Adding a SACD player

I don't know what Stingreen's system is but I have had similar sentiments in the past - I remember borrowing a few SACDs from friends when I got the PS3 and to be honest, I didn't know what the fuss was about.

Fast forward a couple of years later and I got a Marantz SA8003 and I have to say there was a small but appreciable difference over CDs. And then I heard the EMM Labs TSD/DAC2 and I ended up getting the replacement XDS1 after I sold my car. It was seriously a game changer.

I've been buying new and old SACDs as quickly as I can find them and I have noticed invariably they sound better than the CD versions. One could argue that the SACDs may have better mastering etc and it might even be true. But it does demonstrate it's worth buying the SACD versions if I can afford to and can find somewhere selling them.

I recently got JRiver and I've found that it has this mode that allows all my computer audio to be up sampled to DSD/DSD2x and I've found that the conversion improves the SQ a fair bit in my system (Playback MPS5 DSD DAC) and it sounded better than Audirvana Plus/Pure Music/Amarra.

Maybe there's something about the DSD process that gives it a more analogue feel.

There is, and it has been written about extensively. Less processing, one filter, fewer parts and a simpler more analog waveform. One bit processing is very pure and simple to implement. Almost all new DAC's are including DSD and or DSD over PCM (DoP) playback.

Doggiehowser...I have an Ayre C5xemp....sometimes the SACD is better, but not often. Redbook CD's are sometimes surprisingly good

Stan (Stringreen) ... please pull some of threads on this topic. I agree with you last post.

As of late, I have been buying so called "hi-rez" redbook CD, e.g., "Gold" quality, and have been quite surprised by just how satisfying a musical experience hi-rez redbook can provide. I also bought a batch of classical music redbook CDs from a member a couple of months ago. I don't think the CDs are "hi-rez" but sound pretty darn good anyway.

I haven't heard the C5XEMP but I have demo-ed the DX5 in my system and IMHO the SACD shows a good improvement over CDs in that system.

I'm not dismissing CDs of course. And I also go for good pressings/mastering CDs which sometimes can cost more than SACDs :) but if there's an SACD available, I'll look for it.