SACD 2...for those who have not heard

Actually, I think Budrew has it right. Sony is searching for a market in which they can reap licensing benefits from their technologies. SACD is nothing more than that, and the bet was that more than just audiophiles would take to the format. To this point that gamble hasn't paid off, and Sony is looking for a new marketing twist that will push SACD into the mainstream. Whether this really is the future of audio/video entertainment remains to be seen, but the direction certainly allows them to stay competitive with DVD.

This is nothing to worry about at all. It is actually SACD 2.0 vs. SACD 1.6 which is currently out.

It is bad news if all new recordings will be in SACD-2 and you'll need another new CD player to decode it.

Another concern is wiil the new copy protection built into the new hardware affect sonics?

Pleasing audiohpiles and making money are not mutually exclusive...