Is SACD a dead format?

I read an article the other day that Sony had pretty much abandoned the ship. It just never took off and I couldn't see it ever being more than a niche product for audiophiles (which account for how much of the market and what do the rest care?)
At any rate, I do hear a difference with SACD, especially in the highs and with more palpable voices. Cymbals actually take on a real shimmer. Of course, there are some crappy ones too.
I buy on line. Maybe my local Best Buy will follow Sean's but right now---not much(nor with DVD-A.) I would think it depends on the area. Unfortunately, this area is not known for audiophiles. I would say you could count all of the true blue ones on 2 hands! This is more of a boom - boom in the car and boom box region. Best Buy sells their systems by the truck load and most think they have reached the pinnacle of sound (including my brother, who, after listening to my system, says it is crazy to invest that much money even if the sound is much better. His Sony system is GOOD enough and he only paid $400 for the complete thing!) Of course, I informed him that it's crazy to drive a Lexus when a Camry will suffice!
I do believe SACD has/had some real possibilities. To bad we'll probably never see it.

Musical Fidelity came out with a very expensive SACD player, only recently, does it mean they have no clue what is going on in the market? I wonder!

That's the tragedy really-technically it should have delivered with time to develop the format.However the whole approach seemed so flawed it just makes you wonder why it wasn't launched or supported in the right manner as it must have taken time,money and effort to develop.

The catalogs of the audiophile centric record/disc sellers I get seem to point in the direction that SACD is gaining some traction with the smaller audiophile labels. A good thing, I think, as a grassroots movement that turns out music that is looked to by audiophiles will keep at least a trickle of things coming for us.

Whatever happened to Sony and some others I have heard converting their CD stamping facilities to hybrid CD/SACD processing?

On the sad note, I noticed in Stereophile that Sony Music went to a conference with the intention of throwing their support behind DVD-A. Someone at Sony intervened at the last moment, and the music divsion backed off. If I were the head of Sony, my head honcho at Sony Music would be called into the office and read the riot act (including the proviso that a bloodletting would result the next time I heard even an inkling of such a thing).

I think SACD might remain a niche supported by the small labels that put out good jazz and classical music recordings. As a popular format it will not likely last.

After owning the Exemplar 2900 I questioned whether SACD was necessary given how good redbook CD sound was on the Exemplar 2900.