Next Generation SACD Players

We'll be coming up on third generation of SACD players yet we still don't have much of a selection to choose from. As such, Sony should concentrate on making Hybrid discs available at reasonable prices. This would encourage those interested in the technology to purchase both equipment to play such software and discs that are not completely useless in the other 99.9% of all of the other machines out there. I'd like to be able to enjoy the benefits of SACD but would hate having to buy two discs i.e. one for my SACD machine and one for everything else. Hybrid's would solve that problem and allow Sony to just make one disc that would cover both audiophiles, mass-market consumers and those that are somewhere in-between.

Other than that, just keep your eyes on Stereophile. They'll be the first to know about a new Musical Fidelity product. Sean
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One to watch might be the new Teac (DV-50?). Lindemann: nice, overpriced though. Some of the best players continue to be the 1st and 2nd generation ones: SCD-1 (and 777ES) at the top of the heap I think, S9000ES also very good, among others. Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista is "officially sold out" from the factory, according to the latest hyperbole from MF. Supposedly availability in the US will continue through September or so. Big Yawn... overpriced, over hyped player. Good sound, - yeah, not bad, but not 2-3x better than SCD-1. Esp. not once you start modding SCD-1 probably (or output to a Meitner DAC). More hybrid plants are coming on line now, to meet demand. Initially there was only one or two I think. The new Sony XA9000ES is their new flagship, yet to be released. Notable addition is encrypted firewire connection to the matching amp, so no preamp or analog connection between the two is needed. Looks like a nice player but not back up to the build level of SCD-1. MuFi does not have a non-trivista SACD player in the works that I have heard of, their next products will be a pair of monoblocks and preamp, called kW and kWP... something silly like 1000w per channel, 200 amps (!? WTF?) of current capability. Overbuilt looking, separate power supply box. Sort of looks like their answer to Krell/Halcro/etc. $10-15k or so price tag I think for the amps. Preamp similar but not sure of the details or price... under 10k I think but still overpriced.

whatever.. more fodder for stereophool.

-Ed

I agree that Stereophile has reviewed proportionately too many Musical Fidelity products recently, but man, the Tri-Vista is an incredible machine. I've owned the XA-777ES and the SCD-1, but neither is even in the same league as the Tri-Vista SACD in stock form. I never had mine modded however. Before I bought the Tri-Vista, I seriously considered the Lindemann, but $9000 seemed too high for a player from a virtual unknown in this country with uncertain future support.