What's the best Sony CD/SACD player?

I've used a Sony NS999ES for quite some time, primarily for SACD as almost all of my RBCD is ripped to a music server and played via a Squeezebox. RBCD that is played on the Sony goes through an external DAC, but as far as SACD performance goes, the need for a change has been hard to justify!

On the subject of SACD performance, does anyone know if there's ever been any kind of upgrade path for the SACD decoding chips from Sony? They essentially own the technology, right? If they've never changed the decoding chip architecture at all (like has been the case in a myriad number of ways with RBCD chips...), should there really be that much difference in SACD performance amongst Sony players (or any other for that matter?)? I'd imagine there's been changes to things like power supplies, output stages, transports etc., but has Sony ever introduced an "updated" SACD decode chip... just some food for thought and conversation.

How do you tell what kind of SACD decoding chip is used on which model? Unlike other high end manufacturers Sony employs their own custom chipset and AFAIK it's not published anywhere which chips are used.

Guys-I think you're all missing the point for the existence of the 5400; that is passing multichannel SACD data over an HDMI interface to a proper decoding processor. The fact that it plays stereo CD and stereo SACD well is just a bonus

Give it a try; multichannel blows away stereo, by miles and miles! None of that darker, warmer, more neutral, etc., stuff - you are just there, right at the performanace.

Russ

OK, so what is an example of a proper decoding processor? And how many would perform better than the analog out of the 5400ES?

Also, if I have it right, the XA9000ES and XA777ES offer multi channel analog out, while the SCD777ES and 5400ES do not. It might be just me but I find the various Sony models with 777 in the name a bit confusing.

The 5400 is a clear winner I have 1,000s of hours voicing sysytems and especially with modificationsand capacitors.
The 5400 platform once runin which takes some 500 hours to fully run in I played mine 4 weeks straight and have heard subltle differences after 3 weeks a very natural warm tone with excellent inner detail and very taught Bass.
I am going after the max potential ,for 1 music direct sell 1 ampslow blow Hifituning fuses ,a clear improvement ,a solid digital power cord and quality cables also 3 damping sheets buy 3 for the transport and all over the top cover and sides , .I al replacing all the stock electrolytic capacitors with the Nichicon fineGold series
also the Best clock and regulator board out there by far the Terra Firma clock modificationwhich is a revelation .
The 5400 have a excellent platform to build on as several Modding companys are douing this ,the dual R core transformers are excellent as well as the Burr Brown 1796 dac ,the opamps are also BB.for under $2k in Modds this unit will go toe to toe with ANY player in the $10k range with No problem. I heard one 2 weeks ago ,I brought my player as a direct comparison,it was destroyed compared to.
The word High quality Analog and natural are the only ways I can describe the sound in a brief term well worth the expense IMO.