Sony XA5400-ES

I originally purchased an entry level SACD sony changer because I wanted to experience the super audio without having to refinance my house. The CE-595 is a nice little player with one significient problem for me. The only way to play multi-channel and SACD's is through the RCA 5.1 channel outputs. Thought this would be ok but as it turns out on my Pioneer SC-27 the multi channel input does not allow you to take advantage of the MCACC room correction and EQ. Other than that using the optical output the little Sony is really pretty well built, solid and fairly quiet for a changer. OK, OK this is about the 5400ES. Since I had already purchased a number of SACD's I finally got the big brother. The 5400 has some features I really like for example and honest to goodness on/off button on the remote. It will also pass both the regular pcm and SACD signal through the HDMI output. There is a priority switch in back but in playing both it has been spot on switching between the two. Another thing I like is the quality of the switch's and buttons. They have a quality feel not the cheap plastic feel. The button for the HDMI switch also lights up so you don't have to look for it on the display. My previous Sony ES CD recorder/changer had these thin little plastic drawers that I was sure I would break at some point and it was so noisy changing disc's that I worried at some point I might not get my disc's back out. This new Sony has a very substantial disc drawer and is very quiet in it's operation. It also reads regular CD's fairly quickly but does take longer to read the SACD's. The remote for the 5400 is OK but does not seem to be the same quality as the player itself. It does everything you need it to do but just seems a bit on the cheap side.

Having never seen much less listen to what has been described as a high end CD player I am the last person on the planet to say how the Sony compares nor do I care. It was on the pricey side at $1,169.00 with shipping but it does a competant job with regular CD's as well as SACD's so overall I am happy.

I can't really say anything one way or another regarding break in but I will say that after putting some time in with this unit I am really impressed. If it continues to get better sounding that is just an extra bonus to me. While I have bought some SACD's that sound really killer, over all the performance on just plain old regular CD's is what has caught my ear.

I picked up mine reasonably priced.

I agree, this is the best CD player that I have purchased. I have a Yamaha CDR - HD 1500 recorder that does an excellent job recording cd's but they sound even better played back on the Sony. I have been enjoying all of my old old cd's with a new respect. My wife was not at all happy that I spent that much on a cd player but after I put a couple of her prized cd's in she is now a believer.

I would have to say that when I listen to a cd that I have enjoyed for years and then pick out detail that I did not know was even there when I play the same disc on the sony it is proof to me. Now that is not to say that you should take it as proof any more than anythinig anyone says on this forum but in my mind that is all the proof I need.

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Yes I have heard all this before but I stand by what I said. I have 3 cd players set up with one being a cd recorder and the other being an entry level sony sacd five disc changer. Playing the same cd's on each the sony es-5400 stands out above the others. My wife and others who have listened also agree. This is not to say that the sony is better than or should even be considered a high end unit. I have never owned a high end unit to compare it to but it is the best unit I have owned to date.

I understand the need for and respect the scientific testing end of things but with all due respect have to take exception to the notion that you cannot compare 3 units side by side on the same equipment, same source material and determine the better sounding cd player.

Actually on my system all I have to do is move the disc to the player I choose, hit the appropriate input and hit play. I use the Yamaha CD recorder a lot and the entry level sony 5 disc changer will be used when the weather gets warmer when we are entertaining on the patio and don't want to keep changing discs.

EBAY - United on line shipping. Just looked last night now $1,179.00 and free shipping. Also got my SC-27 pioneer receiver from them and they are great to deal with.

Not having anything that could compare with the equipment those folks use I will leave comparisons like that to them, but it is nice when the audiophile crowd agrees.