Thoughts on the Sony SCD-C555ES multi channel SACD player?

[Chip]

I just purchased this player from Oade Bros. for $775.00 (it lists for $1700.00). I mainly want to know if this would be a good player for redbook cd's(i imagine it would)...secondly, does anyone think the dac's in this player would best the dac's in my B&K 307? Any thought's would be appreciated. Thanks.

- Chip




Chip Engle


"Concrete ain't a spectator sport"


<a href="http://www.htguide.com/bilder/index.cfm?fuseaction=arkivbilder&userid=0&selected userid=336" target="_blank">My HT

[Trevor Schell]

Hi Chip,,
I would hope that the 555ES is pretty descent, being an ES model as they are highly regarded. Plus that is one heck of a price you got it for.

I just picked up a non ES model,the XE-670.
I don't own any SACD discs yet so I can't eveluate playback on those, however it is a little disappointing on CD playback in comparision to my Toshiba SD-9200 used as a CD transport.
I have read that the Sony's ES models of SACD players do playback CD's very well, particularly the 9000-ES.

Let us know how you like it once you receive it.

Thanks,




Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

[Chip]

I'll let ya know Trev... BTW, i have a 9K too (only use it for dvd's though)

- Chip




Chip Engle


"Concrete ain't a spectator sport"


<a href="http://www.htguide.com/bilder/index.cfm?fuseaction=arkivbilder&userid=0&selected userid=336" target="_blank">My HT

[Crimson]

Chip,
The concensus over on the Hi-Rez forum at AudioAsylum seems to be that the redbook performance of the 555 is better than the 9000. I haven't heard either personally, but I'm definitely falling in love with my XA777 which is incredible with redbook playback.




Q.

[JonMarsh]

One of the real strenght's of the Sonys for redbook, in my opinion, is their conversion of PCM to DSD, and using the same DAC's for SACD and CD playback. For that reason I'm very interseted in trying the XE-670, and getting my girlfriend and a few other friends into one of those.

Only you can answer if you think it sounds better than your B&K. Keep in mind it's been reported by many people that these units do their best after 200 hours or more of use (sonic break-in), so to keep things fair, you should give it some use before making critical comparisons.


For that reason, I'd suggest that the best performance you can get with the 555 is using it as a full player, not as a transport. That means analog bypass inputs, with no digitization, if you're using a pre-pro. I haven't heard a pre-pro yet that I didn't think had a detectable case of digititus on converted inputs. Also, I think pre-pros in general do quite well with movie sources, but I haven't heard one yet I'd like to use as a primary music DAC compared to the anlog output on my SACD player (talking just RedBook CD, for now- comparing against SACD isn't fair.

And if you think I'm getting a little extreme, go listen to the analog outputs of an Ayre D1 DVD/CD player, on Dolby digitial or PCM straight into a good system. Even feeding a pre-pro, it's a superb unit, but direct it is more cohesive. And no, I don't own one, though if I had the financial resources, I probably would.

You guys with SACD players but no SACD disks, go get yourself one or two in a genre of music you favor, and give it a listen. There's only a few hundred disks out their, but I've got about 50 disks I really like, and for finding out what your system will *really* do, they're hard to beat. The only CD's I've heard that start to come close are the XRCD2 series from JVC.

If you're into rock or pop, maybe Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Couldn't Stand the Weather", or for something more mellow, James Taylor "Hourglass" (an *excellent* recording, very natural, deep bass, great dynamics); Grover Washington's "Prime Cuts", or for a DSD recording, McCoy Tyner's "McCoy Tyner with Stanly Clarke and Al Foster". Heck, even the Titanic sound track sounds great in SACD!

End of rant.

Happy listening, guys.

Jon




Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....

[Lex]

No SACD experience here. Waiting on 5th generation players, lol. It may be til then before I can afford it, blah!

Jon, you should be on the SACD payroll. Hmmm, maybe you are? Regardless, congrats on your 500th post!

Lex

[JonMarsh]

What a racket that would be, Lex, if I could get a little cut on every SACD sold. Uh, gee, I guess that's what Philips and Sony have in mind, isn't it? They got some more of my money today. Dare ya to listen to one, Lex.

It's Xmas in Casa de Marsh today: three new SACD's, three new DVD's (TPM plus TFE Superbit, plus Truth about Cats and Dogs, *NOT* Cats and Dogs), a pile of Eton drivers, and oodles of crossover parts. There's gonna be a lot of serious speaker building between now and Xmas.

Oh, and some computer bits, too, inlcuding got my install of Cineplayer 4 running. Plays "Mission to Mars", which ATI DVD 4.1 wouldn't read. This may be the best software player available, now. More opinions to come with further viewing.

Regards,

Jon




Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....