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After 5 years, format war? What format war?

After all the hoopla about the DVD-Audio and SACD format wars for the past 5 years, it seems to me that the format war may have existed perhaps only as a figment of a few corporations' imagination. (Kinda' like THX certification by LucasFilm)

I've never listened to a dvd-audio disc, but I do have a handful of SACD discs. Nor have I ever listened to DVD-A or SACD via a multi-channel system nor do I have a hankering to do so.

I thoroughly enjoy a few of the SACD's for their warmth, resolution, and anolog-like presentation, but still cannot see myself rushing out to buy more. Except for perhaps the Red Rose Sampler SACD which contains a few tracks providing a wonderful illustration of what SACD can do.

Don't get me wrong about the benefits of SACD. But I've experienced far greater enjoyment listening to my much older and even newer 'Redbook' cd recordings through component upgrades and through acoustical, electrical, rack designs, and vibration-transferring tweaks than with any SACD formatted enhancements.

Just curious where others stand.

-IMO
stehno
rsbeck
887 posts
 
My SACD collection is at 100+ and I eagerly await new releases. I've put CD buying in a holding pattern because I'd much rather have an SACD than CD
and new releases are just around the corner. To my ears, there's no way CD can compete with SACD. When I listen to SACD for an extended period and then switch to CD, the air goes out of the sonic balloon, the cream turns back into milk. To me, it isn't logical to spend so much money on the rest of the system in an effort to improve resolution only to doom the entire enterprise to lower resolution with my choice of music format -- especially when a higher resolution format is available. To buy $12,000 amplifiers, for example, and then balk at paying a few extra bucks for SACD or at replacing a CD with an SACD version? That just doesn't make sense to me in the scheme of things. I'd rather feed my high resolution system with high resolution SACD's.
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unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
Alas, here we go again. I define the problem by investment and availability. Redbook covers everything and this is where my investment is. I also shudder at the thought of again replacing my favorite albums with yet another format. I refuse to purchase my favorite albums in SACD, having already bought them first in vinyl, then cassette and now in CD. My direction is with the best upsampling Redbook CD player I can find which in my case is the Audio Aero Capitole.

I am bi-amping from from it and it takes feeds from my DVD player, Over The Air(OTA) HDTV, and also from my Satellite Receiver. I have built my system around this one and I really don't want to waste a ba-zillion dollars on yet another format.

I did purchase a few DVD-As which I also on occasion run through my AA from my rather average DVD player. They sound nice. Kind of a good curiosity.

Perhaps, in a few years I might change my mind. I do understand the limitations of Redbook but, for now these limitations don't exceed my desire for musicality nirvana.

I do not care to invest the thousands of dollars that new hardware/software would demand of me as I am one of those fellow who does believe that if it is worth doing, then it is worth overdoing!

Then again, I recently visited the Audio Aero Home Page and they just came out with a SACD player..........
flemke
596 posts
 
Sold my SACD and DVD-A players. Bought the VPI scout and never looked back. I have two systems. My home theater is all digital with about 500 seldom used cd's.

Tim
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Stehno

Great system you have, I have all the new formats. My opinion is not important..I try to keep an open mind to all things audio. My ear tells me that their are some VERY GOOD pre-pros out there that audiophiles don't want to agree to.

Same thing with SACD players....means very little to me but my other personality won't let it slide so I just had to comment!!!!

Dave
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