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Michael I purchased a Sony DVD-NS500v from Best Buy back in the summer for $150. For the price it is a very good machine. CD playback is decent and Super Audio CD playback is very good plus DVD-V to boot. The Philips I bought to replace it, SACD-1000, was their flagship SACD unit. It was the first Multi-Channel SACD player in fact. Originally priced at $2000, the Tweeter chain has been blowing them out for $399. The Phillips blows away the Sony in terms of dynamics and lack of digital edge so common in consumer grade digital. However I highly recommend the NS500v for an entry-level foray into the world of SACD. Get the Philips if you can...its Redbook performance is excellent. Pioneer has units that play both SACD and DVD-A. I have a Panasonic DVD-A unit and enjoy it too, although I feel SACD has a bit of an advantage in terms of fidelity. The best SACDs I've found so far tend to be Telarc's DSD recordings. They bring a new level of spaciousness and dynamics that I've never heard from any CD. I keep hearing people complain about no digital outs on SACD and DVD-A players. While they would be nice, I think people think digital out is better just because it is digital. For one thing there are currently only a couple Receivers capable of decoding either format and they use proprietary connections. Most people would have to upgrade their front end just to take advantage of a highres digital output. Most decent front ends have at least one set of multi-channel analog inputs, which bypass internal processing, thus taking the signal directly to the amplifier section. I doubt the fact that Im using analog interconnects adds any appreciable distortion or other artifacts to the sound. It has to go analog at some point before it can be heard. Brian C.

I've recently purchased a Philips SACD-1000 Super Audio CD player. The Philips has a switch on the back for limiting Frequencies to 40Khz or 50Khz. The manual states that 40Khz is a safe frequency cut-off for all equipment. It implies that some amplifiers and speakers can be damaged with the unit set to 50khz. As I understand SACD contains an unusually high amount of ultrasonic noise and this noise can heat up the tweeters voice coils causing potential damage in some speakers. I'm running the 6 channel outs of the Philips into the 6ch inputs on my Denon AVR-3300. The 3300 manual indicates that it will pass frequencies up to 50Khz using these inputs. I would assume the Denon would be capable of handling the higher frequencies. I'm just curious if my Cornwalls, Heresys and my KLF-C7 can handle the higher SACD content ultrasonic noise and all. Interestingly, the Philips is replacing an entry level Sony DVP-NS500v for SACD playback. I've noticed that the NS500v states a potential frequency response up to 100Khz. There is no such frequency limiter switch on the NS500v. If had no apparent problems playing the Sony in my system. Anyone know for sure? Brian C.

I had a problem with my Panasonic RA-60 playing the highres surround content on YES "Fragile" and R.E.M. "Automatic for the People". I run full range speakers, Cornwalls and Heresys, no sub. As such I selected no sub in the multichannel setup on the Panasonic. Now my understanding is that the multichannel setup on most DVD-A players should not effect DVD-A playback due to the lack of bass management. Anyway I though just for kicks I'd add the sub back in the players setup. Load up the "Fragile" and whada ya know? I can now playback the Highres Surround content. "Automatic" now works too. Fixed my problem... might work on other Panasonic models too. Brian C.

I've decided to purchase some quality surrounds and a center channel speaker for my HT. My front speakers are a pair of vintage Cornwalls. I've heard that Heresys make good rear surrounds with the Cornwalls, but their size makes them much less optimal in my small living room (Corns already take up a bunch). So I've been considering a pair of RS-3 IIs or RS-7s. I'm wondering if the RS-3s would be a good match. The price is right and I could then invest in an RC-3 II for the center. I'm afraid the RS series is really better matched to my Cornwalls in terms of sensitivity. I'm just not quite prepared to spend that much right now. Any advice on decent matches would be appreciated.