Just for info, and with a grain of salt, there is a review of the new Sony SACD-XA3000ES in one of the current English magazines. I don't remember whether it is Hi-Fi Choice, News, or what. I was in a hurry when I read it.
The author compares the Sony to the Denon 2900 and the Marantz 8400. He found the Sony significantly outperformed the other two, crossing the threshold of what sound truly "real". The Denon was proclaimed to be close but, just unable to cross this same threshold. The Marantz was also close but a touch warmer or lusher sounding and lacking a bit of transparency on the top end. All models passed muster in the SACD mode but, only the Sony crossed that threshold in legacy CD mode.
However, none of these units outperformed his Sim Moon Equinox. Its performance in CD was virtually indentical to the SACD performance of the other machines.
Anyway, don't take these comments as absolute. I read the article quick and am going by memory (which, at my age ain't the best by any means). It may be a moot issue anyway as the 3000 is not availabe in America, though I believe this is a sibling of the new 9000ES.
The author compares the Sony to the Denon 2900 and the Marantz 8400. He found the Sony significantly outperformed the other two, crossing the threshold of what sound truly "real". The Denon was proclaimed to be close but, just unable to cross this same threshold. The Marantz was also close but a touch warmer or lusher sounding and lacking a bit of transparency on the top end. All models passed muster in the SACD mode but, only the Sony crossed that threshold in legacy CD mode.
However, none of these units outperformed his Sim Moon Equinox. Its performance in CD was virtually indentical to the SACD performance of the other machines.
Anyway, don't take these comments as absolute. I read the article quick and am going by memory (which, at my age ain't the best by any means). It may be a moot issue anyway as the 3000 is not availabe in America, though I believe this is a sibling of the new 9000ES.