SACD... any worth getting?

[Mike Lindsey]

I just recently got a used Denon DVD-2900 (Universal player) to replace my Panasonic RP-91, which stopped working a while back. The Panny played everything except SACD's, so I do not own any of those at the moment.

I was wondering if you could provide me with some quality recorded SACD's that I can play in 2-channel mode with the tube rig, and 5.1-ch mode (if available) with the HT rig. I have read somewhere that DSOTM is a good one to have... are there others worth getting as well?

Thanks,

Mike

[coda]

Mike,

A reference to the top selling titles can be found here,

http://www.sa-cd.net/topsellers

Also use that site to check out user reviews of individual titles, and best price offered online (usually CD Universe). If you're into jazz, I highly recommend the Analogue Productions label. Here is another recommended list that looks reliable from my experience,

http://store.acousticsounds.com/recommended.cfm?Field_cat=4

[Ki Choi]

Like with other high resolution formats such as DVD-A, I never got too exicted about the SACDs...Most of the worthwhile materials are reissues of old recordings and the new releases do lack in substances, IMHO. It seems the record company had forgotten that it's the content that sells records...

However, I do like some of the Chesky recordings. I liked the Livingston Taylor SACD that I use to demo the Khorns I just sold (I gave the SACD to the buyer - I think it was the SACD that made the deal). I like the usual Diana Krall SACDs with good recording and good music to boot.

Ki

[Flason]

Mike, Go to yourmusic.com. They have the whole Dylan library in SACD. The SACD's are also only $5.99. Not the best selection, but at $5.99 you can't go wrong.

[garymd]

Mike,

Brubeck's Time Out & Concord On A Summer Night (Live from the 80s - nice)

Monk's Straight, No Chaser

Mingus, Ah Um

Art Pepper, So In Love

Miles Davis, Kind Of Blue

Diana Krall, The Girl In The Other Room

Getz/Gilberto

Gene Harris, Listen Here

Ray Brown/Monty Alexander/Russell Malone

Those are just a few jazz titles to go along with all the rock suggestions you'll get. Call me if you want my opinion on rock SACDs.

[Mike Lindsey]

Thanks, guys! I will look into the websites mentioned.

Gary, thanks for the jazz list. I'll print it out and start looking for some of this stuff.

Mike

[Ki Choi]

Gary:

I have the Kind of Blue first Columbia release in 2CH SACD. Is it me or dose this SACD sound distort whenever Miles Davis' trumpet comes on? I'll play it again tonight and let you know the time marks.

I am wondering if others have experienced the similar distortions.

Ki

[Mike Lindsey]

The LP sounds the same way, but I believe that was the sound Miles was going for. Maybe I'm wrong, I dunno...

Mike

[garymd]

The sound of Miles trumpet is just the way it was recorded. It's like that on every version of Kind Of Blue I own.

[LarryC]

On the first page of Coda's Acoustic Sounds link above, take a look at the two SACDs with Janos Starker, the Dvorak Cello Concerto and the Bach six suites for solo cello.

Then, search the AS site on "RCA" to see the RCA living Stereo hybrid SACDs reissued not too long ago. Those are all old recordings, but with great reproduction quality. I won't try to make a list of the RCAs because it would be rather long, but feel free to ask me about any you're wondering about and I'll tell you if I know anything about them.

Larry

[DRBILL]

Every time I hear about SACD I think of Sony Beta. One day, you couldn't do without it. The next day, it was on the shelf waiting to become a boat anchor.

DRBILL

[coda]

Marantz Releases High End SA-7S1 Stereo Super Audio CD Player

11-19-2006

Marantz

has released its latest High End Super Audio CD Player, the SA-7S1. The

SA-7S1 debuted in the U.S. in September with a showing at the CEDIA

Home Theater show after earlier previews at audio shows in Japan and

Europe. The player is a member of the company's Reference Series of

components that are aimed at the high end audiophile market.

With a list price of just under $7,000, the Marantz SA-7S1 is a

reminder of the company's first SACD player, a statement player named

the SA-1 that sold for $7,500 in the early days of the Super Audio CD

format.

Key Features and High Quality Components

The SA-7S1 features the new NPC SM5866A5 D/A Converter chips from

Nippon Precision Circuits as well as a newly updated edition of

Marantz' High Definition Analog Module known as the HDAM-SA2. Other

features include an aluminum transport, low jitter clock, copper

shielded case for lowered noise floor, a digital isolator for D/A

grounding separation, toroidal power transformer, digital filter

options that include a Linear Music Filter, Short Filter and Standard

FIR Filter with more than 50dB stopband attenuation, Marantz Phase

Error Correction, switchable DC filter and noise shaper and Grounding

for the digital and analog sections that is fully separated by GMR

(Giant Magneto Resistor) technology.

The SA-7S1 will handle Super Audio CD, Audio CD and CD-R/RW disc

playback. It features gold plated RCA unbalanced output as well as

fully balanced XLR output connections on the player's back panel.

Comments from Music Direct

Audiophile equipment and disc supplier Music Direct says that the SA-7S1 "is

one of the worlds best sounding digital players. This player also uses

the brand-new DAC chipset from NPC (Nippon Precision Circuits), which

has the best-rated specs of any current DAC chipset. This new DAC has

enabled the SA-7S1 to have one of the highest signal-to-noise ratios,

an incredible dynamic range and the lowest possible Total Harmonic

Distortions (THD) specification. A new internal clock ensures the

digital bit-stream has an almost immeasurable amount of jitter. This

chipset even allows for phase inversion in the digital domain.

All of this technical sophistication would be meaningless without the

Marantz HDAM-SA2 analog stage, which gives the SA-7S1 one of the least

fatiguing sounds of any digital player weve ever heard. Even the most

die-hard vinyl fanatics will love listening to this player for hours on

end. Of course this player uses the finest toroidal power supply, with

separate supplies for the digital sections, analog section and the

display. This player has absolutely no noise floor whatsoever. Whether

for standard CD playback or SACD, the Marantz SA-7S1 is one of the very

finest digital playback devices in the world today."

Player Availability and Pricing

The new Marantz SA-7S1 Reference Series Stereo Super Audio CD Player

sells for a list price of $6,999. It was released to dealers in Japan

in October and is now being made available to Marantz Reference Series

dealers in the U.S.

Early on, some deals are being offered on the SA-7S1. The new SACD

player is being shown as a pre-order item at Music Direct's web site

for $6,499 while one of the SA-7S1 players is also being listed for

sale on the Stereophile AV Marketplace web site at a price of $5,495 -

some $1,500 off the new player's list price.

Marantz SA-7S1 Reference Series Stereo Super Audio CD Player

more software and hardware news at

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/index.asp