It’s easy really, if you want a player that can play sacd, then there’s plenty to choose from.
If you already have a good dac, then get just a transport, and use the good dac you already have, rather than buy another one in the player.
Much cheaper, and more likely a better quality result.
All the SACDs in my collection (mostly Alia Vox) are hybrids which play well and without any issue in naim CD players.
Although the Alia Vox CDs that aren’t SACD sound just as superb to my ears.
There was an article from a couple of decades back that suggested the reason SACD generally sound really quite excellent is likely to be the (preliminary) utmost dedication to the actual music recording technics along with improved studio conditions which usually prerequisites the actual SACD production.
Couldn’t agree more with that notion. 
@Gigantor and anyone else interested.
In the absence of a player from Naim, I can highly recommend this SACD player. It’s outstanding imo. Great/excellent with Red Book too.
The Luxman D-10X SACD player and DAC
If anyone has hybrids/SACDs but not a player there are methods to rip to DSD the SACD layer via a few select models of Blue Ray player. The high res DSD files then play on a streamer of course. I tried this on a couple I had and got some good results, notably the 2000s War of the Worlds hybrid SACD/CD which was a good improvement on the always disappointing SQ of CD layer and it’s rip.
It’s not difficult but does require a bit of techy fiddling.
I have about 50+ SACD’s, and i have ripped the DSD files via a hacked Sony BluRay player. I have copied the files onto my Naim Core and playback through my NAC272. Sadly my 2 x UQ2’s wont playback DSD, so i also rip the CD layer of the hybrid SACD’s onto the core as well for use on the UQ2’s.
Same for me. Although my choice is further complicated by the fact I also have to have DVD-Audio playback, Blu-Ray audio/video, and multichannel. Don’t know what I’ll do when my Oppo BDP-105 finally isn’t repairable any longer. They were a huge loss to the AV/HiFi community when they pulled out of that market.
Marantz do some decent SACD players, but I’m not aware of anyone doing a very good universal disc player any more, sadly.
Not that easy. SACD players will not output over digital due to copy protection in the standard. The only way to do this, if I recall, is to send it out over HDMI on a compatible universal disc player, and even then this assumes you have an HDMI capable DAC with DSD compatibility.
With SACD you are mostly going to want a really good standalone SACD player with great analogue out.
@JamesW – Apparently the Reavon UBR-X200 (about £1,500) is a very good universal disc spinner, and supports DVD-A and SACD. Not heard or seen one myself though.
Thanks!
I checked this out a few months ago, at least in terms of reviews, I haven’t seen or heard one myself.
I was initially excited, but put off by uneccessarily shoddy engineering for 2023 on the audio side, according to the measurements on this review from hometheaterhifi. reavon-ubr-x200-universal-disc-player-review whereas the Oppo players had state of the art measurements.
I know measurements aren’t everything, but they do give an idea of the kind of care which went into engineering, and these are poor for modern digital. Didn’t inspire confidence, or a sense of value for money, given these are premium priced players.
I suspect, though, it would come down to something like this, if the Oppo ever did become non-repairable. Either that or I’d have to just find separate players for each of the formats… Huge step backwards, in my opinion!
There are also the new Magnetar players, the UDP800 seems to be a bit of a clone of the Reavon (same people behind it, I think, and near identical measurements too, but no 7.1 analogue out…
But there’s the UDP900, with better DAC chips and 7.1 analogue output. It boasts ‘audiophile’ components and wiring, etc. Looks potentially promising, but it’s not out yet, so it remains to be seen if the actual engineering is any better. Also it’s set to retail at around £3000, and with a new brand, it remains to be seen whether they will thrive and survive, and be able to provide long-term support, etc…
I dont know anything about Naims evaluation but I have read others. Unfortunately over 20 years ago so it is a bit hazy and it was technical evaluations based on maths and measurements, not listening tests. I remember in one of the evaluations they wrote they believed vinyl probably was better than SACD.
Quite a bit of the confusion came from Sony’s original papers which was based on a much higher bitrate than the one actually used with SACD. Even a cheap upsampling single-bit DAC in a CD runs at many times the bitrate used in SACD.
If I remember this correctly SACD is better than CD below 5-10kHz. Above the CD was better. Much worse with dynamic signals. Some concluded it was the distortion in the higher octaves that gave SACD a brighter sound and the feeling of sharper transients.
This same HF-distortion also forced the mastering engineer to go easy on the compression which actually may give the SACD an advantage.
Another problem was the high amount of ultrasound garbage which on a suitable system (wide bandwidth and metal dome-tweeters) could cause audible intermodulation in the hearable range. At about 100kHz this garbage-noise could actually be louder than the music signal down in the audible range.
I have met some of the guys behind one of the papers and they are no trolls. Which doesnt say they are correct 
Hi @TheKevster
Just wanted to provide an update on the D-10X.
Over the last few days I have been listening approximately 10 hours each day. Mostly playing Jazz: Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson. All Red Book standard.
I have to say the sound is phenomenal. I realise that’s a big statement to make, however I meant it!
The tone of the instruments, the breathing of the musicians, the plucking of bass strings, the striking of piano keys, it’s all first class imo. Most importantly, the music been produced by the system is just wonderful.
When Red Book material has been recorded and mastered to a very high standard, it shows when listening 
And if you know where to look , they are available for £500 …
Boosh! 
Very nice!
In the 00’s, we experimented with audio on DVD-A and also DVD ( multi channel) formats. At the time, we had a Meridian 91A player controller, with Meridian DSP speakers. As a result we have quite a few of these discs. Still have these and like to play them occasionally.
There are lots of great live concert DVD’s and Blue-ray discs out here. Aside from HiRes stereo, multi channel can also be rewarding, (specifically for concerts).
More recently, we treated ourselves to a Sony UDP-X800. Mostly, it plays movies. Either disc, or from the many streaming platforms. But, we also used it to play the older disc formats. We use it with a nDAC and into one of the Naim audio system we have here. (PCM stereo). The combination works fine. Very good value £300 spend.
The Sony disc spinner also supports SACD format. So, we’ve bought one or two.
I was so sorry when OPPO called time on their own disc players. Their own excellent contribution to the market for “universal disc players” should be marked. Heard a few over time. Often thought about buying one “pre-loved”, for fun.
KR
R
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