CD vs. SACD vs. DVD-Audio vs Vinyl vs...

Carl, You still haven't gotten the point, we have no problem taking the heat or sticking up for ourselves, we just don't want someone burning down the house. We didn't complain about your opinion just your tasteless personal attacks. How about posting your opinions again without them. I vote we close the subject and move on to the interesting stuff and end this soap opera.

Bmpnyc, I could not help but notice your comments about analog VS digital. I agree that digital will win in the end. But not for the reasons that you state. After all, there are more McDonald's than steak houses, and CD's are a perfect answer and a simple solution to those who want their appetite satisfied without hassle. However, I'll bet that you are more near my age than some of the young people who post here, and I'll also bet that you have never owned a decent LP playback system. You somehow think that because you graduated to digital that you are now on the cutting edge. Its comforting to think that you can achieve state of the art without having to spend your hard earned cash, but the digital solution is the ultimate (cheap) solution. I agree that if a person only has $150.00 for a playback that digital rules!! However this is a audiophile (high end) posting site as well, and there are those of us that don't limit our systems performance based on dollar amount. That is not to say that there are not wonderful systems at every dollar point, but I still contend that if you are after the ULTIMATE performance, analog is it. I even agree that digital will win over analog for the ultimate performance in the end, but it may be when I am too old to care or even worse, dead. A perfect analogy is the digital camera compared to (analog) film. I do photography for a living, and I work for some very large companies all over the world. The new night time viewing system in Cadillac is built by Raytheon. This week I had some very sensitive government equipment in my studio for photography by that same company (Raytheon). They build equipment that you can only imagine (for the military). Guess what format was specified for the job? Yep, horse and buggy, 4X5 film, just like M. Brady used in the Civil War days. Guess who requested it? Yep, on of the top defense contractors in the USA. My point is that the 4X5 camera is still the ultimate in resolution (unless you compare to 8X10 or 11X14 format and film), but digital cannot currently match this resolution, even with a new Leaf or Sinar back at $30,000.00. If you doubt this, I can give references for you to call and confirm. My issue is not if digital is enjoyable now, not that it will win (eventually) in the end in some years from now, but rather RIGHT NOW I WANT THE BEST THAT THERE IS, and it, like my $25,000.00 View camera, is another expensive antique format that has resolution beyond anything most people have ever experienced.

I went looking for a CD player this weekend. I have needed the up grade for a while now and I decided to seek out the Wadia 850, the Meridian 805, and the Resolution Audio CD 50 (CD 50, Carl's suggestion). I couldn't find Meridian or CD 50(their old web page said they had it), but I did find a nice DCS up sampling setup. I ended up listening to two different systems in two different stores...both direct to amp. In the first store, I listened to a Levenson transport with the dcs up sampling gear, running into Krell, out to Wilson watt/puppy 6s. The resolution difference was clear...there was just more after upsampling to 24/192. The problem was it sounded bad...electronic air. I must admit that Paul Simon's Graceland isn't an acoustic album by any means, but I don't think that his naturally flat vocal delivery should have dull plastic sizzle to it either. Perhaps it was the the amps or speakers that I didn't like, but whatever it was, it was magnified when turned up to 24/192. I am going to take my Pass 3 to give the setup another chance. The next system I heard consisted of a Wadia 850 running into a CJ solid state, and out to Amati Homage speakers. What can I say, I am smiling as I type. The bass extention was not as great but who cares? The sound was focused, clear, open, smooth...blubber blubber blubber. BUT, upon putting in Cesaria Evora's Cafe Atlantico, I realized that it was not the real thing. I have heard her. The PA that her voice was coming through wasn't the best, but she never sounded tart...only creamy. I am going to take my amp to that store as well, probably some time next month, with the same two CDs. I have about 100 records but most of my stuff is 16/44 and that is why I went hunting for a cd player. I am still going to need to up grade my CD player, but I have a new interest in vinyl. I have to drive a long distance to audition anything good, so I'll keep you all posted in my little audio adventures.

I'm back. 0008: It's good that you have "little adventures" like that. I'd lay odds that the "plastic effect" you heard primarily was from the recording. But that terrible Focal tweeter in the Wilsons just "magnified" it. The Krell certainly wouldn't help something like that turn "creamy" either, and neither would the upsampling. THE TWEETER IN THE SONUS FABERS IS THE BEST DOME TWEETER IN THE WORLD. I own a pair of these domes, and if there was ever a soft dome that could soundly beat ANY metal dome, this is it!..........To Albert: Is the physical size of each tiny "grain" of 4x5 film the same physical size as 6x7 centimeter format film? I've seen photos enlarged to 30 by 40 inches with this format, and the resolution is stunning. IMAX movie film is also this 6x7 size...talk about something to judge future TV formats by!!

Oh, and about the CD50. I think they've stopped production on them for a while. I was just trying to get people to buy used ones, like I did. That's where the real value is, especially now.