sacd,vinyl, and rebook....

In my experience SACD is much better than Redbook, but only under the right circumstances. Old remastered junk thrown onto SACD is generally not very good, or marginally better than redbook.

SACDs that are mastered correctly, or those that are done specifically for SACD (not just another layer) can sound very good. True, there are not ticks and pops, but they also do not have the life of an LP. I don't know why SACD doesn't sound better than LPs, but I have yet to hear and SACD that sounds better than the same thing on vinyl.

I base these conclusions only on listening. I have had an SACD player for over three years now. I listen predominately to vinyl, even though in many cases I have the same thing on CD and SACD. I don't know why vinyl sounds better, I just know that it does sound better.

Ivor Humphreys of the Gramophone Magazine in UK reflects on SACD and DVD-A on page 81 of the most recent issue (Awards 2004):
“Finally, a few thoughts on comparing SACD with DVD-A. Several technically secure hi-fi peers are insisting that SACD doesn’t rival DVD-A, yet most of the finest sounds I’ve heard have come from SACD. It’s tempting to blame the system for a lackluster sound, but with SACD and DVD-A, streets ahead of CD in terms of resolution, the key, I feel, is far more likely to be the microphone lay-out and/or mixing ahead of it. Get that wrong (and it’s very hard to get it right) and the carrier is practically immaterial. I’ve heard a few stunningly good sounds, and far too many indifferent ones on both.”
Well said, Ivor!

Again,
In my own extensive personal experience, a well recorded DVD-Audio disc simply sounds better in the highs, and more focused and alive, than most all SACD discs.
I have did many comparisons in my system as well as in my friends systems. They all came to the same conclusion!
When I first heard a great SACD I was fairly impressed and thought,"this sounds great, better than CD, but something is not quite right about the sound, especially in the highs". I still have reservations about it. Most all SACD titles I own are either basically equivalent to their Redbook counterparts, or only very slightly better.
I have also come to the conclusion that most all mainstream multi-track pop and rock recordings sound better and benefit more from DVD-Audio in the High Resolution Stereo mode than SACD in the two channel mode.
On the other hand, when I first heard a well recorded DVD-Audio disc, I was blown away immediately! This was the best digital I ever heard by far! I was, and still am very impressed by well recorded discs. There was a "rightness" to the sound that I noticed immediately.If DVD-Audio fails, and it looks like it probably will, I for one will be very disappointed!DVD-Audio has the sampling rates and bits that Sony should have used when CD was first introduced! I think audiophile consumers would have been much happier with the sound of CD's and digital in general. And imagine how good it would have sounded today with those 22 years to refine it!
I still think that a high-end vinyl set-up sounds better than any of the digital formats. More palpable and real.
But, these analog systems that I heard were EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE! And I agree with Loontoon about good analog burned on a CD-R sounds better than the commercial CD versions of the same material! I burned many of my records onto CD-R's a couple of years ago, and was EXTREMELY impressed with the results!
As far as bang for the buck, I think DVD-Audio is hard to beat! Granted, this MY opinion based on MY system and friends systems, and based on MY tastes in audio sonics and music. Others may totally disagree with me.
Now you all can throw stones at me!

IF you have speakers that go well beyond 20K there is no doubt SACD is worth it. Some simple DQ-10's will prove that to you. Just play Becks "Sea Change". Those first notes glisten like never before.

Vinyl, Redbook, SACD, DVD-A, none of them compare to the musicality of MP3