I agree with your findings. I don't think most people are aware of just how much musical inforation can be extracted in in a well-recorded standard redbook cd.
-IMO
-IMO
CD red book,sacd or dvd-a playback choices
I listen to music in a HT set up,ie 5 speakers,no sub as my main speakers are full range (down to 18Hz) full description of my system can be seen under systems.I will point out the main components which are relevent to this discusion.Speakers are German Physics Loreley(main) Borderland(center) Legato(rear/sides), Processor Meridian 861 V3, dvd-A/cd Meridian 800 V3,
sacd Sony xa-9000es ,cd Reimyo cdp-777 .The system is in a large open room with high ceiling,the orchestral music canbe played at realistic live volume without distortion(irritation).Now to the essence of this discussion;I took the trouble to listen to the same recording under different formats and compared the sound .for the dvd-A I played Shostakovich Symphony#5 with Oleg Caetani on Arts Music label.For Sacd I I played Rodrigo on Mercury and some others.In all of these reproductions the playback with the Reimyo with red book was clearly superior.This conclusion may only be valid with the Meridian processor because of its unique algorithms .
sacd Sony xa-9000es ,cd Reimyo cdp-777 .The system is in a large open room with high ceiling,the orchestral music canbe played at realistic live volume without distortion(irritation).Now to the essence of this discussion;I took the trouble to listen to the same recording under different formats and compared the sound .for the dvd-A I played Shostakovich Symphony#5 with Oleg Caetani on Arts Music label.For Sacd I I played Rodrigo on Mercury and some others.In all of these reproductions the playback with the Reimyo with red book was clearly superior.This conclusion may only be valid with the Meridian processor because of its unique algorithms .