My Pioneer BDP-450 Bluray player will output DSD via coax or HDMI. It's a relatively cheap machine, but is a transport only, so you are not paying for a DAC you do not need, plus I think the lack of DAC is the way of getting 'round the copyright issues - if it can't output DSD it won't work. I bought this recently for the purpose of occasionally playing Bluray films, something I don't do too often, so I didn't feel the need to buy a super expensive machine. It actually sounds much better than it has any right to at the price, playing SACD direct to the Devialet, although the Pioneer has to be set to output PCM due to the lack of DSD support. This would worry enormously, but to be honest, I only have 4 SACD's, and one of those is 5.1. A lot of People refer to the "hacked" PlayStation trick, but I would imagine that even a "budget" Pioneer Bluray would have the edge as a transport? It's also quite good with 3D films, or at least it was with the one 3D movie that I have on disc. It will also play hi res files direct from USB, say from a memory stick. I am not saying this is good as Ethernet streaming, it is not, but neither is it far off. A sub £200 "front end" in a system costing many £1000's, and performing well, strange times we live in.....
I believe a DSD via USB upgrade is being considered by Devialet, I guess the Pioneer would not be a lot of use in this scenario, no USB, just HDMI or Coax. Oh well, but I don't think my own personal SACD collection is going to get very much larger any time soon. I kind of agree with @f1eng, the efforts made during the studio mastering matter most, irrespective of format. However, the search for something beautifully mastered and on the highest quality format is compelling.
I believe a DSD via USB upgrade is being considered by Devialet, I guess the Pioneer would not be a lot of use in this scenario, no USB, just HDMI or Coax. Oh well, but I don't think my own personal SACD collection is going to get very much larger any time soon. I kind of agree with @f1eng, the efforts made during the studio mastering matter most, irrespective of format. However, the search for something beautifully mastered and on the highest quality format is compelling.
