SACD Players in 2025?

[aka]

Are any of the (excellent) usual suspects (e.g., Topping, etc) offering an SACD/Universal player? Any word of anything in development? My Oppo BDP-83 is getting long in the tooth. Already had to have the transport tray repaired once. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Chrispy]

Reavon just got out of it, not much left these days. Some of the Sony units do well with bluray/sacd/dvd/cd.....

 

[GD Fan]

Yeah probably the used market, sadly. Love my SACDs.

 

[tengiz]

The Sony UBP-X800M2 is a solid universal transport for SACD and DVD-A, in addition to the current BD formats. The UI is quite spartan, and playback functions are rudimentary - for example, you can’t switch between SACD layers during playback - but otherwise it’s reliable, fast, inexpensive, and, most importantly, current.

 

[Jokke]

The Marantz SACD 30n is a good CD/SACD player. Not cheap, but you get a HEOS streamer on top.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-measurements-sacd-player-dac-streamer.33430/

 

[Scytales]

There are universal Magnetar players, with multichannel digital output capability (with possibility to decimated DSD to PCM at least throughout HDMI output if required) and stereo and (model UDP-900) multichannel analogue outputs :

Products - Magnetar-audio

4K UHD Blu-ray Player Magnetar First 4K UHD Reference B […]

magnetar-audio.com

I don't know if you have access to them where you live, but there is also universal players from Pannde:

Pannde PD-6X Ultimate Edition EU : lecteur bluray 4K UHD universel et audiophile

Garantie de 2 ansNOUVELLE VERSION "Ultimate Edition EU" AVEC AMELIORATIONS MATERIELLES (horloge...) Lecteur Blu-Ray 4K universel haut de gamme dézoné (MultiRégion MultiZone) avec double système d'exploitation OPPO / Pionner sélectionnable via la télécommande permettant la lecture de tous disques...

www.univers-hightech.com

Pannde PD-670X EU : lecteur BluRay 4K UHD universel avec baie HDD

Lecteur Blu-Ray 4K universel permettant la lecture de tous disques et fichiers 4K (ISO, MKV, BDMV...) en USB ou via le réseau.NOUVELLE VERSION : firmware OPPO, améliorations matérielles, baie pour disque dur (HDD), et sorties analogique RCA et XLR.Version dézonée MultiRégions MultiZones (MRMZ)...

www.univers-hightech.com

Denon makes the DCD-3000NE and DCD-1700NE SACD player and there are apparently still some DCD-A110 that are procurable in Europe:

DCD-3000NE - Reference Series SACD player | Denon - US

The Denon DCD-3000NE provides pristine SACD/CD and DSD playback via a 384kHz/32-bit DAC and Ultra AL32 Processing. Patented vibration suppression and premium components deliver distortion-free sound. Meticulous tuning ensures the truest sonic reproduction.

www.denon.com

DCD-1700NE - CD/SACD player with Advanced AL32 Processing Plus | Denon - US

Immerse in accurate audio reproduction with Denon DCD-1700NE. Advanced technologies deliver fidelity and precision. Play CDs, SACDs, and more with signal purity.

www.denon.com

Shanling also makes an SACD player:

Introducing Shanling SCD1.3_Shenzhen Shanling Digital Techno

Apart from SACD30n, Marantz makes the SACD 10 and SA-10 and the former SA-12 is still procurable in Europe.

Luxman offers the D-03x, D-07x and D-10x, Esoteric the K-01XD SE, K-03XD SE, K-05XD and and K1X SE as well as the P1X SE/K1X SE combination and Accuphase the DP-570 and DP-770 as well as the DP-1000/DC-1000 combination, but most of them are not for the mere mortals such as us.

 

[PristineSound]

My Oppo BDP-105D is still running strong. I have two of them.

I will be using them until the wheels falls off, hoping many more years from now.

As streaming gets more and more popular, you will see optical disc players dwindle even more over time.

Check out Shangling Onix, the only SACD transport that does not do a hand shake and sends out DSD that I am aware of.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_msX52kp

 

[effj]

The Sony UBP-X800M2 is a solid universal transport for SACD and DVD-A, in addition to the current BD formats. The UI is quite spartan, and playback functions are rudimentary - for example, you can’t switch between SACD layers during playback - but otherwise it’s reliable, fast, inexpensive, and, most importantly, current.

There is also the Sony UBP-X700U which is $30 cheaper.

 

[tengiz]

There is also the Sony UBP-X700U which is $30 cheaper.

I thought it doesn’t play DVD-A? I mean, it’s not really 'universal' - or rather, just 'less universal'

 

[effj]

I thought it doesn’t play DVD-A? I mean, it’s not really 'universal' - or rather, just 'less universal'

Oh yeah, no DVD-A.

 

[ezuz]

Since last november I have a Shanling SCD1.3, which I find extremely good as SACD/CD player and as DAC and pretty good as headphone amp. Its price, 1250 euros, seems reasonable to me. It may well be one of the cheapest SACD players available.

 

[BJL]

The Sony UBP-X800M2 is a solid universal transport for SACD and DVD-A, in addition to the current BD formats. The UI is quite spartan, and playback functions are rudimentary - for example, you can’t switch between SACD layers during playback - but otherwise it’s reliable, fast, inexpensive, and, most importantly, current.

I second the X800M2 recommendation (or X700U if you don't need DVD-Audio).

I have an X800M2 set up as an audio player only. HDMI 1 assigned as a video output goes to a small (22") inexpensive and energy efficient monitor for menu access and information. HDMI 2 assigned to audio only goes to my processor. My processor reports that the X800 is sending audio exactly as specified on the disc, e.g. Atmos/uncompressed Dolby TrueHD; PCM at the sample/bit rate of the disc, etc. For SACD it provides optionally native DSD output or PCM as you prefer. I have found the DVD-Audio handling to be excellent, very fast, superior to that of my Oppo 105. It doesn't have the Oppo bells and whistles, but I don't particularly miss them. It's compact, relatively light, and the mechanism is silent. I've owned this player for about two years, no problems at all.

For video discs I have a Sony X700U (the 2025 X700 update), connected my TV (a Sony XR series OLED) with audio via eARC. The X700 is a great component, totally stripped down, no internet app junk, no analog anything. I let the TV handle scaling to 4k with the X700 outputting 1080p other than UHD discs. I haven't owned it long enough to comment further, other than to note that it is small, light, energy efficient.

The UI for both is quite basic (to be polite) but entirely functional.

Both of these use a lot of plastic. Well, that is the world we live in, a plastic world. There seems to be no escape. I certainly would not pay $1600 for a metal case (Magnetar).

Hope this is useful for someone.

 

[xray]

For video discs I have a Sony X700U (the 2025 X700 update), connected my TV (a Sony XR series OLED) with audio via eARC.

Any reason you don't use the X800M2 for video as well or are they on separate systems?

 

[BJL]

Any reason you don't use the X800M2 for video as well or are they on separate systems?

No, it's the same system. An Atmos 9.1.6 set up.

Two reasons:

The main reason is that many music discs, in particular Blu Ray audio and DVD-Audio require a monitor to get through menus, sometimes to set up audio preferences etc. or to make track selections, and I can't stand the bright light of a large monitor, it breaks my concentration. By analogy, a 55" monitor is like stage lights, the little 22" monitor is like a candle.

Second reason, I've had audio/video syncing problems (aka lip sync), so I'm experimenting with connecting the sources (in my case, the UHD player and Apple TV) directly to the monitor, with audio via eARC for (I hope) better communication between the TV and processor. In that case I am stuck with leaving a large monitor on even if I'm just listening to music. I can, of course, shut off the picture, but it still sucks up electricity, in comparison with the 22" (about 15 watts), and as mentioned above, I really hate the intensity of a 55" monitor to just get through some menus.

So yes, I could in theory just use the X800M2, but I much prefer keeping it as an audio player. In the U.S. an X800M2 plus an X700U at current prices from that monopolistic online retailer is about $600, and there are frequently "used like new" available at a fine discount. Of course, if I was not able to afford (or weren't so annoyed by the big screen with music), an X800M2 would do the whole thing, as you are pointing out. On the economics, if you listen to a lot of music, a large monitor will increase your electric bill.

 

[xray]

I ask because I need to replace my ancient Denon DVD 2200 with a SACD/DVD-A player that has HDMI out and I'm considering the X800M2. I have a separate Blu Ray player but would like to consolidate both functions into one player if there are no drawbacks. I think a 1 X 2 HDMI Splitter would address the issue you mention with wanting a smaller monitor for audio playback.

 

[Kretinburger]

Both of those Sony players are discontinued.Bloody shame.

 

[Newman]

Both of those Sony players are discontinued.Bloody shame.

It's on us. (As a community)

 

[xray]

According to this post by a Sony retailer as of Feb 28, 2025

"Sony has not told their dealers that the UDP800M2 is or will be discontinued and they have a good supply available for their dealers."

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?s=42e8c507b0493f0bda72c6d1ccf082a5&p=22918380&postcount=15

It's still listed on sony.ca with a price but out of stock. I've checked with several retainers and it's still available.

 

[Kretinburger]

According to this post by a Sony retailer as of Feb 28, 2025

"Sony has not told their dealers that the UDP800M2 is or will be discontinued and they have a good supply available for their dealers."

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?s=42e8c507b0493f0bda72c6d1ccf082a5&p=22918380&postcount=15

It's still listed on sony.ca with a price but out of stock. I've checked with several retainers and it's still available.

Maybe where you are but no stock of 800 or 700 left in Australia.

 

[xray]

Maybe where you are but no stock of 800 or 700 left in Australia.

Yeah, inventory is changing rapidly. It's longer available at a few places that had them last week. I just ordered 1 from an online retailer. It would only let me add 3 to the cart when I tested so that's all they had. Another retailer had 7 however but I chose to order from the retailer with an actual store close to me.