SACD Opinions: Gimmick? Like it? Don't? Why?

Sean...If you can tolerate Bach, try the multichannel Sony SACD SS87983, E Power Biggs playing Toccatas and Fugues using the four organs installed in the cathedral of Freiburg. The multichannel aspect of this recording is not a creation of the recording engineers, but merely reflects the antiphonal character of the music and the instruments.

There are many more good DVD-A than multichannel SACD. The "killers" are Tacet DVD-A. They put you in the midst of a small chamber music group (eg: quartet) as if you were one of the musicians. Unless you have experienced this perspective, this may seem like a "gimmick" dreamed up by the engineers, but it really is not.

Some of the % of differences everyone is hearing comes down to the system. I have the Sony SCD-777ES along with Pass Labs X-1 and X-250 along with B&W matrix 803s. I have been auditioning speakers in my system and now have a pair of Talon Raven-Cs in the system now. The differences that I can now hear in my system such as details (especially micro), and dynamics is night and day over the B&Ws. So IMHO it all depends on the SACD and CD players you are comparing the paly back on. I have heard a few of the Agon member systems that have posted above me and in one system we compared my stock 777 to the same model with a mod. The difference was pretty much night and day. I also heard what a $10K CDP combo transport and DAC can do versus the stock Sony and again the differences are very much real.

There are also some poor SACD and redbook recordings so in my system, the differences can be small or large depending on the recording.

I have found in my system that SACD is a little smoother sounding with less digital edge, has better mirco details, better dynamics and overall more listening pleasure. I have not compared the Sony to other stock units like the Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista to see how much better that player is over the stock Sony or an EMC-1, Audiomeca or Wadia on redbook play back.

So I do not think that SACD is a gimmick and there are probably bigger differences in the top of the line players that Rcprince mentions.

Happy Listening.

Yikes, looks like I touched on a hot topic. You guys are right, I should have done a search. Good info though, plenty to go on. Thanks.

SACD sounds more natural -- the differences between CD and
SACD are subtle, but profound.

Stuart--I too have the 9000ES, and it's important to remember that this particular player isn't exactly a godsend on redbook. In other words, there are other SACD players that provide a less "flat" presentation on CD, and I one day hope to be able to upgrade to one of them. SACD players have improved by meaningful strides, especially with redbook presentation, with each passing generation.