Super Audio CD (SACD): News, Reviews & Models

WADAX Studio DAC Collection Debuts at High End Vienna 2026

Spanish Ultra High End audio brand WADAX presented its new WADAX Studio DAC Collection at High End Vienna 2026, expanding the Studio line with a modular digital playback system built around separate DAC and digital transport components. The new components complement the Studio series, which already includes the complete WADAX Studio Player, Studio Clock, Studio PSU and Akasa DC cables.

YBA Design One – Compact Battery-Powered SACD Player

French brand YBA will present its new Design One SACD player at High End Vienna 2026. It is a compact battery-powered model designed not only for traditional Hi-Fi systems, but also for desktop and portable use. According to the company, the Design One is the first YBA device created specifically for the portable/desktop audio segment. The unit combines an SACD/CD transport, a digital-to-analogue converter and a headphone amplifier in a single chassis. The player measures 188 × 166 × 40 mm and weighs 1.34 kg.

Luxman D-100c and L-100c – SACD/CD Player and Integrated Amplifier Marking the 100th Anniversary

The Japanese company Luxman has turned one hundred years old. To mark the occasion, the firm has introduced two new flagship models created as a modern reference pair, combining a century of analog and digital engineering experience. The new Luxman D-100c (SA)CD player and Luxman L-100c integrated amplifier form the foundation of the Luxman 100 Centennial Series, which celebrates the brand’s origins in 1925 while also reaffirming its long-standing pursuit of perfection rather than a chase for novelty.

Accuphase DP-570S – SACD/CD player with ANCC technology

Japanese company Accuphase has expanded its lineup of high-end digital sources by introducing the Accuphase DP-570S SACD/CD player. In addition to playing optical discs, the new model is equipped with digital inputs, including a USB-B port, allowing the built-in DAC to be used with other sources. There are also digital outputs, enabling the player’s transport to be used with external DACs.

Shanling SCD3.3 - SACD Player with R2R DAC and Tube Output

Shanling has introduced the SCD3.3 ($3,899), a top-loading SACD player with discrete R2R DAC and tube output stage. The patented top-loading optical disc transport with HD850 laser system targets not only exceptionally stable CD, SACD, and MQA-CD playback but also mechanically quiet operation that reduces digital jitter.

WADAX Studio Player Review – an Ultimate Digital Source

WADAX Studio • Player is a unique product in every sense. A digital-to-analog converter built on a proprietary topology and using 620 custom machined parts and a total of 14 different materials and alloys in its design. A top-class network streamer with embedded Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz clients and certified Audirvana and Roon. And also a multi-format disc player supporting CD and SACD. Well, let's hold our breath and move on to testing!

CH Precision D10 Reference Universal Transport Introduced

CH Precision has announced the CH Precision D10 Reference Transport with an innovative laser mechanism MORSE (Mechanically Optimized Reading & Stability Enhancement). The transport itself is placed on a suspended platform of a complex design, equipped with a brass core to suppress vibrations. The transport weighs a record 13 kg and rests on alpha-gel isolators.

Understanding the Evolution of Audio Quality

The development of the music industry in terms of formats was cyclical - the era of analog tapes and vinyl was followed by the era of the compact disc, then file formats, Hi-Res sound and, finally, streaming. However, today we can confidently say that in the highest echelon of quality the pendulum has swung back - and vinyl has become more alive than all the living again. Not to mention the revival of interest in magnetic tapes, compact cassettes - analog sound demonstrates such a luxurious sound that music lovers and audiophiles are ready to put up with the inevitable ergonomic limitations.

ONIX Zenith XST20 - Next-Generation SACD/CD Transport

The ONIX Zenith XST20 SACD/CD transport has been unveiled, offering what the company claims is the unique ability to play any SACD disc in true DSD quality with any compatible external DAC. The ONIX Zenith XST20 is the start of a new signature product series that will soon consist of three corresponding desktop components, with a digital-to-analog converter and a network streamer to follow soon.

What SACD is & why it matters

Sony and Philips designed SACD around 1-bit DSD sampled at 2.8224 MHz, 64 times the CD rate. A disc can carry stereo and multichannel programmes. Hybrid discs add a CD layer, so the same copy plays in an ordinary CD player. Reading the high-resolution layer needs an SACD-capable mechanism, which is why few transports support it and why the drive choice shapes a player's design and price.

What you'll find in this tag

Most entries are launch news on players and transports. Accuphase, Luxman, Shanling, Goldmund, YBA, ONIX and CH Precision announce SACD/CD machines, from a battery-powered compact unit to two-box reference designs. The dCS Varèse Transport completes a modular system, and a hands-on test covers the WADAX Studio Player as a multi-format source.

Key players & transports to know

Accuphase DP-570S - an SACD/CD player with the ANCC noise-cancelling DAC circuit. Luxman D-100c - an anniversary player paired with the L-100c integrated amp. Shanling SCD3.3 - a top-loader with a resistor-ladder DAC and tube output. CH Precision D10 - a universal transport with the MORSE laser mechanism. ONIX Zenith XST20 - a transport aimed at native DSD output.

Super Audio CD (SACD)

Esoteric Grandioso K1XE – Flagship SACD Player with Discrete DAC