SACD...Are You Going For It?

Just curious as to how many in here are jumping on the SACD band wagon? Personally, I have not. I feel the machines are still too expensive and the titles limited and overpriced. Of course this was the same situation when "redbook" CD's came along.

I see SACD as *possibly* a failing format. I have heard a few discs, there is no doubt they sound beautiful. Will I replace my existing collection with these as I did with my vinyl...no way. Not even if the price falls to regular CD levels. The price of players really needs to come down soon.

 

Will replace my cheap CD player with a cheap Sony SACD player when able to.

 

I have two inexpensive SACD/DVD combo players. I don't feel it's there to replace anything, it's there to complement what I have already (they are also my main means of playing "redbook" CDs). I would buy more SACDs if they were hybrids (being able to play them in the car is a big plus to me).

 

I'm gonna wait another year or so to see how things develope.

 

I also believe one of the reasons for SACD is the need to end piracy...Start out with dual layer SACD's ( an amazing bargain) then phase them out for SACD only...eventually killing the Redbook Cee Dee, well at least try to...I'll never ever replace my 5,000+ Cee Dee's for SACD...very selective.

 

KBanya,

I think there needs to be a "I have an SACD player, and I'm buying both Redbook and SACDs" choice.

Can I add this option?

 

I will only get a player when they will play *all* the disc formats in one player. Might even hold out for a 300-disc changer that does this. I won't pay a premium for SACD or DVD-A hardware or software, and I won't buy any disc unless it's a hybrid. I have at least a half dozen other players in the house dependent on my CD collection.

Beside that, I'm having too much fun making my own CDs on the computer--redbook's gonna be at Rudy's house for a long time to come!

 

There are some amazing SACD bargains such as Steve's AF "Zombies"...far and few in between though, I agree with ya on that...

 

I am replacing. I love new toys!

 

Ditto.

 

You certainly have my permission. Otherwise, there is no honest way I can vote.

 

I don't have an SACD player and still feel a bit divided by several offsetting pros and cons:

I do see quite a few titles I'm interested in, however, we're all still at the mercy of less-than-ideal mastering, which, as everybody knows, is more rampant now than ever.

I'm glad to see a higher resolution digital format, but it's future still seems uncertain. I'm still a bit wary of jumping on to what may be a sinking ship. I know it's up to consumers to support the format, but I'd feel better about adopting it if I were more certain about it's future. The SACD/DVD-A format war isn't helping my uncertainty.

High resolution is great, but I've already got high resolution (and sunk costs) in vinyl. Now that my start-up costs for vinyl playback are far behind me, I can pick up A LOT of great software for much less than a new SACD. I suppose if I didn't have excellent vinyl playback capabilities, I would've already adopted SACD. Also, IMO, there were far more good mastering engineers in the vinyl era than there are today.

I'm still on the fence.


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AC

 

I'm hoping SACD will be THE new standard. It just sounds soooo much better than any PCM (high res included). If a miracle happens and it does take over I will, once again, replace my favorite albums with the SACD versions. Once you hear the difference you'll find it hard to go back.

 

I think Sony has really dropped the ball by still cranking out single layer titles - they're just making more merchandise for retailers to figure out how/where to stock it (hmmm, Circuit City here had an SACD dedicated set-up with player, amp, speakers and discs, then took the display down, moved the SACD's to an area near a service counter and didn't put up any signs saying "SACD here") - I love my Sony DVD/SACD player (cd's sound better on the Sony than my Marantz dedicated cd player, and my CCR and handful of Audio Fidelity SACD's are zowie gooood), but the number of titles I'm interested in is REALLY LOW - I'd buy more if there were a steady stream of dual layer discs available so I'm able to play them in my truck's cd player. I pray ACE and Bear Family will jump on the SACD bandwagon...

 

Something like that would certainly help to sway me.


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AC

 

I didn't vote because I still buy redbook discs like they're going out of style :-O and I'm all over SACDs as well, even though - on my system - I've yet to really hear any improvements over a well-produced CD.

Lotsa folks goin' nuts over this Super Audio, though. I'll still have the discs when I get a better player and/or speakers.

 

Im going to buy an "everything player" when one comes out with great sound quality and at a good price.

As far as SACd goes, I dont hold out much hope for it ever really catching on......99% of the people out there dont CARE about the improved sonics and they sure as hell arent gonna pay 20$ for SACD when the Cd title is 10$.

I think the folks backing SACd blew it by not making multi channel a standard for SACD. It would have had a better chance. DVD-A has taken over that mantel. Plus the fact the anybody with a cheapo DVD player can pop in a DVD-A and hear 5.1 sound, albeit Dolby Digital layer. You know what? No one really cares!!

 

When CDs came out in '82 they were expensive too, an unheard of $25 if I remember correctly.

 

Cds

>>>>Unfair comparison. If you didnt buy the Cd in 1982 you had to go back to scratchy Vinyl. Cds / SACDs are a different ballgame.

 

Well, true but I wanted to point out that CDs were expensive when they were introduced similar to the pricing of SACDs now.

 

I didn't vote. While I have SACD players and 93 SACDs, I still buy a lot and listen to a lot of CDs. The two formats along with DVD-Audio happily co-exist in my home.

 

My novice opinion is it all comes down to the recording and mastering. A great DCC gold (haven't heard a bad one yet) will clearly sound better than a poor SACD, but quite possibly even better than an average SACD. Of course, a Steve-mastered SACD wins out over any CD, including his own. Except, in some cases, more resolution may not be better. I doubt Steve would have anything to do with SACDs that fell into that category, though. I'm picking up some more DCC golds on the chance that Steve won't have the opportunity to master the titles for SACD and only average SACD versions will be released. CD or SACD, each has a place, but SACD can be more.

 

Sorry folks, but I can't cast a vote either. I have CDs, SACDs, HDCDs and DVD-As & 3 separate source components to play them on and I'm still buying software for each format! My preference is SACD, but music lovers can't wait around forever for their favorite recordings to be introduced on one newer hi-rez format or the other. IMO, the poll should have another category or two to cover all the bases.


Cat

 

I'm definitely on the SACD side of the fence and the waters fine.With the titles out now and whats in the pipeline the format is already a success.Dual Layer is the way to go.So,come on people get off that fence.I wouldn't steer you wrong.