Beyond SACD with Redbook: Price No Object

After reading several posts on this subject I've concluded that those people who believe that 16 bit/44.1kHz digital can be made (via HDCD, XRCD, Superbit, re/up/oversampling or other technologies) better sounding than hi rez digital (24 bit/88.2kHz or greater) are deluded themselves. This does not mean that everybody should go out a replace their redbook CD players. If you have a large collection of existing CDs it may make perfect sense to continue to optimize your redbook playback equipment. However, if you're interested in the absolute best in digital audio reproduction you will eventually have to migrate to a hi-rez format. These formats simply sound better than the redbook standard. We can only hope the record companies do their part by offering a vast and interesting music choices in these newer formats.

Cwlondon, before I can even attempt a direct response to your question, please state why you can't currently enjoy music.

We have done 4 shoot outs of the best of the best. Now please realize that since the shoot outs that we did just a couple of months ago there have been some changes.

Let me further add that I am a dealer for the Electrocompaniet EMC 1 and the Mephisto 2.

We compared the Sim Eclipse, very nice remote. The Audio Aero which has been redone we have not heard the new version. The price did go from $6600 to $8800 I believe, for better or worse it does not look much different except for the lack of buttons. The EMC1 with 24/192 upsampler now standard. The Audio Meca Mephisto 2, the Wadia 861, the Levinson 39S, the Accuphase 75.

This shoot out was done by the customers who brought over the players. I will first state that they are all very good and I cannot imagine anyone disliking any of them.

Most of them could improve the quality of their remotes but just nit picking.

In the shootouts the 2 consistently highest rated were the EMC 1 and the Audio Aero. The EMC 1 got the nod only because it has a touch better bottom end but they sound very much alike. The edge went to the EMC 1 I believe because it has a touch more extension, is heavier and feels more solid although the build quality on both is good, is more elegant looking, and being $1600 less at that time and $3800 now a better value. Let me state for those who believe that going direct is better (which I do not) the Audio Aero has a volume control.

I personally feel the Mephisto 2 is the best player on the market because it has such delicacy and finesse and is gorgeous to boot which does not hurt. It retails for $6600.
I had no vote in the shootout because I had no desire to influence the outcome I was curious since it behoves me to carry what the consumer likes.

The EMC 1 and Audio Aero are a touch more dynamic while the Mephisto gives you as much information but does it in a softer more refined way.

You might also want to go to I believe it is www.audioreview.com where consumers write reviews on their own experiences.

As I said on the other thread, I believe that SACD is clearly better. This is not to say that you can't get good sound out of CD, but you have to use the interpolation methods of upsampling to "enhance" the sound with mathematical "fill ins" that were not recorded on the disc. It is much better to actually have the music info recorded from the performance or master recording, than to have to try to play "connect the dots" with an interpolation program. Of course, I know that many CD proponents on the other thread do not agree with my statements. They prefer "fill-ins, connect the dots, and interpolation programs". And if that's what they like, then that's fine for them. It's not fine for me, but can be acceptable if there is no alternative. Gladly, there are alternatives, and SACD is one of them. I guess I'm just one of those "wierdos from outer space" who believes that you can't improve the sound recorded on the source, you can only change it or degrade it on the way down the chain. This seems to be accepted practice on the analog page, but on the digital page, people seem to think that you can wave the "digital magic wand" and improve the source material. I don't buy this idea at all, if the goal is realistic reproduction of the original material. If the goal is to "airbrush" the sound like a Vargas Girl illustration, then maybe this is the answer. Not for me. If I want to play digital recordings, give me the most music info on the source disc possible. Don't sell me a $6000 airbrush in the form of upsampling DAC or other voodoo. I know this view is not popular, but it needs to be said by someone.

Good grief Twl, your post makes WAY too much sense. There is bound to be a fight break out any minute now.

For what it is worth, I do not doubt that the comments from A Sanctuary of Sound are honest and correct. Ultimately each of us must decide if the limited bandwidth of Redbook CD's are worthy of a 10K band aid.

I decided on the Sony ES 9000 SACD player because it has great Redbook playback and EXCELLENT SACD.

At it's current street price, this unit is worth buying for it's DVD playback alone.