It's the Sony XA5400ES the best CDP under 4k

hi richard:

what sacd players do you prefer to the sony, and for what reasons ?

I have the Sony and an EMM CDSA. The CDSA has more resolution and really shows the character of each musical component.
That said, unlike some other players I have owned (from Accuphase and Meridian), the Sony does have nice sense of reality, showing the form, size, and boundaries of the musical elements, and really steers clear of the digital sins, like glare and ringing or buzz on vocals. It is smooth and pleasant with enough reach and palpable-soundingness to do the job. The EMM just seems to expose more texture, even more than analog, but that is an EMM hallmark, at least in my experience. The Sony is both more liquid with less grain and even more detailed than my old Accuphase 75V.
Stealth Indra ICs really help, and a Telwire power cord.
Ha! the Indras, even used, cost twice as much as the player.
What a crazy hobby.

So then if one has $1500-$2000 to spend and there are players that better the 5400 for under $4000(new??)--- what used players under $2000 should be considered?

IMO, the Doge6 is far superior to the Sony on CD playback. I've owned them both, so I feel I have a valid point of reference. The Doge6 has a much more expansive soundstage and depth, and portrays acoustic instruments more realistically. Personally, I would rather listen to a CD on the Doge6 than an SACD on the Sony. That said, the Sony is still a very fine player for a street price of $1200 or so. Built very well and you get the multi-channel HDMI functions and SACD if you need them.