Vintage

You don’t have to be a marketing analyst with a subscription to the Financial Times to understand why SACD might win the format war. Clearly, the SACD crew has delivered more hardware and (most importantly) in the order of ten times more software than DVD-Audio, according to the estimates of music vendors I’ve canvassed. All of which makes the arrival of a high-end SACD player with a mid-range price point something worth considering.

No time like the present

Although the DVD-A format will never go away because it’s a fait accompli for future DVD players at all price points, SACD has reached a stage where some very finicky audio gurus are admitting they ‘prefer’ it to CD and DVD-A. I’m even sniffing a change in attitude toward multichannel. Am I telling you to buy an SACD player, then? No. But what I am trying to say is that, as with computers and pension schemes, now’s as good a time as any. And the Sony SCD-XA333ES (at under half the price of the SCD-XA777ES reviewed last issue) should be on all shopping lists which stretch to a low four figures. Aside from the ludicrous mouthful of a name (is Sony’s marketing department full of ex-Akai and Aiwa personnel?), this multichannel player in Sony’s ‘serious audiophile’ ES range represents a level of maturity previously not found, at least not convincingly, in first- or second-generation players. Or whatever generation this represents.

Channel hopping

Amusingly, the multichannel aspect is still not overriding in importance; it still seems as if two-channel SACDs outnumber multichannel discs. I have 30 or 40 wonderful stereo SACDs, from Keb’ Mo’ to The Bangles to Bob Dylan to a slew of Chad Kassem’s blues titles. Conversely, I’m currently using the SCD-XA333ES in a multichannel system (MartinLogan speakers and subwoofer, Theta Intrepid amplifier, Lexicon MC-12 pre/processor), and the gains offered by surround are inescapably, inarguably worthwhile... provided the material suits it.

Lid off shot reveals the player’s extensive use of SMD circuitry with powerful CXD1882 SACD decoder and CXD2752 DSD decoder LSIs [top]

But back to Sony’s new player. It looks like and is built like a CD player apart from one small rotary control and an extra smattering of tiny buttons, more of which anon. All you find on the back panel are coaxial and Toslink optical digital outputs for CD playback into an external processor, and two sets of gold-plated analogue phono outputs: a 5.1 channels’ worth for SACD multichannel and a stereo pair for two-channel.

Between the headphone outlet/headphone volume control (a proper 1/4in socket!) and the main tray/display are four buttons for choosing time readouts or text for discs with that data; a button to select the configuration menu; another to choose between ‘multi’ and ‘2ch’; and a button to select SACD or CD (for hybrid discs). At first, you will use this last-named control a lot, if only to convince yourself that you made the right decision. But I haven’t yet found a disc wherein the CD layer betters the SACD one.

All controls are duplicated on the remote, so you can do it all from the hot seat. What you can’t do a thing about is the need to stop the disc playing to change from SACD to CD layer or vice versa. It can’t switch layers ‘on the fly’.

Pride of ownership

A clear fluorescent dot matrix display provides track and text info, plus a grid showing the number of tracks and which are played or programmed. Disc format and number of channels are also indicated. To the right is a rotary control to scroll through the menus.

Front panel of the SCD-XA333ES, with transport buttons and ‘Multi-Channel/Direct Stream Digital Super Audio D/A Converter System’ legend

Measuring 430x130x380mm (whd) and weighing a chunky 9.5kg, Sony’s SCD-XA333ES boasts a rugged construction that’s a far cry from those nasty products made from folded metal barely more substantial than a Märklin tin-toy circa 1925. The (black or silver) chassis has been reinforced for extra rigidity, making it reminiscent of the heftier CD/ DVD players from Denon and certain American heavyweights.

Furthermore, as far as pride of ownership is concerned, Sony’s player delivers it in spades. Those who revel in the feel of controls will love the way the buttons operate on this most luxurious of players. Inside are a fixed pick-up transport mechanism, power supply with twin R-Core transformers and eight ‘multilevel SACD DACs’.

One of the player’s R-Core transformers, from Japan’sKitamura Kiden

SACD requires analogue output of its multichannel signal, to stymie piracy. Because of the need to address conditions which are outside of the bounds of digital processing, the SCD-XA333ES allows the user to adjust the multichannel playback to suit the system, just as you find in AV systems which let the user feed in the size of the speakers, plus the presence or lack of a centre channel or subwoofer. Conditions which might require this are: feeding the ’333 into surround processors with six analogue-channel inputs without bass-management; multichannel preamps without processing [see boxout]; or other situations where the bass management is missing. Of course, you can feed the signal straight in, without adjustments, but this is a minefield which – while causing no damage – will drive pernickety listeners nuts.

Airs and graces
Sorry, but to be perfectly frank, I ended up using the SCD-XA333ES with the same settings I use for DVD film playback, after messing around with my sub’s crossover points, level and more to distraction. My advice? Set it and forget it, or you’ll just make yourself miserable.

With a vengeance, the SCD-XA333ES showed itself to be not only a magnificent SACD player, but also a conventional CD player of great worth. So let’s get that out of the way first, given that you probably have an extensive CD library which you aren’t ready to ditch.

Sony released the first SACD player in 1999, although the SCD-1 was only compatible with the format’s two-channel discs

With subtle, refined and airy discs such as The Persuasions Sing The Beatles on Chesky, the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack [Mercury], Zounds’ superb Best Of Poco, the SCD-XA333ES displayed a finesse on a par with my sub-£1000 reference, the Musical Fidelity X-RAY.

It sounded big and bold when asked, dispatching Kodo drummers with ease, but I suppose that Sony’s tweakers (the UK division has its hands and ears all over the SCD-XA333ES) knew that the CD performance would have to be good. After all, a press of a button means instant comparisons with true surround sound. No way did they want it to fall down for CD, however badly they want SACD to grow.

Moving to SACD – even stereo rather than 5.1 – was revelatory. The latest discs from Telarc, Chesky and Analogue Productions are, by definition, audiophile discs, but close listening to both layers left me in no doubt that SACD playback was airier and more open, and it seemed to offer greater extension at both ends of the frequency range.

Bang the drum

In both two- and 5.1-channel forms, the sound spreads were more even, seamless and cohesive, creating palpably more convincing recreations of space. The lower registers, as well as offering greater depth, showed better control and – when relevant – more snap, as on the magnificent bass ’n’ drums opus, Telarc’s Monty Alexander Meets Sly & Robbie. As my son put it: ‘The first one [SACD] has a better beat’. And that’s coming from an untainted 11-year-old musician.

Rear panel of the SCD-XA333ES offered 5.1 and stereo analogue outputs, plus coaxial and optical (S/PDIF) outputs for use as a CD transport

With only a few rivals out there – SACD players are still a minority pursuit – it’s clear that this £1200 masterpiece has to face off with Philips’ deservedly popular DVD1000. And that unit contains a very fine DVD video player. But the Sony SCD-XA333ES offers the most convincing argument I’ve heard yet for SACD in a context which applies more to audiophiles than do either £5000-plus flagship machines, or sub-£400 units with obvious compromises.

Conclusion

If the existing SACD catalogue appeals to you, if you believe that SACD will continue to grow, and if you still want more from a digital source than CD can offer, borrow a Sony SCD-XA333ES for the weekend. And don’t expect to give it back.