Tons of detail at all frequencies. Very warm and musical. Excellent build quality.

No variable output for direct connection to a power amp (an increasingly rare feature). Electric cord is non-detachable. Long pause to read CD contents before playing first selected track.

After eight years of heavy use, my Adcom GCD-700 finally broke and I needed a new CD player. I wasn't sure what I wanted to replace it with until I heard the scd-c555es. The sound is what sold me: very detailed but also very "liquid", really musical and smooth. I also auditioned the scd-c222es, the (more expensive) DVP-9000es, and a variety of models from other name brands, but nothing in the $500-1500 price range sounded quite as good to me. The excellent build quality of the 555 (a real tank compared to my fragile Adcom) and the very deep price discount made the purchase an easy decision. Other reviewers have mentioned the noisy changer mechanism, but I find it much less offensive than the other carousel units I tested. The little motorized panel that covers the closed CD tray is not only for looks: it acts as a bit of a sound baffle to take the edge off the noise of changing/spinning discs. The finish of the unit is plain but adequately refined to pass as high-end. I can't wait to get my hands on some SACDs!

Similar Products Used:

Adcom GCD-700, Sony scd-c222es, Sony dvp-9000es, comparable Denon and Pioneer models.

Soundstage galore, Unbelievable resolving power, Highs are so detailed it is scary!

Disc tray is a little noisy, it may wake you up while it is switching discs.

As much I hate to admit this, it excelled in all areas, totaly abusing my Rotel in every way it could think of. It was an all out war with the Sony <---eGAD!!! winning. Again, I never would think i would ever be wrting anything endprsing a Sony product, but stranger things have happened.

Similar Products Used:

Rotel 971, marantz cd 5000, cd 48

Looks, build quality, super audio CD reproduction...especially multi-channel.

noisey tray for this level equipment, lack of function buttons on front, slow in reading TOC''''s, multi-channel is analog out ONLY (a recording industry requirement I think).

I just had to have SACD capability and couldn''''t wait for the DVD-Audio/SACD contest to play out. So I upgraded from a lower level SONY ES 5 disc player (CA70ES)to the SONY C333ES to compliment my X339ES single player. I must have been on another planet when I ordered as I didn''''t realize that the 333 did NOT have "multi-channel". Also, 2 channel Super Audio CD''''s did not bowl me over as I expected. After a couple months I got the C555ES new in the box on an Ebay auction. I got a couple multi-channel discs (Billy Joel and Sacred Feast) and I am now laying in a clump at the end of the alley...BOWLED OVER!!! I thought Hell Freezes Over (Eagles) on DVD was the finest recorded music I had ever heard until I listened to Billy Joel in SACD multi-channel. The magic is probably more SACD in Multi-channel than the C555ES itself...but I can''''t afford to buy others to compare. I''''ve yet to read a bad review of either the 555Es or the SACD format. My biggest beef is the lack of function buttons on the front panel. When recording to MD or CD-R, more functions are needed. Also I wish I had gotten a single disc SACD instead of the 5 disc...but the single 777ES is way too expensive. High Resolution Audio is here, folks. You can jump on the wagon now or wait til SACD''''s and playback equipment is cheaper. You won''''t believe your ears...it''''s that good!!

Similar Products Used:

X339ES, CA70ES, C333ES

Accurate playback - smooth, bright without glare on both SACD and Red Book.

None

The multi-channel SACD and the Red Book playback are both extraordinary. Will improve with break in but sounds smooth out of the box. An absolute bargain at the price and I had a great experience with Oade.

Similar Products Used:

Sony 9000 DVD player. Also superb.

Sound, build quality, features.

Sadly, it''s just another ugly black box.

I had heard so much hoopla about the new "New" thing, SACD that I finally broke down and supplemented my CEC belt drive CD player that I used to think couldn''t be topped. Although this unit is designed for a 5.1 music system, I am currently in the 2.1 setup unitil the so called ship comes in. I didn''t really know what to expect with SACD, but I did immediately hear a significant difference in the sound. It wasn''t until the unit finally broke in that I understood what all of the rave reviews were about. This single component has so fundimentally changed my reaction and connection to music that it is almost surreal. I don''t own a state of the art system, but what I do have is very good. I can finally sit still. I no longer have listening fatique. I think I am the only middle aged man in Idaho who loves Baby Face and any and everything else I can get on SACD. I have only collected 14 discs so far, but as time and money and taste allow, I am going for broke. It is really that good. Don''t expect to be bowled over by a radically different ''sound'' even though you will after just a few listens. Pay attention to the way you react to what you hear...it''s like getting the musical soul back you lost when you gave up vinyl for ''perfect sound forever''. If you can afford to, try late night listening with a set of really good headphones ''HD580''s/HD600''s or whatever and put on what moves your spirit to soar, I think you''ll never go back to CD until you realize that you have a couple of hundred that you still love... I finally have my groove back. Now if we could only get Marvin Gaye on SACD...

Similar Products Used:

None. This is new technology.