Current state of SACD

[MarkBK]

What is the current state of SACD? - I am just getting back to purchasing more music after an 18 month delay (moving. remodeling/system in storage to protect it from the remodeling).

I see that Best Buy removed the dedicated section for SACD / DVD-A and most of the old record stores have disappeared. Is the format dying due to lack of acceptance? Is DVD-A taking over as in the VHS vs. Betamax era?

I had just purchased the Phillips 963A shortly before I moved and had great hopes for SACD at that time.

Mark

[jbsl]

If there is a Frys electronics they should have a SACD and DVD Audio section.

I think soon buying SACD will be only online. Not enough people have invested enough money into their surround sound system/home theater to really get the best sound that SACD offers. So they don't buy them.

I stopped buying cause there are no SACD available that I want and very few DVD Audio I want.

Xman

[MarkBK]

Xman,

I was at Borders Books and Music last night and did see some SACD in the Classical sections, fewer still in the Rock section. I too, suspect not many have bought into SACD in this era of Ipod. Ipod is great, but it is no substitute for a good home system. I own one and use for portabillity, not fidelity.

Mark

[jacksonbart]

Some where in Nebraska

[mobile homeless]

What is the current state of SACD?

You would have to ask Mr. Parrot, the 2 Channel SACD industry insider. If lucky, you might find some good buys in the "Perfect Sound Forever" section of your local Goodwill Industries. You could invest in a high dollar "SACD only" rig but you would be throwing away your money as if tossing down a well. Just keep the cheapest "all in one" player you can find and enjoy the used SACD bargains coming along in the cutouts section of your local record hut. Title selection is seriously limited but in a recent search online, I found ULTIMATE MANCINI Enhanced on sale for $7.99.

kh

[jbsl]

Majority of people prefer cheap, portable, and plays the music. There are only a small % of people like us who are willing to spend this much money on a High Fidelity system.

Classical and Jazz seem to have the most SACD titles out. I think DVD Audio stands a better chance than SACD but even then there will be only a small market for DVD Audio.

Xman

[Parrot]

It's amusing that people who *claim* to be able to hear differences

from one record clamp to another, or from one power cord to another,

can't hear the superiority of SACD to CD. Usually you'll find they were

the same people complaining about how there wasn't enough resolution to

CD. Then when they get better sampling rates than they could have ever

dreamed, they still aren't happy. For them, it will always be one

medium only, one with surface noise, compression, and rolled off highs

and lows, all served on a 12-inch black platter.

[Painful Reality]

[Title selection is seriously limited but in a recent search online, I found ULTIMATE MANCINI Enhanced on sale for $7.99.

kh

I must say I busted my gut on that one.

Did you found Pomps and Pipes?

[mobile homeless]

Poor Parrot. I have never seen someone so bereft of personal experience yet so well -versed in manufacturer ad pablum. You were a walking Sony spec compaign, drinking in the hype like a drunk looking for a vodka fix.

I had a damn nice SACD machine sitting in my system for awhile and was actually impressed with the sonics. It was the Sony 777es and I thought it did even better with redbook than had been reported. See it below. Pay no attention to that pesky record clamp on the right (it was hand-made anyway). Just keep your eyes locked onto the stock Sony weight, front and center.

You see, unlike you, Parrot, I actually LISTEN to the music and system and make my own observations, and sometimes they fly a different path. Interestingly enough, quite a few have found some fault with SACD ultimately, and I have to agree. I would say that the jazz tracks I compared back to back actually left me a bit cold. While there was an apparent increase in resolution, I felt the musicality suffered and though engaging in that "audiophile way" which rewards listening to the GEAR first, it left me with the impression that the medium had some positives and some negatives to work out. To say the SACD was overrated, at least musically speaking, seemed more my take. Some positives, yes. The savior of digital? I'm still waiting. It sure has come a long way.

I find it ironic that you shat on all things "audiophile" yet fall for such an "audiophile" reproduction. This is not to say that redbook digital is better ultimately or that SACD is totally amiss. I heard good things in SACD and it was a step up in some ways. Was it as musically satisfying? Not on the titles I heard.

Parrot, the main point is that it's a dying medium with VINYL probably outlasting it. On the other hand, I think digital will take what its learned from the the advancement.

The fact that you have yet to hear a vinyl rig do anything close to what its capable of, is not anyone's fault but your own. I have to say that the majority havent and it's understandable why: the medium has MANY a fault, not the least of which is a terribly fussy bit of setup, not to mention a subject that is easily damaged. Still, so far, it's the most musical of the sources. And your comment about compression, one I see in here often, is just one more example of your lack of understanding of things besides the specs, which you apparently misinterpret with equal aplomb.

I await one of your usual comebacks with points taken out of context, laden with misquotes and misinformation. It should be given as a warning below each of your samples.

kh

[Parrot]

Most of your "perceptions" are too nebulous and wishy-washy to warrant

return comment. But to correct your faulty characterization: I am not

against all things audiophile. I am against snake-oil and golden ears

silliness.

You were predisposed not to like SACD. For one thing, Sony is a big

company; to you "big" = "bad." Kind of like how you get nervous just

thinking about Wal-Mart. For another, you are emotionally invested in a

specific fomat, vinyl. In contrast, I couldn't care less what the

medium is, as long as it delivers the music well. Thirdly, your

preferred amplification, SET, is also heavy on compression and rolled

off highs and lows and may account for some of your inability to

recognize the very real limitations of vinyl. Nothing wrong with

"living in the midrange" but let's not be in denial about it, okay?

[MarkBK]

Parrot wrote:

It's amusing that people who *claim* to be able to hear differences from one record clamp to another, or from one power cord to another, can't hear the superiority of SACD to CD. Usually you'll find they were the same people complaining about how there wasn't enough resolution to CD. Then when they get better sampling rates than they could have ever dreamed, they still aren't happy. For them, it will always be one medium only, one with surface noise, compression, and rolled off highs and lows, all served on a 12-inch black platter.

I agree. It was quite apparent to me immediately running it 2 channel. I do wish the labels would see there way to opening up the catalogs and reissue them on SACD Hybrid format. So much great music in the past never even made it to CD.

[Parrot]

Unfortunately it isn't going to happen for popular music except a few

titles here and there. The classical SACD market on the small,

independent labels is thriving, however, but that's a very tiny piece

of the big pie. Those kinds of small music companies, with a handful of

employees, can break even on a title by selling just a few thousand

units, and anything above that is gravy. The majors on the other hand

are not interested in the minuscule niche audiophile markets. They move

more product with just one hit rap CD than they do from the sales of

every SACD, LP, and DualDisc combined.

I keep looking for LPs at the Mart but haven't seen any since the late

1980s. Maybe next week will be the beginning of the Vinyl Renaissance.

[neo33]

"You were predisposed not to like SACD. For one thing, Sony is a big

company; to you "big" = "bad." Kind of like how you get nervous just

thinking about Wal-Mart. For another, you are emotionally invested in a

specific fomat, vinyl. In contrast, I couldn't care less what the

medium is, as long as it delivers the music well. Thirdly, your

preferred amplification, SET, is also heavy on compression and rolled

off highs and lows and may account for some of your inability to

recognize the very real limitations of vinyl. Nothing wrong with

"living in the midrange" but let's not be in denial about it, okay?"

Parrot was high on PCP!

[Fish]

We now return you to your regularly scheuduled program.I think the

state of sacd and dvda is hangin' by a thread.The reason is masses just

don't care about quality audio and the big record execs only care about

the masses.This will for sure be a step backward in the hi-rez music

developement.Its shown that crummy sound can outsell quality sound by

leaps and bounds,nothin' to celebrate.I been listening to Jeff Beck

"Blow by Blow"on sacd and watchin it snow.I've listened to music since

the 60s on many nice set ups,Blow by Blow never sounded better.

[MarkBK]

Unfortunately it isn't going to happen for popular music except a few titles here and there. The classical SACD market on the small, independent labels is thriving, however, but that's a very tiny piece of the big pie. Those kinds of small music companies, with a handful of employees, can break even on a title by selling just a few thousand units, and anything above that is gravy. The majors on the other hand are not interested in the minuscule niche audiophile markets. They move more product with just one hit rap CD than they do from the sales of every SACD, LP, and DualDisc combined.

I keep looking for LPs at the Mart but haven't seen any since the late 1980s. Maybe next week will be the beginning of the Vinyl Renaissance.

...yet - Aren't they all (the majors, that is) in a panic due to the Ipod effect? I would think the lesson they learned reissuing LP to CD would be applied to the ever shrinking market for them.

[Gilbert]

What is the current state of SACD?

The South African Communist party as suspended all developmental activities in the region, and is no longer a threat.

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Ooops, wrong subject.

[MarkBK]

We now return you to your regularly scheuduled program.I think the state of sacd and dvda is hangin' by a thread.The reason is masses just don't care about quality audio and the big record execs only care about the masses.This will for sure be a step backward in the hi-rez music developement.Its shown that crummy sound can outsell quality sound by leaps and bounds,nothin' to celebrate.I been listening to Jeff Beck "Blow by Blow"on sacd and watchin it snow.I've listened to music since the 60s on many nice set ups,Blow by Blow never sounded better.

Listened last night to Steely Dan - Gaucho on SACD 5.1 for the first time - that too sound inspiring. The remix was mostly great with a few things that sounded gimicky.

[MarkBK]

Gilbert wrote:

The South African Communist party as suspended all developmental activities in the region, and is no longer a threat.
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Ooops, wrong subject.

LMAO! Good one!

[coda]

http://www.superaudio-cd.com

http://www.vinyl.com

http://www.mp3.com

[Parrot]

Yep, if you want gangsta rap, mp3 is the ticket.