SACD 2 channel vs Redbook 2 Channel

Nrchy, thanks for the info, but I was referring more to the quality of the sound. Rsbeck is in the ballpark. My question, rephrased, is, all things being equal, what are the differences between 2 channel SACD and 2 channel redbook when it comes to the sound? Does the 2 channel SACD provide a better stereo reproduction than 2 channel redbook? In other words, you have two version of the same music; one on audiophile quality redbook and another on SACD and both are played in 2 channel. Will they sound the same or will one be superior to the other?

I have no interest at this time with a multi-channel setup; however, if SACD will deliver a better 2 channel experience than 2 channel redbook, I would like to go in that direction.

Matchstikman, the unswer is YES. Just like Nrchy said - the SACD has much higher resolution. The best way I can describe it as music sounds clearer and more defined.

Overall, I agree with others who have stated SACD is superior.

Of course, it also depends on the quality of the recordings. With that said, I believe that overall SACD playback generally has more warmth, depth, and a tad better resolution.

If I were to limit the improvements to one word, I would use the word 'richer'. As SACD playback seems to consistantly and distinctively have a 'richer' sound over redbook cd.

But you also have to ask, how much of the difference can be attributed to the SACD formatted recording and how much can be attributed to the component itself?

-IMO

Perhaps it would have been prudent to ask Matchstikman his budget and his system.
There are others who think based on what they've heard on SACD that it DOESN'T make a very big difference on playback quality at all especially down at the entry level to moderate level of things.
There are some of us who have heard inferior SACD discs in comparison to their Redbook versions.
It is also rich imho to make such statements when some of the above have already admitted that on certain hybrids the Redbook layer is better.
It also depends how you determine "superior"-are we talking technically,sonically or as a format?
Redbook is still the superior format in my book since if I want to buy new music I can actually buy it and listen to it on Redbook.
There's no doubt technically SACD is superior,I also respect those who have heard the improvements SACD brings to them on their systems-again other haven't.
But it is a pretty complicated issue-I found SACD inferior as a format for several reasons and sold all my SACD discs but kept my hybrids for the Redbook layer.

The SACD data format is completely different from the PCM redbook format, so that theoretical comparisons are not easy. There is an argument, posted elsewhere, that SACD resolution for signals above 8000 Hz is actually inferior.

To my ears, and depending on the particular disc, SACD is better than CD. Perhaps this is because the frequency range below 8000 Hz is most important.

On the other hand DVD-A is easy to compare to CD. It's the same PCM code except with 24 bits instead of 16, and 96KHz instead of 44.1 KHz. It's what they would have done thirty years ago if the technology had been available.