What is the best new CD player you can buy today for under $1,000.00?

Cyrus gets a What Hi-Fi award? That's like snow in Manhattan...!

 

But was Sony SCD-XA5400ES ever priced under $1000?

 

BTW, Manhattan has gotten snow quite a number of times this winter. Perhaps you meant "like snow in London" ...

 

Got mine new in the box for 1100USD, close, but no cigar.

 

But it was still not under $1000.

 

don't piddle on the rug now! YES, I have seen them go for under a grand new, rare but true.

 

I've heard many cdp's, and yes, the Oppo 105 counts as audiophile to my ears - despite the plastic tray. The sound is rock solid, smooth and detailed, and you can hear a big difference between cables, power cords and recordings. It can be as ruthless of bad cd's as it is glorious of good recordings.

 

regardless the oppo 105 is not <$1000, at least anywhere i've ever looked.

 

Dry Scottish humour: I know Manhattan gets a lot of snow, and What Hifi have handed out awards to Cyrus like confetti for the last twenty odd years...

 

Agreed.

As for the Sony 5400, I bought mine from Cruchfield when it was first released and it was $1500.

 

I think my Oppo cost around $1200.
I'd bet there are a few gently used available for under 1k.

 

Multi region DVD (there's a mystery disk which comes with player, which restores multi region after a firmware update) not multi zone BR.

 

I bought a refurbished 105 directly from Oppo with full warrenty. $999

$1 for an ice cream sunday at McDonalds.

 

Oh I don't know, I can be multi region given the right need...!!

 

I haven't heard many of the other contenders, but I just bought an Onkyo C-7070 and if there's a better sounding CD player under $1000, somebody please tell me what it is.

 

Well, the Oppo is over a $1000, and to my ear easily bests the still popular Meridian 508. The nice thing about the Oppo is that you can play anything on it, and later upgrade with Modwright.

 

You could get grey market units around that price for a period. Good luck getting it under $1500 now since Sony once again stopped production and there are few available on the market.

 

I'm curious, about the "R" as well.

Back in 1998 or so when the first Rega Planet's were out I gave a home audition to one. They were something like $650-$850 dollars? My $400 Yamaha MASH One CD Changer sounded almost as good, and the 6-month old McIntosh I picked up for $1,200 (listed for $2,750) blew it away - no contest.

Need to revisit this, 17-18 years is a long time.

 

If you wish to enjoy multi-channel from your Sony SCD XA-5400 ES SACD player, you will need a receiver with the HDMI input, and not only the HDMI input, the receiver MUST have the Sony HATS technology or it will not be a match for the 5400. You can still find the HATS equipped receivers on the various sites, but they are getting harder and harder to find, additionally, the 5400 will not be repairable in just a short time, as Sony will cease stocking parts for it. Introduced in 2008 and discontinued in 2012, you wont be able to get it serviced or repaired soon.

 

You cannot use the Sony 5400 like you are talking about, the receiver needs not only HDMI, but HATS technology as well or you cannot use the 5400 with it!

 

The Oppo 105D is a "solid" choice, the old discontinued Sony 5400 is a very bad choice.

 

Totally agree but Red Horn doesn't seem very keen on UDP's does he?

That being the case.....and considering his budget........maybe he's better off ripping his disc collection and looking at file based playback using a suitable dedicated standalone stereo DAC.

He may even be quite happy with some of the DAC offerings that are out there at HALF his budget!!

 

I am afraid that is not so. I have used the Sony 5400 via HDMI for multichannel successfully with a wide variety of devices from NAD, Onkyo, Classe, Yamaha, Marantz, Krell, Meridian.......................................

FWIW, HATS is nothing unique or proprietary. It is Sony's tradename for their version of what is generically Audio Rate Control which allows the signal receiver to control the data output from the sender (player). It was first offered by Pioneer as PQLS but neither Sony's nor Pioneer's version captured market interest and they have faded along with others (e.g., Ayre's ARC implementation on their DX-5). So, despite what Sony told you, it is generally regarded as "no big thing" although I believe it would have been nice had it been universally accepted.

 

It looks like I may go for some soundbar that can give me the surround and center speaker effects as I really do not see myself putting up with those surround speakers. I have not used a receiver in over thirty years so that option is out of the question as well ...

 

Marantz CD6005