Inexpensive SACD player

K

kosmik

Guest
I'm looking for an inexpensive SACD player (under $500). Are there any options besides Sony XB 790 QS? People typically recommend Philips 963SA, but it's discontinued.
I have Sony DB 790 + Monitor Audio Bronzes.
 
Look on ebay for a Pioneer 757I. It's multi format and it's SACD/DVD-A performance is top notch. You can pick them up for around $500-550. It's worth the extra stretch.
 
Check out the Pioneer 575. Might be what you need.
 
I really like my Marantz DV6400 with SACD, but I don't know what prices are like in Europe for this model (retails around 550$ in US). I found it equal in SQ to the Denon DVD2900 when I was shopping, to give you a reference point.
 
overkill said:
Check out the Pioneer 575. Might be what you need.

That isn't bad but oddly the proceeding 565 was a better (music) player still and as it has cesed production might be cheap, cheap, cheap :smashin:.
 
Did anyone compared Sony's QS series with, for example, Marantz DV6400? I see it's priced around $400-500 here in Russia. I'm not interested much in it's DVD capabilities (I already have DVD) and DVD-A (there are few titles available) - I need SACD and CD.
 
HI Kosmik. I'm reluctant to recommend Phillips gear (reliabilities always been a problem with the Dutch giants HIFI), but the cheap Sonys seem to do well in tests. I recommended the Pioneers because I know them (I had the 757I) well and had good results. The Sonys will edge out a Philips on build quality any day. Plus they offer reasonable sound for the £,$,Rouble? Not big on Marantz gear...............

That isn't bad but oddly the proceeding 565 was a better (music) player still and as it has cesed production might be cheap, cheap, cheap
Agreed tons, but I couldn't find an outlet still running them. Maybe a google will turn up someone?
 
Pantheronline.co.uk still appear to have the Philips DVD963sa in stock at a very good price (around £300). I bought one from them in October - they were very good and delivery was smooth and quick. Here's the link to the page:
Philips DVD963sa
 
I tried many of the usual suspects and feel the Philips to be the best by some way, especially the DVD quality which is also exceptional.
 
Phillips machines do offer good quality picture (in particular the 963) and sound but - their reliability is questionable. Sony and Pioneers cheap machines offer similiar performance, but with far higher build quality.
 
overkill said:
Check out the Pioneer 575. Might be what you need.


I have this player and it just gets better and better with every play.

got it linked to a via digital coaxial to a Pioneer VSXC402 connected to a pair of Kef Cresta 30's and it sounds brillaint well to me, girlfriend just says it sounds like her £40 micro system ! what would she know !
 
s70rmp said:
I have this player and it just gets better and better with every play.

got it linked to a via digital coaxial to a Pioneer VSXC402 connected to a pair of Kef Cresta 30's and it sounds brillaint well to me, girlfriend just says it sounds like her £40 micro system ! what would she know !


If that's the only way you've connected the player, you aren't getting SACD playback. You need to connect the six analogue outputs to the MCH input of your receiver/pre-pro to get hi-res audio (or at least the L/R outputs of the MCH analogue outputs of the player to an analogue input of the receiver/pre-pro. If you're doing that, remember to set the default in the player for 2 ch playback for SACD). All of this applies to DVD-A as well.
 
sorry I meant just as a cd player, not got any SACD yet !

the sound is great on normal cd's
played a couple of MFSL cd's and the sound is great
 
overkill said:
Phillips machines do offer good quality picture (in particular the 963) and sound but - their reliability is questionable. Sony and Pioneers cheap machines offer similiar performance, but with far higher build quality.

Philips has worked without issue here, which unfortunately cannot be said for Pioneer, Sony (2 failures), Panasonic (2 failures but many more players) and Tag players I have had here. Infact the only make I have had no issue with (except Philips) is Toshiba but they don't do SACD!
 
Philips has worked without issue here
That's fine nick. However, there are forums packed with disgruntled phillips users (which is why I chose my Panny DVD-R over the cheaper Phillips machines), and when I worked in the trade Phillips were by the far the worst in terms of reliability. On several occasions and at different times, we had stacks of Phillips CD players alone, all waiting to go back for repair. Their own CEO, a few years back, admitted they had an 'ongoing QC problem' (but they were dealing with it - yeah right). I would say you've been lucky............. ;)
 

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