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
I use a pair of Jenna Labs Symphony for me they get the tone better than others that I have tried.
I finally finished the comparison of the Playback Designs cd player vs the Modright Sony XA5400ES. The Playback did sound better after the 500 hour mark. I probably ended up with 800 hours on it. In the end I sold it. I thought the Modright was more musical and more organic in the midrange. Detail of both were great. The bass on the Playback in the Upper Mids were just a touch tighter, that is it. The Playback is five times the price of the modright and should be better in every way.
Well price is not always a factor. I will not miss the Playback.
Anyone use either of the Harmonic Technology Magic 1 or 2 cables with the player? I'm thinking of trying this cable since I have HT 1 (XLR) going between the preamp and amp.
Dfk0

I am using the HT magic cables with the Modwright version. They sound just fine in this combination.
Goose,Mystang, thanks for the input. I just purchased an HT Magic One cable and am ready to go when I get my player back from ModWright.