SACD 2...for those who have not heard

SACD 2.....better known as the RIAA seal of approval.

Budrew, after looking at my post, that should read they have it backwards Sony/Phillips and not you.
Sorry about that.

I agree with bld63. That is clear. The Sacd format is better than Dvd-a sonically. That is clear.(CES proved that)Sacd is for us, Dvd-a with video is for mainstream. Dvd-a is inexpensive relative to Sacd to produce. This has always been my worst fear. If Sacd were to ever switch to include video and add enryption layers to match Dvd-a, who do you think would win the format war. Take it one step further and one can see that if the formats are providing similar features, the Sacd quality is a good bet to take a hit. Why do you think Dvd-a is inferior? Just as Sacd is approaching vinyl(there is a unit reviewed to be on a par or better), we get this setback. As for the equipment issue, If there are two more levels of encryption included in the new players, it would mean that sometime in the near future, the newer cd's will not play on the old players. The biggest joke on me is that I am upgrading my new player(modifier receives it tomorrow). I am thrilled with plunking down $600 on a player whose Sacd component is, in my eyes, obsolete!! I think I shall retire my audio addiction and renew my wife addiction. Sony cannot make us incompatible!!!

It's far from clear whether SACD2 discs will play in SACD1 players. It's very possible they will NOT, because the upgraded copy protection will have to depend on something in the player. If SACD1 players can play the new discs then there's no added security.

So: your new multi-thousand $$$ SACD players may be useless with the new generation of discs.

Anyone who thinks SACD sounds better than DVD Audio has probably not heard a DVD-A or DAD played back on a decent
digital system like the Muse or MSB.

FYI- Classic Recordd will soon release 24/192 DADs. The Classic 24/192 DVD-A discs will be Universal DVD discs in the sense that they will be designed to play on both DVD Audio and DVD Video players. This will involve filling the audio title set with 24/192 data and the video title set with 24/96 data. These discs will therefore also play on universal players that support SACD and DVD Video. The transfers will be done using a specially designed battery powered 24/192 Analog to Digital converter designed by Kevin Halverson of Muse Electronics from original master tapes mastered by Bernie Grundman. Classic Records anticipates the release of 12 titles in 2003.

The game is far from over.

Suggest you also read Digital System Wars at
http://www.iar-80.com/

An excerpt from the article..."Current stand-alone SACD players will not be able to access any video material simply because of their lack of video playback circuitry..." Unbelievable. This will also further blur the lines between DVD-A and SACD to the point of there being no significant difference between the two formats.Multimedia is here to stay, those who don't like the idea can simply not turn on their TV, but it will be nice to have the option. Any fan of The Band will tell you watching the "Last Waltz" on dvd is a nice change from merely listening to the cd.