2. digital
  3. 1039458326

Downgrading Help

OK, so I have come to realize that I cannot afford to keep neither high end CD player I own, mostly because a lot of that cash came from credit.

I picked up the Philips SACD1000 player as my replacement for a digital front end. Last night, comparing the Philips to the Wadia 860x I currently own (not for long!), was truly tough for me. The Wadia is just so much better on redbook CD (the Philips I thought was better on SACD vs. the Wadia on CD).

I don't have much $$ to spend ($600) on an improvement: here are my options:

1) get the Philips player modded somewhere; which mods though, and will this really give me an increase in detail (blackness?), dynamics, soundstage depth, and naturalness?

2) get a DAC?

3) wait until I get some more cash, and get a better DAC or more mods later?

I'd prefer to make this player work, rather than getting another seperate CD player....

Thx
128x128dennis_the_menace
glen's avatar
glen
714 posts
 
Dennis,

I've been browsing the SACD market for a few days now and I see a few good ones (at least thirty). The trick is not to panic. It took DVD'S a while to get rolling. Remember this is an investment in the future.

I've read a lot of favorable reviews, and I see a small used market starting to take off. It can only get better with time.

Start by buying those six titles you liked. I don't think you've seen the whole list. Try going to Sony's web site it may surprise you.
henry_la
13 posts
 
Dennis,

Your use of the stereo ouput may be the problem; I have read that the stereo output was designed to be used with TV and does not have as high quality signal as the 6ch outputs. Try the 6ch output (front left & right) and see if that changes anything. If it does, please report back.
treyhoss
287 posts
 
Dennis,

I too am experiencing some of the same issues as yourself. I have owned the Sony DVP-NS999ES for 1 week now, which is a DVD and multi-channel SACD player. To answer another's question, yes the multi-channel (on mine anyway) will default to 2-channel - thank GOD! I also think the SACD is a little better than my current digital front end (Audio Alchemy DTIPRO-32 w/ AA PS2 and 2 powered digital cables going to a Parasound DAC 1000). I was hoping the redbook would be better so I could sell off my current digital equipment but that has not been the case. In fact, the SACD is only a small improvement. I am still holding out hope that it will continue to improve as I remember reading on different threads that these players can take several hundred hours to break in - AND the period is independent per format (redbook and SACD). If the SACD continues to improve I will be very happy. I will give it 1 month's time before I write off the redbook performance though. I also found about 6 SACD's that I want - and I currently own 5 of them! Would love to see Sony release more discs from "mainstream" artists from the 60's - today. A LARGE majority of the SACD discs are either from groups I've never heard of or don't care about - cmon', The Bangles, Big Audio Dynamite, endless jazz titles and gregorian chanting??? Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't Sony have the rights to the Beatles (from M. Jackson), Frank Sinatra (through Columbia), etc., etc. These are artists with a proven sales track record. Anyway, that's for another thread. Keep the faith Dennis, and let's see how these things fare by the end of January - by then people may have some Christmas cash to burn and buy our older stuff - hahaha:-)
More to discover