Right upgrading the DAC wouldn’t come into the equation, but a better disc burner or improved ripping software might make for better transfers.
Maybe not to the same extent as analog transfers, but I could see these variables improving over time.
Not sure about that. Its extracting the data dsf files from the disk and making computer files. Not sure the quality of the reader matters.
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This forum have the best information on players (the details are buried in here somewhere)
[Rip SACD with a Blu-ray player | HiFi Haven (Rip SACD with a Blu-ray player | HiFi Haven) and matching scripts. remember to only buy the ones on the list.
here are my gems of “wisdom” lol:
basically (and importantly), you want to make sure the sony is setup (configurations) in a certain way (need remote control). one of which is setting up the network (if you have control of your wifi-router, assign a permanent IP to the device).
I also use an extension usb cable- so the flash drive is easily accessible (see below why).
Then the script is placed onto a small flash drive (I like the one with the flashing lights when it is active).
then install the corresponding ripping executable. I use the Java GUI (much easier).
Power up the blu-ray, wait for it to “sleep”, which then activates the flashing light on the usb drive as it goes to run the script- that takes control of the bluray player.
Setup GUI once (IP of the device, and the destination drive/folder)- you can then just reuse this over and over again for each SACD you own.
For next SACD, unplug flashdrive- immediately plug it back in- the tray opens up and you switch disc, wait for it to close automatically (the script is set to about 10 seconds). don’t push it in yourself as that will lwake up the bluray player.
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I use Fing to find the ip when I turn it on. No Ned for static.
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Like others here, I started out by reading Tom Gibbs’ Copper Magazine article and ended up acquiring a relatively inexpensive Sony BDP-S5100 Blu-ray player. Note that for this unit at least the remote control is mandatory for initial setup (or re-setup if you need to factory-reset the unit). And like brian.fitterman, I wrote a step-by-step guide, more for my own use than anything else due to a declining memory faculty. 
Nonetheless, here it is for your delectation (or otherwise 
).
- For ripping, I have a bootable image stored on a USB key which I keep with the unit when not in use and packed away in a cupboard
- I prefer a wired ethernet connection over the wireless connection but only for convenience. The S5100 uses the 2.4GHz band for its wireless connection which I don’t normally use on my home wireless network. However, both wired and wireless are suitable for ripping
- To boot from the USB key, insert the key when the S5100 is powered off
- A Java program called SACDExtractGUI is used as an interface to a command-line program called sacd_extract.exe which does the actual communication with the S5100
- Being an old Windows user, I prefer to run the sacd_extract.exe program from a command-line Window (‘DOS prompt’) using the following command
sacd_extract.exe -i 192.168.1.84:2002 -s -2 -t 1,2,3 -o C:\Users\micha\Music\SACD-Rips - Alternatively and at least to begin with, run the SACDExtractGUI from the PC and set the S5100’s IP address. (brian.fitterman showed us above one way of finding the IP address)
- Power on the S5100 and check the connection from SACDExtractGUI
- Create an output folder in, for example, the ‘Music’ folder and ‘add’ it using the ‘Browse’ button in the ‘Output’ section of the SACDExtractGUI screen
- Select the SACD tracks you wish to rip by entering track numbers into the ‘Select tracks (ex: 1,4,5)’ edit box in the ‘Processing’ section of the SACDExtractGUI screen
- Ensure the SACD is loaded into the S5100 (the tray is closed) then click the ‘Run’ button in the ‘Output’ section of the SACDExtractGUI screen
- Booting the S5100 to use as a ripper is fiddly. If the boot is successful, the S5100 should power off after it boots. At this point you can open the tray, insert an SACD and close the tray. All is good if the total time is displayed
- At this point, POWER OFF the S5100 and remove the USB key and then click the Run button in the SACDExtractGUI or run sacd_extract.exe directly from a command prompt
- If all is good, sacd_extract.exe will display the progress of the ripping process
I’ve had the S5100 for a year or so but, so far, only ripped about a half-dozen SACDs so will readily admit that the above procedure isn’t perfect. Any suggestions for improvement will be gratefully accepted. Anything that may also help others.
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Another related aspect to the SACD ripping process is metadata management. The metadata is stored in the DSD-formatted layer on an SACD in a data ‘chunk’ seperate from the actual music data ‘chunk’. The metadata format used is usually something called ‘ID3V2.4’. (For those interested, refer, for example, to https://id3.org/id3v2.4.0-structure and https://id3.org/id3v2.4.0-frames for a thorough description of the standard.)
Suffice to say that finding a metadata text editors suitable for DSD files (.dsf and .dff) can be difficult. I’ve used Tag&Rename but, ultimately wasn’t completely happy with the results of its editing. However, it appears to work satisfactorily. As a Windows ‘DOS prompt’ sort of guy, I prefer to use command-line tools. For example, I use metaflac.exe, a freely available tool developed by Xiph.org. There are a few versions of the DSD equivalent, metadsf.exe floating around but I ended up writing my own ‘C’ version which is roughly funtionally equivalent to the FLAC version for PCM files. The difficulty arises because FLAC uses a metadata standard called Ogg Vorbis format (Ogg Vorbis Documentation) where as DSD uses ID3V2.4. Fortunately, some metadata programs like Tag&Rename handle .wav, ,flac, ,dsf and .dff files.
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Finally, I got a $40 Sony BDP-S5100 from eBay for ripping SACD. The process is quite cumbersome, but it works! The DSD64 files sound excellent. 
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I use Metadatics on a Mac for tag editing. Works like a charm for DSF files, and FLAC, AIFF and ALAC (the only types I’ve tried).
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Ripping SACDs is wrong!!
Cough…
…but this worked for me and my Oppo105:
How so? Maybe your remark was tongue-in-cheek but it’s probably worth reminding people that ripping CDs and SACDs is quite legitimate for your own use. The key point is that you don’t profit from the exercise monetarily. Some examples would be if, once you ripped a disc, you kept the files and sold the disc or you sold copies of the files to others.
Ripping/copying a CD remains infringement in the States even if limited to your own use.
However, the RIAA has stated it will not pursue these violations so there is no legal risk. That is, it does not matter if it is infringement, no one will be sued in any event.
Rip away!
Thanks Elk. I stand corrected. If that’s the case in the US then it’s probably the same here in Australia. 
I expect the RIAA takes the same position in Australia.
There are also countries with laws specifying you can make copies and setting out how many and what you can do with them, etc. Each country is different.
Definitely illegal, and morally reprehensible in my opinion, is ripping copies and selling the CDs/SACDs while keeping the copies. Selling a CD is perfectly fine, but then you need to destroy the copies you made.
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Cough…
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Yes, totally agree.
BTW, I checked on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (RIAA’s counterpart in Aus) website and they indeed follow the same copyright standards as the RIAA. Australian copyright law in general appears to be very similar to that in the US.
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Interesting. Thanks!