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Sacd/dvd-a, The Hype Is Dead, For Me At Least...

SACD, DVD-A....

I purchased a 2000.00 Universal and about 10 titles mostly SACD

SACD- Nice on surround, actual 5.1 disks, Stereo SACD well if you can get a Re-mastered CD or a Hybrid then its just as good on an awesome Redbook player as thru an SACD decoder... It is interesting.

DVD-A- Most of them ended up very UNDERWHELMING.... as stated earlier, and just a PAIN IN THE A$$...

Vinyl- I am only mentioning this as it seems viable for the discussion, as much garbage as it takes to turn on a DVD-A disc half the time I can put a LP on my VPI record cleaner, and Que it up just as well and it BLOWS away the DVD-A, and Most SACD's... I am not an Analog protector, as a matter of fact I bought My Analog RIG after ATTEMPTING SACD/DVD-A universal world.

CD- Bottom line Re-mastered Cd's and SACD Hybrids sound superior on a good old 16x BIT WADIA 4000.00 player than the SACD on the top of the line Marantz SACD player(this was borrowed)... This will catch much Heat I am sure, but drop the drama, invest Redbook, You can't buy anything on SACD or DVD-a in comparison to well recorded Redbook on a Very good redbook machine unless you are looking for the true benefit of surround SACD's. 2 channel I do not see the point.

Now let me back up, I am irritated only because, I am young, never had vinyl, and I started my High-end(audiophile) Life right in the Middle of SACD/DVD-A War about 2 years ago, so of course I had to have it... I will never go back to the headach of it now that someone was kind enough to show me the true sound of a Wadia player and a Vinyl rig in comparison to it.

I sold all Hi-Def Audio Software and Hardware and took all that money to the used market and Purchased the Wadia and Vinyl rig with YES an old fashoned Record cleaner to get the most out of it, and could not be Happier! Plus 90% of everything you could want is on Vinyl and CD, including New bands, many re-issues, etc...

Don't get me wrong, If you are into the titles that are in abundance on the SACD format GO FOR IT! It sounds VERY VERY good, but if you like maybe 10 CD's that exist on it, take the extra Money and purchase at least a Theta, Wadia, Maybe even Krell Machine(but I do not like the sound as much)... Okay don't take this as bashing, this is Truly my opinion on what I have heard and spent much time testing, And these were all done in home comparisons with Equal cost equipment for the most part for many months. And done in a very good room, good cables, speaker placement, power supply, and acoustic treated room that sounds excellent and does not lie....

I have nothing against the Hi-res music, hell I wanted it, I tried it as a newbee, and there is some definate impressive stuff, the MAIN thing I love about using Hi-res is When you can get your favorite guys in concert with DTS up on the HDTV in front of you, that so far is the only worthy format I have found worth the money and the cause, So I have a Seperate MOVIE / Slash / Concert DVD system that is a lot of fun and phoenominal results... But 2 Channel, get the best CD's or Hybrids, because the Hybrids do for some reason sound better than the originals probably due to they are Re-mastered very well, and a rewarding CD player will show this as much as the SACD counterpart if in a correctly setup system. And Vinyl, Ha well lets just say coming out of college recently my friends laugh until they here it cranked and can't believe it, especially if you have some good stuff to back it, but there is "DOG" recordings on ALL formats so don't think any sytem will Turn coal into a diamond in front of you.

But this all costs money No doubt, I only threw this little thread in here to maybe help some people save some cash... We can't have it all, but you can have it better if you know the direction to go in, I did not, but I found it, and it was full circle all the way back to the begining.. Don't let Hype rule your ears.
matrix
Post removed 
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Ben, I must admit that I am at a loss in understanding your comments. How do you know if this thread was posted for audio fans for audio fans? And how is this relevant? Why would I know why you have a "dead format" section, and does this contradict your statement that you never said sacd was a dead format? Again why is this relevant?

I can think of multiple hypotheses as to why some don't hear benefits from sacd, and I doubt whether your four explain why sacds have not flourished.

Again your posting as well as those of others to the effect that sacd is dead, don't make it so. They may, however, discourage some from trying sacds out of concern that their investment might be lost. I probably should not be too concerned about this as many of your ilk said this about LPs, yet quality has willed out. The sky isn't falling, Chicken Little.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hey TBG, does that mean that now not only we have to worry about old Audiophilia Nervosa, but we are in danger of developing Audio Necrophilia Nervosa as well? I feel so honored to be counted among the new audio necrophile breed!
Was it perhaps a little wiff of decay that I smelled last time I sniffed the iridescing surface of an SACD platter? Oh well, I guess we will be discussing the impending doom of SACD for the next 20 years, and at that point we will call it NOS and spend hundreds of $$$$ per disk and feel so lucky for the privilege!
This afternoon I am visiting with a friend to listen to his new X-01 SACD player. I'll remember to wear black and listen mournfully to the gorgeous sound coming from its system. And I will shed a wistful tear or two when he plays his favorite SACD cuts for me! So gorgeous and already an audio fossil?! Ah what cruel destiny! But. . . Audio Necrophilia Nervosa. . . here I come!
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Guidocorona, why is this directed to me? I am the one suggesting that the demise of sacd is greatly exaggerated?
ben_campbell
1,169 posts
 
Tbg I think it's quite clear Matrix was engaging with fellow audio fans like everybody else who posts here,to suggest otherwise is plain silly.

Now for clarifiction for my stance on SACD.

I have never said SACD was dead and I have never implied it was either indeed I have ALWAYS said it would survive as an Audiophile format and I suspect it still will.

Since Lugs my music review site was designed to enhance Audiogon member's knowledge and focus on music I was delighted to have a SACD section because I realise many Audiogon members are keen on the format.
In that if I may humbly say so I have balanced my opinions on my failure to embrace SACD without reservation by doing something positive for the community.
It didn't come easy the time and effort to even get the thing off the ground

Why don't you pick on Matrix and the others?
They have plenty to say about SACD and it's faults.

My four examples are to indicate the current state of SACD as perceived by some if you think everything is rosy in it's garden then fine.It's only about opinions and indeed perceptions.

What is bugging my ass greatly and apologies to yourself Tvad any anybody else who I'm upsetting is being misrepresented as King Anti-SACD.

It hasn't worked out for me at this juncture,I'm not alone in that but I could well pick it up again at a later date.

If you want to look back at the debate on Audiogon over the last few years I do think most of my points have stood up but that HASN'T stopped a single person getting their enjoyment out of SACD and I'm glad they have enjoyed it.

Please read those points,it's quite clear if you cancel out what you think I'm writing with what I'm actually writing.
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