Onkyo C-S5VL SACD/CD Player Review

Super Audio Compact Discs (SACD) discs remain a niche market, but they are the gold standard of audio reproduction for audiophiles, along with vinyl records. Vinyl records are treasured because of their warm, natural analog sound quality and SACD discs because they are the closest to analog sound in a digital format. A high-grade disc player is required to get the best sonic performance from SACDs. I tested Onkyo's new C-S5VL SACD/CD player to find out how it stacks up.

Although the Onkyo C-S5VL is a SACD/CD player, its DACs (digital to analog converters) and other electronics are designed to get the best reproduction from stereo SACD discs. The sonic advantages of SACD discs include greater dynamic range, up to 120 dB and wider frequency response as high as 100 kHz, although for various reasons, 50 kHz is generally the upper limit.

The C-S5VL is a two-channel SACD player and will play two-channel hybrid SACD/CD discs in addition to discs with MP3, WMA and CD-R/RW music. Multichannel SACD discs can be played, but only the front left and right channels will be output from the player's analog and digital connections. The C-S5VL does not display SACD text information and has a four-step dimmer to reduce potential audio interference from the lighted front panel display.

It has optical and coaxial digital outputs and analog L/R channel outputs, a headphone jack with level control and two RI (Remote Interactive) jacks so it can be controlled by other Onkyo components with RI capability via a wired remote control connection.

The C-S5VL outputs an SACD signal through the analog and digital outputs – however, the digital output is downconverted to PCM CD audio: 44.1 kHz/16-bit instead of SACD audio, which is 2822.4 kHz/1-bit. SACD signals cannot be recorded via the digital outputs. The player has a switchable Digital Out control, which can be turned off to prevent digital noise from degrading analog playback quality.

It features Onkyo's proprietary VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) digital circuitry, which reduces digital pulse noise by correcting the output of the digital to analog converters in the amplifier. In addition to its 192 kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown DACs, it offers performance features such as five digital filters for PCM sources, four DSD digital filters, signal 'Phase' and 'Area Priority' controls.

The five PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) digital filters shape the frequency response characteristics when playing a CD and can be selected according to listening preferences. The four DSD (Direct Stream Digital) filters are used for SACD discs and also affect frequency response in the audible and inaudible ranges. The Phase control is used to invert the phase of the analog output (normal/inverse) and the Area Priority selects the default portion of a hybrid disc (SACD or CD) that you wish to listen to.

I tested the Onkyo C-S5VL with the Onkyo A-5VL Integrated Amp and a pair of Focal 807V bookshelf speakers – a great sounding system. Here are a few highlights from my best reference audio recordings:

Music discs with male and female vocalists are among the best ways to evaluate an audio system. The vocalists in "The World's Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recordings" (Chesky Records, SACD) are great recordings, and the Onkyo player delivered a true sense of realism and musicality. Sibilance, the sounds produced when the letter 's' is pronounced, sounded crisp and precise along with the delicate treatment of high frequency details. Laverne Butler's expressive and emotional recording of "Isn't It a Pity" came alive with a spacious soundstage that transcended well beyond the separation of the speakers.

"The River Between from Spyro Gyra's "In Modern Times" (SACD, Heads Up International) is rich with percussion instruments that had a shimmering and distinct sound quality – and each instrument could be clearly separated with good articulation.

As I wrote in my review of the Onkyo A-5VL amp, Marta Gomez' "Cielito Lindo" from the same Chesky disc offered excellent mid and high frequency detail, especially the clear reproduction of the rolling 'Rs' and the subtle sounds of fingers on the solo guitar strings.

I'm unconvinced about the sonic benefits of the selectable filters. The differences are subtle and I think most listeners will pick one and not change filters. The disc must be stopped and the menu accessed in order to change filters, which makes comparison difficult.

If you're shopping for a high quality and affordable player to eek out the best performance from SACDs and CDs, look no further than the Onkyo C-S5VL. Its sound quality compares very favorably along with other disc players I've reviewed, even some higher end models and sounds better than my own SACD/CD player, which cost more than the C-S5VL just a few years ago.