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SACD : why ?

I have a local dealer here in Paris, France who has become a very good friend. SACD technology is just starting to hit our shores, and after hearing several CDPlayers, inc. the Accuphase 100 transport, we just didn't get it. The differences are just so tiny and are entirely software dependend (a bad SACD sounds worse that a great mastered CD) that we can't see it becoming a new standard. Nor spending thousands of dollars for so little.

We did a blind test for 15 of his customers. We told them we would play them a normal CD version first, and then the same music but with the SACD version. 15 out of 15 said they thought the second sounded much better and that SACD was an amazing technology. They were surprised, shocked and embarrassed when they found out we had switched the order of play and they actually preferred the 'standard' CD.

Here is my prediction : SACD is dead, long live DVD-A. Not because DVD-A is better, it *technologically* speaking isnt, but it makes much more market sense.
badwisdom
badwisdom OP
145 posts
 
We used the Accuphase transport 100 and matching DAC (the 101 i think) for both CD and SACD play.

And this was just an opinion cornfedboy, a prediction. The test was more than revealing to us : even if there is a massive difference in sonics, people can't hear it enough to justify the expenses. imho.
sattothestars
233 posts
 
Of course you are entitled to your opinion,but this story just does not seem to wash,at least with me.I could put 15 people in a room and tell them nothing about what type of disks were being played and I can guarantee there would be at least 1 person who would find it to sound better or worse.The fact that you even tell someone there is a difference automatically is biasing them.It is only human nature .There are some SACDS that are not much better ,if at all ,than their counterpart PCM disks.I totaly agree with that statement.One that immediatly comes to mind is Carol Kings's Tapestry.On the other handBlood Sweat and Tears is greatly superior to the PCM disk.Mind you,these are all tape transfers and not straight DSD recordings.The DSD transfers are truly ouststanding,and I would be hard pressed to believe that an average person could not hear some sort of difference.As for DVDA,I for one think it is inferior(at least at this time) to SACD.Some of course will dissagree.I think that if Sony does not start releasing some popular recordings in the SACD format quickly,they will have let a golden opportunity slip by,and let DVDA get a foot in the door.As it stands now,anyone who bought the first generation pieces,own probably one of the better transports made,and are assured that even if SACD should fail,they have a top notch player that competes with any of the big buck pieces.So it is a win win situation either way.
bluenose
387 posts
 
Two things worry me. One, Joe public doesn't even seem to know about dvd-a or sacd.....it hasn't hit like cd...and the price of the music will not allow joe public to support it. Something better and cheaper could derail both super formats.....I'm sticking to my vinyl until the dust settles...cd sales are starting to slip....when vinyl sales slipped in the early 80's "perfect sound forever" was prematurely rushed to market to save us. Now we're still waiting for a "more perfect sound"....time for some imperfect music.....cheers, Bluenose
zane
48 posts
 
Come to beautiful Destin, Fl. Where you can experiance snow white sands and emerald green waters. You can also be exposed to the SACD1, Pass amps, and the Apogee Mini Grands. I will guarantee you will never question the benefit that this format has made to the world of audio. It would be a shame if this format did not make it,all i know is that i will never part with mine!
olh
2 posts
 
While DVD-A makes the most marketing sense for equipment manufacturers, SACD makes the most marketing sense for record companies. Historically speaking, the record companies have always wound up setting the standards, not the electronics industry.

Incidentally, HDCD has by no means failed and a lot of new CDs have come out in that format. There is also nothing to stop the red book layer on a SACD from being done using HDCD.
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