Sony XA5400ES vs Oppo BDP-105

It's a bit hard to sort out what 6Moons are saying on any reviews. Many writers there don't speak plain English.

 

Just how old is this Sony model?

 

I remember when Music Direct was blowing those Denons out.
Had I not been gainfully unemployed at the time I would have grabbed one.
Timing

So now I'm on the 5400 vs Oppo fence.
Oppo wins on versatility, obviously.
But quite a few here think the Sony sounds better.
I'll never have a chance to hear each on a level playing field, it will require a leap of faith one way or the other.

 

The problem with us north of the border is trying to find a new XA5400ES in Canada. They were available for $1K on the CDN Sony Store website, but are now no longer available to order there. I'm trying to find the Sony or the Denon DCD-A100 and would be satisfied to find either one at $1500.

 

Sony is kinda odd when it comes to the XA5400ES. When I got mine, it hadn't been available for awhile and then it was so I ordered it. My dealer says this has happened a few times. Its like they build a run of them and they are available until those sell out, then they aren't available until they do another production run.

 

$1K on the Sony Canada site ?!
When was that?

 

When I first became interested in the Sony a few weeks ago it was listed at $999 or $995, but not available to order. It's still on the website, as not available to order, however the price has been removed.

 

+1

Lonson and I have both followed similar upgrade paths on the digital side. We both own all the same digital front ends (not to mention also a PS Audio DAC)...

In my experience for SACD... Oppo 95 -> Sony XA5400 -> Denon DCD-A100

The Denon is by far the best unit of the three for 2CH SACD playback.

 

Available in the US right now
http://store.sony.com/p/SCD-XA5400ES/en/p/SCDXA5400ES

 

Sony has definitely tightened up distribution on the player in the past year. It used to be commonly available as a new item from Internet dealers for around $1000 to $1200. That seems to have dried up and now you need to buy directly from Sony or one of their ES dealers.

 

The Sony's ability to make compressed redbook masterings tolerable is a huge selling feature for me. Can anyone who has owned/heard both the Sony and the Oppo comment on the BDP-105's ability in this area?

 

The Oppo is excellent with Redbook playback in general, and with bad masterings.

 

Do you have any particular recordings in mind?

 

Nothing in particular. I have heard this and similar comments from numerous XA5400ES owners and it is appealing to me.

 

The Oppo 105 runs circles around this feature wise for less money. No analog output and lack of Dvd Audio capabilities kill it for me.

 

No argument there.
The big question is which sounds better using 2 channel analog outs.

 

The Sony isn't without other competitors these days if it isn't available. One unit that looks interesting is the Teac CD-3000 SACD/CD player with USB DAC and balanced analog outputs. I haven't heard it. But if Teac put a bunch of Esoteric tech (transport?) in this player it might be worth a listen. Teac/Esoteric are probably the manufacturer most committed to the SACD format.

 

Yes, that Teac is intriguing.

Wish there some reviews out there

 

Reviews are helpful only to a point. In my system, the Oppo sounded better and also filled the bill in other areas. The 5400 was great as well, but I preferred the sound of the Oppo. You can't go wrong with either player, and it ultimately comes down to what functions you want the player to have. For me, blu-ray and streaming are a must.

 

I suspect there are others who've compared and feel the same way. Thank you for your response.

 

Just noticed that an Amazon Marketplace seller has a 5400 listed for $1264.01. Ostensibly new.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Super-Au...UTF8&qid=1375976011&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+sacd

 

I contacted that seller re the warranty.
It's 5 years when buying directly from Sony.
I did not get a clear answer back other than "I should check with Sony", which I have not done.
But I don't see this seller on their authorized on-line list.
That worries me a bit

 

I believe the ES line's warranties now are only honored by Sony through a purchase at their authorized Brick&Mortar dealers. The only online dealer which Sony will honor is themselves on this product.

 

What difference does language make? If an audiophile site says it sounds great, no matter the language, then don't worry about it as it must be audiophile approved regardless of the language.

 

I did not mean that literally. They do write in the English language. "plain" is the key word.