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
Mitch2...Hi-rez streaming will never surpass the best of what SACD has to offer. The disadvantage of DS devices is that you do not have the variable choice of the best world class SACD players that sell for over $ 30K that will give you the very warm, rich, smooth, analog character. I have listen to DS from online source's, too cold for my taste even though the sound is very dynamic, very low noise and very clean. Also, the new SHM-SACD single layer disc format has taken SACD to a whole new performance level which will be extremely hard to beat by any other format including DS streaming. Two of the finest sounding SACD players on the market that will smoke DS is the Accuphase DP-700 and the Luxman D-08. Play SHM single layer disc on these players and you will forget about DS.
Anybody here compared the Modwright Sony to the VSE Sony?
Comments? Is it simply tubes vs no tubes? I'm considering the
VSE mod on a Yamaha CD-S2000 to go along w/my Modwright
Transporter. Just looking for a more neutral source, single box,
front end to 'flavor' my system. Both mods cost the same, so I
was wondering what the net effect was of each & it seems that
the Sony is the player w/the most chance of being heard in each
configuration. Thanx.
Guys,

Had my MW 5400 modded with Bybee Musicrails and Audio Magic Gen ZX and the sound is "UNBELIEVABLE"! You can litterly walk into the soundstage and touch the performers, you get the musicians are in your room type of feeling. More to follow but if you don't have this upgrade I recommend you consider this. I rate this upgrade over any tweaks or component changes I have ever conducted. You will be blown away!
I have the Bybee upgrade and it is good. But if you want an incredable upgrade, address you ac with balanced conditioning. The soundstage just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Hi

I was wondering if anyone found the Bass on the SCD-5400ES a little bloated with a slight roll off on the highs?