It's reassuring that a conversation regarding formats has turned to the subject of music. I'm into the odd and unusual in music: musique concrete, european free improv, uncategorizble experimentation ( bernard gunter, francisco lopez, ralf wehowsky), field recordings, and miscellaneous world music. The trickle-down of digital means that I don't have to listen to hissy cassettes. Some sound experimenter in Japan with a few grand in equipment can put out an edition of 500, vg to exc quality cds that would never get a big label release. Some of the sound collage stuff has so many layers that it would get lost in a storm of hiss if done in analog unless it was done in a kilobuck studio. Gunter's and Lopez's stuff has parts that are so quiet that they'd descend below the noise floor if done in vinyl. Don't get me wrong - I listen to more vinyl than cds - I'm just saying that digital has serious benefits for certain types of music (how about those 75 minute long Indian ragas?). It is more or less accepted now that digital's infancy was pretty nasty but, one way or another, it's going to keep improving and getting cheaper, making it more likely that any creative musical type will be able to get their stuff out there, and in a form that will be eminently listenable if not equivalent to live. Patience will pay off, but in the meantime, revel in the humungous polymorphism of non-mainstream music! (To see what I'm talking about check out www.anomalousrecords.com)
Is SACD really this lousy?
Bought a Sony SCD 1 and this is boring me in my system. Have had it for 2 weeks and just cannot get interested. Previously I had a CAL CL2o and we were astounded by how the DVD DAD's sounded-fall into the soundstage, reach out and touch the performers. Also the dynamic range used every bit of the VTL's 275 watts into the Maggies. The 44/16 side of the CL20 was at best lukewarm. This after coming off a Meridian 508 20. Then I tried the Wadia 270/27ix. In my system, all the write ups were proven wrong. Then I went to the Linn Ikemi. It was great except I couldn't forget that sound of the DVD's with the CL20. Sooooo....off I went to get the Sony SCD 1. I don't have a dealer here but trusted it wouldn't dissappoint. WRONNNG! I called Steve Huntley at Great Northern Sound to see if he could do anything. He said it was a great player, it's just that Sony missed the boat when it came to the analog section. He is in fact drawing up a mod to deal with this very thing that he says will approach the Accuphase. That however will cost anywhere from $1500 roonies for the SACD side to $3500 for both. Anybody have any comment on this or am I the only one experiencing disappointment?