EMM LABS sacd vs cd

I don't own the Emmlabs combo, but as good as the DCC2/CDSD combo is on redbook playback, what I think you're discussing here is SACD vs CD.

The Kind of Blue is a famous recording. A big part of the magic of the performance is listening to the subtle things that the artists do. While I do think the SACD version brings further clarity to the performance, it's hardly a showcase disc.

What you need to do is compare the best SACD recordings to the best redbook recordings that exist. I think you'll find that SACD is quite a bit superior. On a good Hybrid SACD recording, I find that the redbook layer frequently has an electronic warmth that at first seems to be more pleasing. When I compare the SACD layer with the redbook layer, I always get the feeling that the SACD was more digital sounding (high resolution) while the redbook layer was more electronic sounding (think a well recorded MP3). To me, the redbook layer, in comparison is like defocusing a projector to hide the projector's flaws or at times like instruments miked and being played through speakers at a live concert. Some people say that PCM is more fragile and I do find that the sound breaks up at frequency extremes more often than not. I sometimes prefer the redbook layer myself as it can sound softer and warmer can so it's easier to listen to.

I own the CDSD/DCC2 combo, and, until very recently, my CD collection consisted of all redbook CDs. I have recently picked up a few SACDs, several of which are on the TAS list of what are supposed to be some of the best SACDs available (from a quality of sound perspective). I have found that, while lesser quality SACDs offer very little if any sound quality improvement over their redbook cousins, the finest examples of SACD outperform the redbook format by a significant margin.

I would surmise that there are a few things at work here:

1. Many SACDs are simply not engineered in a way that exhibits the potential of the format and, therefore, offer only marginal improvement over the redbook format.

2. The Meitner gear does an excellent job with redbook CD and turns it into a reasonable facsimile of a pure DSD format. So an SACD needs to be engineered very well in order to surpass the redbook sound by a noticeable margin.

3. I believe that the relative complexity of the music has a lot to do with whether a particular SACD significantly outshines the same recording in redbook format. I have found that complex acoustic music (e.g., orchestral/vocal/chorus recordings) allows the SACD format to exhibit its virtues more dramatically than simpler forms of music.

I would highly recommend the Channel Classics SACD of the Bach Christmas Oratorio (The Netherlands Bach Society, CCS SA 20103). It was the first disc to really open my eyes to the potential of the SACD format. I understand that most of the Channel Classics SACDs offer excellent sound quality.

I wanna grow up and be you guys.

Bill

Bill- Play your cards right and you might just get that lucky ;) WHAT are you doing posting, go enjoy France!

I agree with Cincy_bob when listening to "good" SACD there is no comparison, however, there are some black sheep in the herd. Some people hear these fair at best SACD's on a mid-fi SACD players and they are ready to protest the format all together. Most all SACD's, to my ears, are better then the same recording on redbook and some are much, much better. There's a smooth, refinement to the sound that has great dynamic contrast and analog like texture and body, redbook comes close at times but never can match the level of well recorded SACD.

At cruising speeds, a bigger engine tends to be quieter than a smaller engine. When accelerating lightly, you also tend not to notice a difference in power. Many times the car with the smaller engine will be much more comfortable to drive because you won't have the car lurching ahead when you happen to apply a bit more pressure than usual to the gas pedal. But when you need to accelerate quickly, you'll feel the smaller engine working harder and straining in comparison.

In music, a musician is never called a virtuoso unless they have absolute command and control throughout the entire range of their instrument. When redbook CDs stay within their comfort zone they can sound very good. But SACD's simply have a broader range of control, whether in frequency or in volume.