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Re: Still more on new SACD player purchase..

Posted by Kevin L. (A) on February 11, 2006 at 10:53:22

In Reply to: Still more on new SACD player purchase.. posted by es347 on February 10, 2006 at 13:24:34:

Hi,

Here's my experience with the Sony SACD XA9000es

I bought it 34 days ago for what I consider a good price. Straight out of the box I hooked it up and put a familiar CD in the drawer. I almost threw up when I heard the sound. My Arcam CD72T sounded so much better it wasn't funny. The highs on the Sony were exaggerated and there was no "drive" whatsoever. It sounded bright and dead. It did just come out of my car on a 28 degree day so I put it on repeat and left it alone for a few hours. Tried it again later and it still sounded bad but better. SACD didn't fare any better. Frustrated I left it on repeat for 5 days and tried again. That was the ticket. CD was now a lot better and the nasty brightness was gone. Next I tried SACD and every one sounded quite good.

I have to say though, After many comparisons with my Arcam 72T the Sony has a cleaner, better defined treble and I think it goes lower at the bottom but the Arcam is the player which makes me want to keep digging out CDs throughout the night. The Sony lacks the "drive" that the Arcam posesses and that's what makes listening to music fun.

Unfortunately, I also discovered that there was something wrong with the transport. It skipped within 30 to 50 seconds on every CD I put in it. Not on SACD, though. So, it's currently somewhere in transit as I wait for a replacement unit from Sony. I'm glad I bought it from a local dealer instead of one of those on-line blowout outlets. Who knows where I'd be as far as service goes.

I an hoping that the new unit sounds better than the first one or I might be starting my search over. I'm disappointed after all of the great things I've heard about this machine. Build quality is indeed superb, though but if it doesn't make music for me, it's just a pretty facia on the shelf.

-Kevin L.-

System: Arcam CD72T, NAD C372, Paradigm Studio 20 V.3.

-Kevin L.-

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