Philips DVD963SA DVD / SACD Player
Surprised
When I recieved my Philips 963SA SACD player, I was not immediately aware of its potential.  Although I did not buy it to use as DVD player, I had to read through a complicated instruction book to find that it needed to be set up with a television in order to switch off many of the video functions and arrive at its purest output.  Once I had successfully configured it as an audio only product, I was immediately surprised at its detailed, realistic reproduction of CD's, using its upsampling option.  This sound far outstrips anything I've heard in my home, and my last CD player was a California Audio Labs product.  As an SACD player, it's superb.  I own several SACD's that I had formerly purchased in their CD format.  The difference is incredible.  Detail, smooth string sound, impact -  all of these qualilities are apparent from the first hearing.  I haven't used it as a multichannel player, so I can't evaluate it it that configuration.  But I am enthusiastic about it in stereo.  And things get better as the player ages, like a fine wine.  Is it as good as $1,000 + machine?  I don't know, but it's certainly worth what I paid for it.