of the SCD-X5400ES. You stated last July that you were sending it out for the Modwright mod. No further comments on the results. After your quite enthusiastic comments of the stock unit I was anticipating your assessment of the mods. It seems that this NAD C 565BEE has maybe supplanted it? If not stated it seems implied as you haven't commented on your impressions of the modded Sony on this thread ("just great") or your review thread. The suspense is killing me, what gives?
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Thanks for the follow-up with Dan Wright Mr. Tennis. I think this focuses this whole better/best matter into a more realistic perspective. I too was strongly considering the Sony after what I read but like you could not find unamious concensus on it and since I've owned 2 sony digital products from the past and not really being a fan of a certain "smoothness" that I have found with their products I was apprehensive. This is not to say that I may not have turned out to like the Sony but I just didn't want to take the chance on springing 1100.00 and finding out ultimately it wasn't to my taste.
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