SACD Players in 2025?

[Roland68]

Are there any dedicated SACD players with HDMI? Any that still get produced?

SHANLING offers something like that with the SCD1.3.
There weren't many true dedicated SACD players anyway, and a large portion of them were in the higher price range of several thousand euros/dollars.
One of the more affordable ones was the Sony SCD-XA5400ES.

Most were probably SACD players capable of playing Blu-ray and/or DVD.
Many inexpensive Sony Blu-ray players with HDMI output could play SACDs, often for under €100, for example, the current BDP-S1700. Not guaranteed. It's possible that only the older devices can play SACDs. Please check before buying.
Used players like these can be found for as little as €20.

Only a few of them support DVD Audio, for example, the UBP-X800M2.

 

[Scytales]

Are you sure the Sony BDP-S1700 is able to play SA-CDs? There is no mention of that capability on the Sony website neither in the relevant owner's manual.

 

[Rick63]

Are you sure the Sony BDP-S1700 is able to play SA-CDs? There is no mention of that capability on the Sony website neither in the relevant owner's manual.

The most recent Sony Blu-Ray player (non 4K UHD) that played SACDs via HDMI was the now discontinued BDP-S6700. The BDP-S1700 only played the CD layer of an SACD.

 

[Roland68]

Are you sure the Sony BDP-S1700 is able to play SA-CDs? There is no mention of that capability on the Sony website neither in the relevant owner's manual.

That's what it says on the German Sony website, at least, but of course it could be wrong.
The previous models could do it.
BDP-S1700 Technical Data

 

[Ron60223]

Save your money and keep your OPPO BDP 83 for music only, unless there are serious mechanical problems with it. I have each new OPPO version (93, 103, 105, 203 and 205) and find the change in sound quality to be evolutionary (incremental) instead of revolutionary. However, the video quality has improved markedly with each new version. I still play SACD and SACD-R on the 83 and I am quite satisfied. As long as you don't update the firmware, you can play SACD-R on 83, 83SE, 93 and 95. The 103 and 105 can be used to rip SACD if you just wish "to experiment." If I recall the 83 is DSD output capable so you can update to an external DSD dac.

 

[Scytales]

Save your money and keep your OPPO BDP 83 for music only, unless there are serious mechanical problems with it. I have each new OPPO version (93, 103, 105, 203 and 205) and find the change in sound quality to be evolutionary (incremental) instead of revolutionary. However, the video quality has improved markedly with each new version. I still play SACD and SACD-R on the 83 and I am quite satisfied. As long as you don't update the firmware, you can play SACD-R on 83, 83SE, 93 and 95. The 103 and 105 can be used to rip SACD if you just wish "to experiment." If I recall the 83 is DSD output capable so you can update to an external DSD dac.

Hi and welcome on Audiosciencereview !

Which SACD-R recorder do you use? I suspect SACD-R are just vanilla DVD-R that are specially formatted by the recorder?

 

[Power Pop 23]

Amazon USA is currently offering the Sony UBP-X700U disc player for $218

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWH36G9J?

 

[jimmyjames8]

Was somewhat satisfied with the sound out of my Marantz SACD 30n until I compared the SACD playback to my Sony UBPX800M2 via HDMI to Marantz AV7706. 30n sounds veiled. Thinking about trying one of these Denons. Not a lot of choices these days.
\ https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/denon-dcd-1700ne-cd-sacd-player/

 

[Billy Budapest]

Hi and welcome on Audiosciencereview !

Which SACD-R recorder do you use? I suspect SACD-R are just vanilla DVD-R that are specially formatted by the recorder?

SACD-R is an unofficial term for SACD’s that have had their copy protection circumvented and then the disc images burned onto DVD-R’s. Only some SACD players are able to play them (ie, the players that do not check for copy protection). They probably violate the DMCA and I do not believe they are proper conversation subject matter for this forum.

 

[Descartes]

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/

How does it compare to the Denon?

 

[Descartes]

Was somewhat satisfied with the sound out of my Marantz SACD 30n until I compared the SACD playback to my Sony UBPX800M2 via HDMI to Marantz AV7706. 30n sounds veiled. Thinking about trying one of these Denons. Not a lot of choices these days.
\ https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/denon-dcd-1700ne-cd-sacd-player/

Are you saying that the $300 Sony sounded better?

 

[jimmyjames8]

Well technically the $300 Sony has no sound as it is a universal disc transport only. It feeding the Marantz AV7706 (approx $2500 when i bought it) sounded better than the ($2500 when I bought) it 30n. YMMV.

 

[Descartes]

Well technically the $300 Sony has no sound as it is a universal disc transport only. It feeding the Marantz AV7706 (approx $2500 when i bought it) sounded better than the ($2500 when I bought) it 30n. YMMV.

Ok so just use it as a transport and pass through DSD!

 

[jimmyjames8]

Yes via HDMI

 

[Nopiano]

Yes via HDMI

So that Sony outputs SACD quality via HDMI? I thought that was prevented by a type of copy protection system, and only ‘jail broken’ devices could workaround that.

 

[BJL]

So that Sony outputs SACD quality via HDMI? I thought that was prevented by a type of copy protection system, and only ‘jail broken’ devices could workaround that.

The Sony outputs SACDs as native DSD or optionally PCM, via HDMI. Both the X800 & X700. It is a setting.

 

[Nopiano]

That's what it says on the German Sony website, at least, but of course it could be wrong.
The previous models could do it.
BDP-S1700 Technical Data
View attachment 487482

The same spec is on the Sony.co.uk website. But the manual is silent about SACD. It neither lists them as playable or not playable, which is bizarre given Sony’s role in creating SACD!

Manual snapshot attached.

 

[tineared]

I believe it's safe to assume that it will play SACDs as the manual doesn't list them as not playable, but an email to customer support should clear it up

 

[Descartes]

I believe it's safe to assume that it will play SACDs as the manual doesn't list them as not playable, but an email to customer support should clear it up

If you can get an answer from them

 

[Chrispy]

I believe it's safe to assume that it will play SACDs as the manual doesn't list them as not playable, but an email to customer support should clear it up

Made me curious. looking at the manual (which is for the 1700, 3700 and BX370) it doesn't show as a playable disc, nor as a not playable one (and no mention of dsd)....which I found a bit odd. My S5100 and S6700 manuals clearly indicate SACD playable. I did find some info on the 3700 indicating it can only play the standard cd layer on an SACD.

A little more searching on the sony site for 1700/3700 I got this info, however:

Due to the SA-CD Copy Protection, the DSD audio can't be transmitted over an unsecured wireless speaker. This means that if you use a Soundbar or Audio Receiver with a Wireless Subwoofer or Wireless Rear speakers, you may experience the following:

• Audio System is not playing in DSD format
• SA-CD Hybrid Disc layer not playing
• No audio from the SA-CD disc

Change the Blu-ray Disc™ player settings to make sure that DSD audio is playing from the Audio System:

1. Music Settings → Super Audio CD Playback Layer → SUPER AUDIO CD (DEFAULT)
2. Audio Settings → Digital Audio Output → AUTO (DEFAULT)
3. Audio Settings → DSD Output Mode → AUTO