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SACD is it worth it?

Recently magazines seems to abandon hi-rez formats and all are speaking of the forthcoming death of sacd & dvd-a.
But if you are planning a new disk player you also have to deal with the dilemma to sacd or not to sacd?
Before 3 years I had the DenonA1 (5900 in US) and the dvd-a was the best sound format I heard but dvd-a is fading out. Now sacd gives the ultimate fight what do you think?
Today would you buy a player with SACD capability or just Redbook cd (which seems immortal). Always have in mind the big cd libraries the most of us has.
128x128kops
arkprof
182 posts
 
SACDs CAN sound much better than many/most RedBookers, BUT this isn't always true. I've got a Shanling and I'm still happy with it after 6 months, but I'm NOT overjoyed with the quality of many of the SACDs I've purchased. Too, I'm not exactly thrilled by the limited selection and the higher prices attached to SACDs. Regardless, I intend to keep my player for at least another 6 months, after which ... I don't know.
mark02131's avatar
mark02131
99 posts
 
I like senna1f@comcast.net 's idea. I use XM radio all the time and being able to plug digital it into the Cary 306 CD/SACD/DAC eliminates the need for a very high quility DAC, you end up with all the media from one unit. Then as he said all you need it a really good analog front end.
washline
202 posts
 
Marakanetz, you should definitely check out Can on SACD. Worth the trouble IMO. I'm also keen on the Pink Floyd DSOTM SACD as well. I don't listen to rock much anymore, but these are well worth it.
tickfight
90 posts
 
I think there is an issue missing here- speaker quality. I have found that SACD sounds beter than mid to lower end two channel speakers. Higher priced/quality speakers in two channel boadcast more seperation while maintaining good detail and, to me at least, launches the two channel beyond the multi channel. So: SACD should be concidered based on what your componant budget is to get the best sound for the dollar. Others may disagree but this is what I have found.
jimmy2615
418 posts
 
Only Pabelson and Theo mentioned it, but if you have a 5 Ch. system, - especially 5 identical speakers set up the way SACD recommends - it is truely worth it. Many of the SACDs that are hybrid (2 Ch/5 Ch) are amazing in 5 Ch compared to the 2 Ch version (like Bigg's Bach at Freiburg and Vaughn William's Sea Symphony just to name a couple). That said, if I just had a 2 Ch system I'd probably still buy something like the Ayre CX-5. The good SACD players really do make a case for SACD over CD, but the 5 Ch is really the bonus for me.
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