I'm not sure how they did the double blind AES test but if they couldn't hear the difference, they're "doubly deaf".
On good recordings, sound quality is noticeably better on SACD in terms of inner detail and highs especially. Music has more body and air. It isn't subtle.
While most SACDs sound clearly better, there are a few 2 channnel mixes that do not since they weren't re-mastered well or the same, or multi-channel was the focus. Roxy's Avalon & Brubeck's Take Five were big dissapointments to me. I was surprised about the latter as Jazz is usually good and that recording was one i thought they'd take care with.
However, there's no comparison between the 2 versions of Krall's Love Scenes. The SACD just blows away Redbook. That's enough proof for me as the CD recording is damn good - one of the better in my collection of hundreds. A comparison of Allison Krauss on both formats would yield similar striking differences. If you like classical music, strings, especially violin, can be tough to listen to on CD, but just beautiful on SACD.
I don't own hundreds of SACDs but I'd guess around 10-15% of the time SACD recording is only so-so and not better than CD. Pop's the trickiest I think.
SA-cd.net is great and the best place to find music on the format. If you link your purchase though the site you're making a donation to it!
Good luck and happy listening!
On good recordings, sound quality is noticeably better on SACD in terms of inner detail and highs especially. Music has more body and air. It isn't subtle.
While most SACDs sound clearly better, there are a few 2 channnel mixes that do not since they weren't re-mastered well or the same, or multi-channel was the focus. Roxy's Avalon & Brubeck's Take Five were big dissapointments to me. I was surprised about the latter as Jazz is usually good and that recording was one i thought they'd take care with.
However, there's no comparison between the 2 versions of Krall's Love Scenes. The SACD just blows away Redbook. That's enough proof for me as the CD recording is damn good - one of the better in my collection of hundreds. A comparison of Allison Krauss on both formats would yield similar striking differences. If you like classical music, strings, especially violin, can be tough to listen to on CD, but just beautiful on SACD.
I don't own hundreds of SACDs but I'd guess around 10-15% of the time SACD recording is only so-so and not better than CD. Pop's the trickiest I think.
SA-cd.net is great and the best place to find music on the format. If you link your purchase though the site you're making a donation to it!
Good luck and happy listening!