2. misc-audio
  3. 1101619302

SACD versus Vinyl LPs

I would like to how many of you out there spin vinyl (on a good or better rig) and SACD? Aside from multi channel playback, which format sounds better to you? Of the SACDs I have bought so far, I have not been overly impressed given their price compared to redbook cds. That said, new vinyl seems to be hitting the $30 per album price point these days.

Is SACD primarily popular with those that have gotten rid of their turntables? The SACDs I have boughten so far are Stevie Ray Vaughn "Texas Flood" and Mary Chapin Carpenter "Time Sex and Love". Yes, Pink Floyd and Peter Frampton are pretty good in multi channel.

R.
red2
raytheprinter's avatar
raytheprinter
1,234 posts
 
thats a hard one to give an answer to.my analog set up cost over 2 times what my digital cost so it might not be a fair comparision.depends a lot on the recording, pressing,condition of album,i think a good album is more enjoyable to listen to than a good sacd,but both sound better than redbook cd on my system,xrcd sound pretty darn good too.
musicslug
430 posts
 
my answer would be nearly identical to Raytheprinter's: my TT (Lingo-ed LP12 w/Benz HO2), playing a well-made lp sounds better (warmer, more present, more visceral) than the better-sounding SACDs I have played on my Sony SCD-777, but both sound better than redbook. It should be said that there are some great-sounding redbook CDs being made nowadays (e.g.Rokia Traore's "Bowmboi" on Nonesuch)
vvrinc
323 posts
 
The magic words are: “well-made LP.” (Well, also “patience,” for finding that “well-made LP.”)
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
I've have to echo the above responses. I have a Esoteric DV50 and a SME 20/2, SME IV.Vi arm, Lyra Helikon cart.

So my analog is much more expensive than my digital front end. However, vinyl is just plesant to listen to. Digital is really good...but not quite as involving.

Vinyl is a pain, digital is easy...but if you want the best, vinyl still rules.

As far as recording quality, I think both formats suffer from good and bad recordings. You never really know what you get until you listen.
tgrisham
1,291 posts
 
My experience has been the same as yours. Since I already had alot of well-cared-for LPs, I had to invest some $ in playback. For reference, I have a MMF-7/Eroica, Project phono amp (soon to be upgraded) playback. My quality LPs sound so much better than my standard CDs played on my Classe CD player, with Aragon Stage One pre-amp analog bypass. I invested only $1000 in vinyl playback. I have yet to find that SACD is significantly better, but I do not have an ultra expensive SACD player. I am waiting for the quality of the SACDs to go up and the price to go down! Good luck.
More to discover