Modded SACD player: SACD or Redbook sound best?"

On my modded Sony SCD-1 the benefits of SACD are recoding dependent; with some being better than others. In general SACD out performs redbook in areas of inner detail(more organic) within the music and perhaps improved high frequency extension. However some redbook recordings (hybrids) are very good such that the benefits of SACD are reduced or maybe nonexistant.

I believe one needs to know what to listen for to hear the differences and ones system needs to be able to resolve it.

I purchase my SACD's (hybrids) from places like amazon and elusive disc. I listen primarily to classical and jazz (female vocals).

Thanks for the responses. For the multi-channel SACD: does one have to have more speakers than a standard 2-channels setup to listen or to get the benefits? Or, does "multi-channel" have something to do with the mixing and recording?

It sounds like a hit or miss for SACD. I will check out sa-cd.net and see what they have to say. I see alot of the recordings that are available, I already have in redbook. I listen to mostly jazz and classical.

I suggest you check at least one title, for example Stravinsky: The Firebird (Mercury Living Presence SACD)

http://sa-cd.net/showtitle/1687

and then judge for yourself whether your red book CD improvements were worth the money, and how much truth there is behind Boston audio society study published by AES...

:))

Go for a hybrid,You can have your cake and Edith too.LOL!

I'm not sure how they did the double blind AES test but if they couldn't hear the difference, they're "doubly deaf".

On good recordings, sound quality is noticeably better on SACD in terms of inner detail and highs especially. Music has more body and air. It isn't subtle.

While most SACDs sound clearly better, there are a few 2 channnel mixes that do not since they weren't re-mastered well or the same, or multi-channel was the focus. Roxy's Avalon & Brubeck's Take Five were big dissapointments to me. I was surprised about the latter as Jazz is usually good and that recording was one i thought they'd take care with.

However, there's no comparison between the 2 versions of Krall's Love Scenes. The SACD just blows away Redbook. That's enough proof for me as the CD recording is damn good - one of the better in my collection of hundreds. A comparison of Allison Krauss on both formats would yield similar striking differences. If you like classical music, strings, especially violin, can be tough to listen to on CD, but just beautiful on SACD.

I don't own hundreds of SACDs but I'd guess around 10-15% of the time SACD recording is only so-so and not better than CD. Pop's the trickiest I think.

SA-cd.net is great and the best place to find music on the format. If you link your purchase though the site you're making a donation to it!

Good luck and happy listening!