Sony SCD-XA9000ES SACD Player - Page 3

Unpacking

The retail package includes the following:
- Audio connecting Stereo cable ( x3)
- Coaxial Digital cable ( x2)
- iLink Digital cable
- Power cable
- Remote commander RM-SX700
- R06 ( size AA) batteries ( x2)
- Multi language manual
- Warranty

On the right on the front panel there are the eject, play, pause, stop, skip (AMS) and fast forward buttons.

On the left there are the power button, a headphone jack with volume level adjust. The five remaining buttons handle read text from the disc, entering the unit's menu, changing between Multichannel to Stereo 2CH and SACD to CD and enable the iLink.

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The RM-SX700 remote control is easy to use and includes everything for controlling the player apart from eject.

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When we removed the player's cover, which is something we don't recommend you to do, we witnessed Sony's amazing handiwork. The picture below speaks for itself.

Inside the SCD-XA9000ES SACD Player
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Below is the internal layout of the SCD-XA9000ES as seen from the back. Notice the R-Core power transformers (1), the digital circuit (2), the analog audio circuits (3), and the i.LINK output circuit (4), near the center of the back panel.

As you can see in the pictures below, everything in the SCD-XA9000ES is made by Sony.

Below you can see Sony's well known chipset, which is also installed in many other devices, the CXD2753 DSD decoder responsible for SACD reproduction:

DSD decoder LSI

The Super Audio CD's 1-bit signal is processed and decoded by Sony's CXD2753 DSD decoder LSI. This integrated circuit makes intelligent decisions regarding the incoming data to form the 1-bit audio signal. The LSI first reads the Watermark, a feature protecting Super Audio Compact Discs from piracy, and then decodes the incoming data. The LSI uses internal memory to take data that's output intermittently from the disc, rearrange it and order it into continuous 1-bit audio streams. This LSI also reads sub code data such as the Table of Contents, track number, track time, and text data.

- Rear Panel

On the rear panel there are the stereo 2CH outputs as well as the Multichannel 5.1CH outputs, which means that the unit has a built-in 5.1CH decoder. Both coaxial and optical digital outputs are a feature of the unit. The great difference here is the iLink connection provided, with all the advantages we described in a previous page.