The response by "Jtinn" conforms with my experience. SACDs are simply qualitatively better than CDs. To me, SACDs have all of the virtues of analog and none of the flaws. The sony SACD 777ES, at $1500 or so, is simply a phenomenal "bargain" by the standards of highend audio. A $20K CD system cannot compete with the sound of the Sony on SACDs, although top flight DAC/transport systems sound better thand CDs on the far less expensive player. Even then the differences do not seem to me to make up for the 10 fold difference in price.
SACD vs. DVD-A and Audio DVDs
My experience so far using Muse DVD equipment is that the best redbook CDs sound as good as the best Audio DVDs from Chesky or Classic Records. It would seem that the recording and mastering process has more impact on the final sound than the medium. It reminds me of the notice on early CDs which stated that the CD's resolution "could show the limitations in the source recording" or something like that. Does anyone else think that well executed redbook can be almost indistinguishable from 24/96 Audio or even SACD ? By the way, my experience with SACD has been that the sound is very dry and clinical, and I am wondering whether SACD will fare the same way as CDs, namely that it will take years before the recording and manufacturing process are up to par with the technology. This was evident in redbook CDs. The sound of the best conventional CDs has improved dramatically since four or five years ago.