SACD... can you hear the difference?


I'm fairly new to SACD as it's only been a month since I purchased my first player that takes advantage of the format. Some say even on a good system which is set up properly that they can not notice a difference between SACD and standard CD.

For example my Wife is a huge James Taylor fan. A couple weeks ago I found 2 original master recording SACD disks from a company called Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. Both James Taylor just as she has on CD. I dialed them in perfect and OH MAN! To me the difference was like night and day, but she couldn't tell the difference in sound quality.

So either I'm imagining things or I'm able to pick up on musical pitch and clarity much better than her. I'm sure of what I'm hearing with no doubt, but she thinks I'm crazy.

Can anyone here notice how much better SACD sounds on their system verses a standard CD.
pigchild
Sometimes, it all depends on the type music and how the SACD was mastered. In most cases mastering is different from the the red book version. I have Miles Blue in every media format ever released, including R2R. Sadly, Blue was never released on Blu-Ray so what could have been the end all of media differences, must await. In my opinion the best sounding version I have is one on R2R, two track, 7.5 ips. Shall we say it is just more musical, yes.
I concur with Toncr6:
Yes I can hear the difference. A well recorded and mastered SACD sounds better than a well recorded and mastered cd. I hear more depth to the soundstage and a sense of ease or flow with SACDs, for instance. There are cds that sound better than poorly done SACDS though.

Redbook vs the same SACD, the you-are-there at the studio/hall illusion is better with SACD (DSD).

And yes Dweller, differences are more & less pronounced with different equipment. Imagine that, different equipment produces different results?!
Why is this discussion in the analog section? Personally I'd rather listen to my turntable and records most of the time.
Let me help...if I put ANY cd on my Linn turntable the needle just runs off and nothing but bad noise happens...SACDs or redbook...it just doesn't work at all.
"09-08-14: Wolf_garcia
Let me help...if I put ANY cd on my Linn turntable the needle just runs off and nothing but bad noise happens...SACDs or redbook...it just doesn't work at all."

Are you sure that you're placing the CD with the right side facing up?