Beyond SACD with Redbook: Price No Object

Eadese: Thank you.

Do you use just the Audiomeca DAC? With the Sony 9000 ES as a transport? Or do you use another transport?

And Twl, that is a very interesting point about the CES show. The one box theory makes sense as well.

Just for further discussion, one of Mark Levinsons salespeople at Red Rose recently told me that they now consider the new multichannel (777?) their SACD reference (although use it in 2 ch mode), perhaps even better than the SCD-1.

But I think it is very nice that the SCD-1 is really built like a tank.

So maybe I should buy one, the Audiomeca DAC and the 9000 for DVDs......

.....and a new turntable.......and......

Can anyone lend me some money?

You can buy a used Sony 777SACD player for around $1500. Buy a few SACDs, try it out. If you're not happy, sell it for what you paid.
I bought mine 2 months ago, it sounds better than my Sony XA7ES. I'm keeping both...
If you really like the 777 sound, upgrade to the SCD-1, they still show up sealed in the box...

Good Listening!

SACD is like a duck:walk...badly,fly...badly,swim...badly.I dont trust multi-purpose equipment.Sorry!He..He..He..He..He.

Oh boy...Today I received the FIM Hybrid SACD multi-channel version of Jazz at the Pawn Shop. This is absolutely the best I have heard digital sound. I am utterly speachless.

i agree with Albert and some others that very good or great vinyl is quite a ways beyond the best digital avalible today......and that would be SACD.....not Redbook....and these formats are not really that close.

i have not heard better Redbook than my Linn CD-12, it has a natural clarity and overall ease and drive that does mimic sacd......but.....the resolution of MOST sacds on my Marantz SA-1 is quite a bit better. even analog tape based sacds are generally better than the best redbook can do.

the recent sacds released by Analog Productions are a good example; "Waltz For Debbie" and "Chet" are 2 of the most familiar cds to myself and probably most of you. i own 3 different cd versions of "Waltz" including the XRCD and 2 cd versions of "Chet" including the gold Analog Productions versions. these 2 new sacds blow away the cd versions in almost every way; lower noise background, more detail, deeper soundstage, more believable instrument presentation, etc., etc., etc.,......

the negative about sacd is the slowness of new releases, not the performance. i will say that recent improvements in the performance of my system has made the differences between the various formats much more pronounced; a year ago i percieved that the CD-12 was closer to the Marantz SA-1 than i now percieve it to be.

in my system we sometimes start with the cd of a performance, then sacd, then 33rpm vinyl, then 45rpm vinyl.......it is quite an eye-opener to hear the performance come alive.....the differences are not subtle.....they are significant to me and other listeners.