SACD performance.

Regular CD performance.

Excellent SACD performance. Mediocore regular CD playback. Excellent value for the money. Good build quality. A no brainer as far as I am concerned.

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Sherwood Newcastle CD player

SACD Sound at Bargain Basement Price.Base Management Features with 5.1 Sound. Very Good CD Playback.

No Power-off from Remote. CD Playback Only Through Toslink Connection. Requires Four Pair of Decent Audio Interconnects. Cables will likely cost more than the player.

Initially, I wasn''t overly impressed with this player. It was somewhat evident the SACD playback was an improvement over CD playback, but hardly overwhelming. I purchased three SACD disc: James Taylor, "Hour Glass", Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue", and Earth,Wind and Fire, "Gratitude". Review equipment was an Onkyo TX-DS494 Receiver and Energy Take 5.2 Speakers with S8.2 subwoofer. Cables were Wasatch Cableworks 601 (L,R,C)and 600 (Rears) and CobaltCables.Com Ultimate Toslink and Audio Interconnect. I will begin with the CD playback of this unit in comparison to my Denon DCM-360 CD Changer(1999 Stereophile Recommended Component). Right out of the box, the Sony lacked in every area. The mids and highs were dry without smoothness or detail and the bass wasn''t defined. I felt as though my speakers had been covered. In comparion, the Denon was clear, fast, and detailed with good bass definition. After about 100 hours plus, something happened. The Sony displayed smoothness and detail in the mids and highs and the bass came alive. Wow! In comparison to the Denon, the Sony is warmer and smoother in the mids and highs, however, the Denon has an edge in detail and bass definition, but not much. Overall, very good CD playback! Especially, if you consider that the Denon DCM-370 retails for $299.00 and the Sony retails now for $100 less and includes SACD. Onto SACD playback. I can only compare the SACD playback with CD playback in two channel and five channel using the Pro Logic II decoder in my Onkyo Receiver. After about 200 hours of break-in, SACD playback truly showed its merits through this player. First off, I must say that I was stunned when this player revealed itself. Unbelievable! I will try to describe how this player sounds to me comparing it with CD playback. This player is smooth as silk with detail that is not exaggerated but rather natural and pleasant throughout mids and highs. Bass is clean and very well defined. CD playback tends to exaggerate mids and highs and bass tends to be overemphasized. Some have compared the sound of SACD with vinyl playback. I would agree some. Although I think the sound of SACD is more of a marriage of vinyl and CD sound. I could go on and on about the sound of SACD playback through this inexpensive player. Refer to professional reviews for tech info. Five Stars Plus! Highly Recommened.

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Denon DCM-360 CD Changer

Nice looking, super easy to use, great overall sound. quality build.

2 channel SACD output is MUCH lower in level than MultiChannel. (is this a problem with this unit? or is it inherrant to SACD all together?)Can''''t access any menu (setup) functions via the remote. (same as most Sony gear.. just dumb)

What an awsome entry into SACD! The price just dropped to $199 at Circuit City, couldn''''t resist! Although I have been very unimpressed with Sony gear (both pro and consumer) in the last 4 years or so, this unit seems to be beter built than thier other recent products.

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none

High quality audio playback previously only available from the best analog record players or 4-figured disc spinners, multi-channel audio capability, analog bass management system for flexibility with different speaker and room configurations, quality construction, easy to use

Cannot match the level of perfection with SACD achieved by Sony’s best SACD machines, although this should not concern the average consumer. If you are not ready to spend 4-figures, this is the best deal in audio playback

STATE OF THE ART. With the SCD-CE775, Sony have finally delivered on their promise to deliver master tape quality audio to the masses. At the $300 price point this multi-channel SACD player is a breakthrough and a revelation! By now everyone will know that SACD provides the most advanced standard of audio playback currently possible. Compared directly to PCM formats like CD and DVD-A, SACD sounds more like live music. PCM formats exaggerate the harmonic structure of the upper mid-range and lower treble. SACD sounds noticeably less exaggerated and less fatiguing. Many compare the harmonic integrity of SACD to that of the very best analog record players. The differences between CD and SACD are subtle, but they are also profound. These differences are most apparent after prolonged listening. Budget SACD players like the SCD-CE775 encourage this. These differences are apparent, when you realize that you have been able to relax and enjoy an orchestral performance without keeping one hand on the volume control (to turn down the volume during screechy climaxes, as you must do with CD). The differences are obvious by the smile on your face upon hearing the natural timber and resonances of stringed instruments a decade after having abandoned your LP collection. The differences become apparent when you are suddenly interrupted by the telephone ringing while listening to an SACD, when you realize how deeply involved you had been in the piece you are listening to. The phone ringing snaps you out of a musical spell and you realize that unlike CD, which often encourages you to fidget, read, talk, cook or vacuum, SACD absorbs and involves you completely in a musical experience. Subtle but profound. The SCD-CE775 is the first disc-spinner of any kind capable of bringing this high quality audio into the homes of real people; people who might have been put off by the high price of the first SACD players, when they appeared two years ago. I am also happy to report that the number of SACD discs has steadily grown in two years. As of today’s date, there are approximately 600 titles with thousands more promised for 2002. Let me start by defining this disc changer’s place in the Sony line-up of SACD players. This is a multi-channel, 5-disc player, which provides 5.1 channels of audio from six analog outputs. The player also has a separate set of stereo analog outputs

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MSB Technology Link DAC, Sony SCD-1, Sony SCD-777ES

Basic design makes easy to use. Great sound quality for price paid, headphone jack

No gold plated rca connections in rear

I must start off by stating I own the single disc version of the 775. It is the SCD-XE 670. For hundred less you get the same sound quality with only one disc playable. I even cracked the lid off the unit and sure enough the circuit board has SCD-CE 775/ SCD-XB 770 stamped on it. The model 770 is the next unit up to the 670, but is only available in Europe. So all three of these units use the same circuit board and chips. The power supply section has quite a few parts which I have no clue what they all do. I''ve never seen so many capacitors and heat sinks in the power supply section before. No on to the sound. I only have 2 SACD discs to listen to so far. The first I got with the player- Miles Davis: Kind of Blue. The second is Mozart''s symphony 39/40 with Szell conducting. Both of these discs the recordings were made in the early 60s, so it is limited. Playing Mozart I frankly did not hear much of an improvement in sound over cd over a lot of this disc. Nothing jumped out at me until I heard on track 9 the opera singer. That presentation was a bit more striking sound quite clear. Still it didn''t impress me that much. So I dumped the disc and put in Miles Davis. NOW I hear an improvement! There was quite a bit of air and opennous to the recording. The horns were quite present in the room. The edginess of cd sound wasn''t there. I have heard better sound still from high end cd players, but hey- this unit only cost me $361 Canadian! I doubt one could get this sound quality from any cd player around this price range. As for cds, I must say this unit plays them quite well. I used to listen to cds on a dvd player before this that cost $1200 Canadian. I must say its true what they say about dvd players making bad cd players. The Sony sounded quite smooth on cds with highs that weren''t as bright as I''ve been listening to. Even the soundstaging was better then before. Playing regular cds on this player was more enjoyable then my old dvd player. But SACD still sounded better. When I bought the unit, the salesman I delt with was quite excited to open it up in the store and try it for a test run. He was skeptical of SACD and favored DVD-Audio because he feels SACD will go out like Beta did. Well if it does I only lost out on $400 bucks. Anyway he listened to Miles Davis and he has heard the vinyl version of this album. He said vinyl was better. Maybe. Hey-$361

The price, $249.00

severly challenged bass management and no power button on the remote, no on screen menu to calibrate speaker levels and general set up functions. Very difficult unit to set-up and unintelligeble intruction manual. My advice to anyone shopping for SACD is to wait until more manufacturers come to the market with players, that has worked out many of the problems I''m complaining about with this player.

I purchase this player as an entry piece into SACD and I must say that I was quite disappointed. I have read many of the reviews of this player and SACD sound performance in general, I heard how much like analog SACD sounds(which really means it must be less accurate if that is the case), how smooth the highs are, I just heard much about the sound SACD. So I decided to sample it. As I said, I was disappoiment with this player because the sound was kind of thin, high were smooth, but I have heard smooth highs with DVD-A. The biggest problem I have with this player is that it doesn''t produce bass that well, even though its touted as having good bass managment, the bass management functions on the this player are limited and weak at best.

Very High Quality at a very low price. Spectacular intro to multichannel SACDs.

Needs hundreds of hours of burn-in to reach full potential. Noisy changer but who cares?

Like others here, I bought this on a lark. I was curious about SACDs and multichannel and thought I would try it out. I expected that I would end up returning the unit. I was surprised by the quality of the unit right out of the box although the sound was not up to the quality of my Perpetual Technologies P1A & P3A CD processing equipment costing over $2000. The Perp Tech devices turn 16 bit 44.1 Hz CDs into 24 bit 96 Hz super CDs while retrieving lost dynamics through a highly sophisticated computer algorithm program But the surround sound was interesting. It created a deeper and larger soundstage on most recordings and added elements of clarity and definition. My first impression was that SACD was a definite improvement over CDs even without multichannel and multichannel created an ambiance and excitement not to be found on CDs. I particularly liked multichannel recordings of live performances where you really feel a part of the audience. While my CDs sounded better fidelity wise, I was convinced that if I had better external DACs that SACDs would defiantly be better. So I decided that due to the low price I would keep the 775 and when better units were available at more reasonable prices I would replace it. However, a strange thing took place. The 775 kept getting better and better and better. I never really believed in “burn-in” until I got this unit. Now I do. While not up to my other equipment it has gotten quite close. And on some DSD multi=channel recordings (ike Chesky''s "Swing Live!"} it is be better in all respects! I expect that I will not be replacing this unit any time soon. Sony has obviously produced a high quality machine that I bet they are selling at a loss so they can get SACDs off the ground and into the mass market. Have you noticed that at Best Buys SACDs have dropped dramatically in price? Looks like Sony is out to beat DVD-A. With machines like this they might do it. I am using full range full size (and then some)Klipschorns and LaScalas for my surround system. They are very revealing speakers.

Excellent sound with clarity and engaging presence. Regular CD''s sound great, too.

None, unless you have a really high-end system, in which case you could purchase one of the more expensive SACD players to fully take advantage of this format.

I was going to wait longer to purchase a SACD player, but when Music Direct offered six SACD titles at no extra cost I made the plunge....and I am very happy that I did so. I have been reading for months that this player needed a burn-in period in order to sound excellent. I had always thought that this was just a psyco-acoustical effect. But, after reading some technical accounts, I have come to realize that burn-in is for real. My Sony player has been getting better and better as the weeks go by and I just love the music that pours forth from my Paradigm speakers. During the first couple of weeks the sound was bright, particularly on regular "blue-book" CD''s. But that has now completely mellowed out. I can honestly say that my regular CD collection (more than 500 titles) has never sounded better. But SACD is another level up. My system is an upper, middle of the road, or lower high-end system depending on who does the judging. I have high quality speakers coupled with a NAD t751 receiver. If I had a more expensive system I would probably hear even more differences between my regular CD''s and my new SACD''s, but even with my lesser system I can easily tell that the latter are clearer, cleaner and more engaging. This is true with my stereo discs, but especially so with the two multi-channel titles I currently own (James Taylor''s "Hourglass" and Ana Caram''s lovely "Blue Bossa" on the Chesky label). Neither of these two put much sound in the rear speakers....and this I like! You just get enough ambience to make the whole sound seem more real and alive. Ana Caram sounds just like she is performing there in my living room. And remember, I have only an average system. Many writers to this site have stated that they are now listening to their music for longer periods of time and to all of their CD''s with more enjoyment since getting into SACD, and I can only echo their feelings. I really haven''t found anything to dislike about this player since it has burned-in. The noise during changing of discs is to be expected and does not really bother me and the remote is adequate and does the job. There may be complete players that will do SACD and DVD-Audio in the near future, but why wait when it is so inexpensive to get this now. You can always upgrade later. Highly recommended!

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None

Outstanding playback, Text titles on applicable CDs and all SACDs. Realism added to sound stage.

No power button on remote. Needed to be hooked up to switched input on reciever to allow for remote shutdown. Low bass not channeled to LFE is not captured on SACD playback.

Unfortunately the first player I bought stopped working via the remote after only one day. Brought it back to CC where it was purchased. The unit was exchanged with no problems or questions. There were some major issues purchasing the unit from CC: 1. I asked the salesperson if it had a coax digital output (I am upgrading a HK FL8380 and wanted to use the same interconnects). Was told this was the case. Not true. 2. I then purchased a Fiber optic output to later find out that the SACD playback would not go through the digital interface. It can only go through the 5.1 inputs on the reciever. had to make another trip. Now a total of three trips on one day. Arghhhhh 3. I was not told about the deep bass frequencies that are not routed to the LFE channel (if listening to the SACD in 2Channel play back) would not be picked up by the reciever unless processed other wise. (See Outlaw ICBM) Now for the review: After a couple of weeks I am totally impressed with this player thus far. The uniti is hooked up to a HK AVR510, and the speakers are Infinity SM121s (Soon to be upgraded to KEF Reference 3.2. I am waiting anxiously to hear the improvement) I have done side by side comparisons of the same CDs on my HK DVD50, which has an outstanding DAC onboard, and the Sony SCD-CD775, one traditional the other SACD (Miles Davis: Kind of Blue and Dave Brubeck: Take Five). I am totally impressed with the play back thus far. The highs sound impressively less harsh. The tonality of the brass instruments and the ability for string instruments to not sound ''''synthetic'''' or ''''digital'''' is absolutely amazing. Overall I am greatly impressed with this player thus far and would recommend it to a devoted audio enthusiast who understands all of the requirements to get maximum performance out of the player. The total cost I ended up spending on this player is approaching the $1300 mark after the ICBM, Outlaw Audio ($249), 4 sets of 1m audio interconnects, Monster Reference II ($100/pr), 3 sets of .5m audio interconnects BetterCable Silver Serpent($80/pr) and the player itself ($349). That needs to be disclosed at time of purchase.

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HK FL8380 Sony SACD/DVD

Sound

No visuals, but so what

This is an update to my previous review. I've been playing the 775 a lot. The lack of multi-channel titles is bothering me less than I thought and regular CD's play very well on this machine. The main reason I wanted to add more comment is that I've solved the problem of two units requiring the same input for six-channel sound. Believe it or not, I found a useful salesperson at Best Buy, who suggested I try two AV switchers. AV switchers are small boxes with four or three sets of S-Video and video/audio RCA input jacks going to one output set. While most switchers are narrow and sleek and run about $40. There is a brand made for Playstation II that is rectangular (and black) costing $20 per unit. I taped one atop the other using black duct tape. I then ran six short audio cables from the Sony 775 to the first three av inputs, top and bottom--using yellow on top for center input and yellow on bottom for subwoofer, mains to the top and surrounds to the bottom red and white. Duplicated the setup with the Toshiba DVD Audio at the second position. Then fed my amp 6-channel input from the two switchbox outputs, making sure there were no mismatches. Voila! It worked. A true audiophile might say there is a difference, but I cannot tell that there is any degradation of sound quality whatsoever. I suspect there are other enthusiasts out there who may find this useful.

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Toshiba DVD Audio