Anyone heard a Sony SCD-XA5400ES SACD player?

[admin_exported]

I have read an interesting post on a forum where a guy who auditioned one of these Sony SACD's ended up selling his expensive $6000 Ayre C5xe for one of these and says that the Sony totally outclasses the Ayre ...

some of his mates have followed suit and have also sold their expensive cd players for these ...

has anyone heard one of these?

 

[matthewpiano]

Yes, unsurprisingly, and I think its a fantastic piece of kit. Beautifully built as well.

I really wish Sony would extend their audio range. The ES stuff is so good, and yet the last budget range was horrible (TAF-E370 amp etc.). They are so capable of making good quality hi-fi. A new QS range would be wonderful but there just doesn't seem to be any sign of it at all.

 

[Anonymous]

when my marantz cdp starts giving problems, I might have a closer look at one of those ...

hopefully it will be in a few years time, so that I can get one 2nd hand at a cheap price

 

[the record spot]

Yep, that player looks pretty fine, as does some of their other ES range, as aforementioned.

 

[chebby]

I thought Sony had stopped making quality hifi years ago.

 

[matthewpiano]

chebby:
I thought Sony had stopped making quality hifi years ago.

They make very little sadly. The SCD-XA4500ES (£1200) and the SCD-XE597 (£150) are the only CD/SACD spinners they make and they don't make any 2 channel amps or tuners at present. However the ES receivers are extremely musical and offer the ability to bi-amp the front speakers when not being used in a 7.1 set-up. Indeed the SCD-XA5400ES gives of its best when paired with the matching STR-DA5400ES receiver and connected using HDMI.

A couple of years ago Sony even made some stunning X series floorstanders. We still have a full set including the giant sub and centre channel speaker in one of our stores. They are said to have been made in conjunction with one of the big British manufacturers. Whether this is the case or not they are excellent speakers and very reminiscent of certain B&W models in both looks and sound.

As I said previously I still hope that one day the audio department will bring out a full range of seperates again, but I won't hold my breath.