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State of HDCD and SACD

I am contemplating a new digital front-end and wondering if I should give preference to HDCD or SACD. It seems that you do not see these two technologies combined too often in a CDP, at least not well!

So, what I want to decide is "What has more of a future as a format?" I think both can sound excellent - that's not the question. I have a MiniMax CDP in my 2nd system that does great things with HDCD, and I previously owned a Shanling T200 that was great with SACD (and Redbook).

If I decide to put my eggs in the HDCD basket I'll probably get a Raysonic CD128. If SACD, a Marantz SA-11.

So, I would appreciate hearing takes on the respective futures of these formats. SACD has many titles available but still a drop, of course, compared to Redbook, and it seems views differed greatly on its future the last time I looked into it, about a year ago.

Would also consider other recommendations for players. Is there something there under $3K (preferably new - I don't trust used digital transports) that does HDCD and SACD and does them both well?
paulfolbrecht
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Prepare yourself, Cary cd players sound very different from their preamps and amps, IMHO. I would think that your Marantz sounds closer to the Cary preamp/amp sound that you're used to hearing.
soniqmike
140 posts
 

Commenting on:

''It's a shame that Sony doesn't continue to support the format''

I would say ' It's a shame the buying public snobbed it's nose at it!''

The MARKET usually decides what stays and what goes. I don't expect any company to keep the respirator on UNLESS that very same company made you spend huge amounts of money and then dropped the ball on service and software.

To a certain degree, this is what hapenned, but I don't think it is such a big deal as many SACD machines are worth it on redbook performance alone.

In my opinion, SACD will remain a specialty item for commited audiophiles of that technology...and sound.

No unlike turntables, when you think about it. Not mainstream, but with a following.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I would say ' It's a shame the buying public snobbed it's nose at it!''

Soniqmike

While I agree to some extent, I do believe that the format developer shares the responsibility as well. I waited on Sony to flood the market with software to make buying SACD a more viable option. While I did buy a SACD player, and a few dozen SACD's. I think the overall lack of software was to blame for the demise of SACD. Sure, you can get 'audiophile' recordings on SACD, but the major labels with the most popular artists never subscribed to the medium. It's hard to blame the consumer's that the software was not released. Without software, who needs hardware?

The software was released as a cottage industry, so the SACD hardware never grew beyond a cottage industry. Maybe if they had originally released hybrid cd's instead of SACD only, they would have had more success, who knows? It's a moot point now anyway.

John
tube_lvr
6 posts
 
An exceptionally good redbook player with an equally exceptional recording (a choice MFSL gold, for example) is very hard to beat...my opinion.

It's also very hard to say which format is "best" without considering the infinate variables surrounding such a comparison. Some SACD mixes sound horrific and ruin perfectly good recordings. It goes the other way, too.

I say buy a unit that supports the music you have, and/or the format you see yourself continuing to buy. Don't buy music from an artist simply because it's in the format your source component supports; Buy it because it's your favorite artist. Buy the source component that plays it!

If all my favorite music was limited to 8-track cassettes (what a nightmare!), I'd probably buy the best damned 8track player made (is that an oxymoron!?). Anyway, it's about the music. If you remember this, the rest will follow.
ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,370 posts
 
Hey just had to let everyone know that this ***hol* tube_lvr who posted right above me stole 1200.00 from me. He put an ad up for a cart and I sent him the money. He cashed the check and never sent me the cart and won't respond to phone calls or emails for 2 months now. Sorry just pissed me off when I read this thread and noticed he had contributed. Just wanted everyone on here to know what a piece of !@#$ this guy is.
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