Hypershift into new levels of music

interfacing with other components

The Toshiba performs, besides the DVD-Audio, as a progressive scan DVD player, so I eventually plan to comment on that and DVD Audio. But SACD finally made it to Daytona at both CC and BB and I had to try it out, especially after the previous reviews. There were three choices: a single disk player that also played DVD movies and a multi-disk player that also played DVDs and the 775 multi-disk that only plays cd or SACD. I don't need another DVD player with three of the things around the house, so it was a no-brainer. The Sony ce775 does a great job. It performs probably better than I am capable of hearing, so does DVD-A on the Toshiba. Many purists don't like surround music and I think the 2-channel offerings from Sony meet that niche requirement. Me, I send the signal to two amplifiers and create quad sound. Envelope me in the music, please! I truly can't say one system is superior to the other. Since some artists and music are exclusive to one or the other, I have no problem having both devices in my system and buying either SACD or DVD-A as I find them. The only rub, related to the weakness noted above, is that my primary amplifier has only one set of six-channel inputs. To go from full-bore DVD-A to SACD I have to switch the cables from one player to the other. As Sony does have so many 2-channel disks, the multi-channel defaults (mostly) to the Toshiba. I think the enthusiasts, if not the purist audiophiles, now have reasonably priced players that will allow the use of both systems and it won't matter which ultimately wins. Don't wait--try it out now!

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba SD-4700

SACD for under 4 bones. Best $350 midfi tweak going, hands down. Direct to DSD recordings on a real-world-dollar Audio System elevates one's listening experience into the realm of multi-multi thousand dollar esoteric gear.

less than stellar CD performance ??? (rag reviews mixed on this area of performance. Who cares ???) Yawn.

In an avocation where it is not uncommon for devotees to perform no small amount of hair pulling and hand wringing over outragously expensive tweaks, such as coughing up $500 or more for interconnects, and then changing them out in 6 months,this machine, the cheapest of all the SACD players, is truly a no-brainer.

On the upgrade path to audio nirvana,for us working stiffs, it is the difference between driving a Lexus at 20mph to that destination, or zooming along at 110 in a Firebird. Both'll get the job done, but one is decidedly less expensive, and quicker.

Not normally a fan of Circuit C. gear, I was surprised to find the SCD CE775 with a $349 price tag. I had read the prelim reviews in "Sound and Vision" and "Home Theater" mags with interest, and was mulling over whether or not to hold out for a truly universal player when my impulse buying nature got the better of me. (Particularly telling were the comments of professional muscians and recording engineers, who to a person went on record in HT as preferring SACD to DVD-A)
"What the hell"- I figured if I didn't like it I'll just bring it back.

When I purchased this unit in August, there was no software in the local electromarts, like CC and BB. Needless to say, no one at the music stores knew what I was talking about. So for my first foray into hi-rez, I ordered "Sat Night in San FRancisco", to assess treble clarity and transient response, and Carole King's "Tapestry" to have a female vocal piece to gauge sibilant reproduction and midrange performance. (Our local BB and CC now have SACD "kiosks", with both the SACD/CD 775 and the two DVD/SACD players displayed, a blurb banner and Sony SACD discs for sale)

I decided not to invest in midscale cables till after I had a change to gauge what this dummied down SACD unit was capable of. I used a combo of what I had laying around for the center, sub and rear connections, but transferred a set of Wireworld Oasis III analog interconnects for the mains.

The manual was typical Oriental English, but clear enough none the less. Setup and config. duties accomplished, first up was the "san francisco" disc. (3 acoustic guitars recorded live)

Wow. SACD blows CD out of the water. (as if you didn't all ready know that). Leading and falling edges were stunningly resolved, with no smear or trailing- the ambience of the hall was well preserved. "Tapestry" in SACD revealed outstanding vocal timbre and natural delineation of choral work, like on "you've got a friend". Gone was the glare and grain of CD's upper registers. Cymbals shimmered with nary a trace of the common "white noise" effect of CD.

I now have about 15 SACD's, and simply cannot tolerate CD's anymore on my modest system. While it is true there is a wide playback quality among discs, direct to DSD recordings like Telarc's "Mighty Sam McClain" is so transparent and natural as to be positively errie- horns with bite and soul, vocals that absolutely lack coloration or distortion.
And did I mention the bass ??? THat was another real revelation. Tight, well-defined, ample.

If you are a midfile on a budget, and thinking about swapping cables, or going to a more powerful receiver to coax out that last bit of air from your system- forgettaboutit. Try this approach first.

RUN- don't walk to your local BB or CC- in disguise from your audiophile friends if you have to- and shell out the cash for this SACD machine. you'll be glad you did.

Associated Equip:

Outlaw 1050
Paragigm Ref. Model 60's for mains
Wireword Oasis III biwires/interconnects

Similar Products Used:

none

Very enjoyable sound at any price...but a steal at $315.

None

I have been a big fan of DSD/SACD from the first recording session I heard from a DSD recorder. The recording was of a baroque orchestra with two trumpet soloists. The strings and the trumpets sounded great, but the real revelation was the harpsichord. Harpsichord is a VERY difficult instrument to record. It usually ends up sounding like a tray of silverware being dropped on a tin roof. The DSD harpischord recording was fat and airy at the same time.

Everything I have heard on DSD since then has confirmed the first impression. DSD is a clear improvement in audio recording technology.

The Sony SCD-1 captured some of the magic of DSD, but the latest generation of SACD players really gets it right. The SCD XA777ES is a great single disk, mulitchannel player, but expensive at $2500+.

I bought the SCD CE775 to see how low the "lowest common denominator" was in SACD playback. I fully intended to be disappointed and to take it back.

This thing sounded wonderful right out of the box! I loaded it up with (almost) all the SACDs I own and I played it all day long. My main system is an Atmaphere MP-1 preamp with Atmasphere MA2 mkII amps driving Soundlab A3 speakers. The surrounds are Atmasphere M-60s with Soundlab Dynastats. I run the SACD in "No center channel mode". (I can't quite imagine a LCR setup with 3 MA2s and 3 Soundlab A3s! Although if someone has a single MA2 for sale, I might give it a try) I have an Oram linestage to boost the surrounds a bit to make up for the lower power of the M-60s.

With the SCD CE775, tubes and 'stats playing the Santana "Abraxas" SACD, this is very close to LP quality playback. Other SACD re-masters are less successful at capturing that analog feel. Carol King "Tapestry" and Boston SACDs aren't nearly as fluid. But "Couldn't Stand the Weather" from SRV and Double Trouble holds up pretty well. Deep Forest, Train and "Headhunters" are all very enjoyable, too. And some tracks on the Bangles Greatest Hits sound nearly analog!

I hope like heck that SACD catches on. One product isn't going to make it or break it, but a poor low-end Sony SACD player could have done a lot of harm to the format.

The SCD ES-775 is a very good SACD player!

Similar Products Used:

Sony SCD-1, Sony SCD-XA777ES. Also have listened to source material from DSD recorders.

Excellent sound to cost ratio, good remote, well built for the price

None at this point

If it were not for the cost, I would have held out for a universal player (CD/DVD-A/SACD). But at $279, I thought it a good deal, and was I ever right. The sound is big and dynamic, which I was not expecting. The sound is also very fluid, ie less of the digital artifacts in cd.
I have only listened to it in stereo, as I have no surround set up. In this mode, it is really stunning, and I would like to hear it in multi cahnnel. Some of the disc's I have heard (SACD) that really make this unit shine are all the AudioQuest titles, Santana Abraxas, Carol King Tapestry, Dylan's Blond on Blond, and the Byrds greatest Hits. While not the same as vinyl, it has it's own unique style and sound. This what digital has finnaly grown up to be, and it is a very nice musical presantation.
Sound staging is real and 3 dimensional. Dynamics can slam you, and the bass with the bass managment is very good. One nice thing is that the higher frequency's are tastefull, not aggresive (unless the disc is) and flow.
The operation is easy, with no hidden deamons that I have found.
Overall, a great way to get into hi-rez sound, and actually hear most if not all the benafits!
One word of caution, the better the equipment used in conjunction the better the sound. A garage sale receiver and some old car speakers will not sound any better. If you use decent speakers, amps etc, you will be rewarded!

Similar Products Used:

MSB Link DAC III w/upsampling

Excellent SACD player, sturdy construction, potential for upgrades, excellent remote.

None

This is an all around excellent SACD player. Allow the player a few weeks to burn in and the sound becomes spectacular. Very sturdy construction for the price, and Sony even uses separate circuit boards for the power, control, and audio sections. Excellect design for under $400. Power switch not being on the remote is a plus for electronics purists.

I would recommend it to anyone!

-Matthew Anker
Matthew Anker's Electrostatic Loudspeaker Page
http://home1.gte.net/res0f2t3/index.htm

Great sound with sturdy audio contruction. SACD ability with mutliple CD capabilites.

Weak remote w/ no ability to turn on or off using it. You wont be able to program reciever/HT remote to shut it off.

I been using this unit for several months and continue to be amazed at the quality of CD/SACD sound. I'll have to admit that set up and using this unit to its full potential took some time. The instruction manual was not detailed enough so you have to tinker with the various options in 2 channel and multiple channel modes. Once I set up the 6 channel cables it sounded much, much better. I was unable to use the optical out sincee I have it connected to a Yamaha 5450 H/T receiver. I opted to use this for CD playback only and have seperate DVD progressive player( Panasonic RP56). Thus the choice of this unit over other whcih have the ability to player DVD/CD etc. This unit plays everything except DVD-Audio and that ok for know as this was my first CD component purchase. I concur with most of the opinions conveyed already listed below. Hopefully, more SACD disc will come out other then classical and The Bangles. I would recommend this unit for its SACD and sound quality at this price range. It weaknesses are miminal compared to the unit's overall abilites.

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The SACDs sound amazing!!

None so far.

Well, I have a Technics Sp-L770 CD player with the jog wheel that I have had for 10 years, but I was finally starting to get tired of how some CD-Rs it just refused to read, while others have no problem. Other than that the CD player is incredible, so it was time move it to the bedroom system and get something better for the main system. I was all set to buy a CD recorder when the CE775 caught my attention at Best Buy (of all places) the other day. They had a display playing a CD from Billy Joel and I could not believe the sound coming from those crappy little sony speakers thay had hooked up to the unit! I had to see what this thing sounded like on some real speakers; Klipsch Chorus 2s. So I brought it home, hooked it up, and it sounded like a new system entirely! I only have 4 SACDs currently, and I listen to them WAY to much. All the hype about SACD is true! It sounds so good, better punch, better clarity, just amazing. Regular CDs sound so flat compared to SACD! I really hope this format catches on in a big way! I am aching for more choice in discs! I do not have any 5.1 discs yet, so I cannot comment on that, but I am very excited to try it eventually. But no matter, the 2 channel sounds SO good I cannot imagine the 5.1 will sound even better, but I am sure it will.

There is only one con. There is an optical out but only for when you are playing CDs. Booo! The optical out should work for SACD too when SACD ready preamps and receivers become available, but it does not. Too bad. Have fun!

Similar Products Used:

none, no other SACD players out yet really.