2. digital
  3. 150801-18279

SACD Player--Do you use it and feel you'd replace it if it broke?

I've always been curious about SACD.  For many years I was near 50% cd and 50% vinyl in my listening.  I ditched CDs and went all vinyl for awhile. In the last 2 years I have upped my digital game with a great tube DAC and enjoy Tidal quite a bit.  As I now have better sounding digital I've wondered if my previous bias slightly against digital clouded my view of SACD.  

I'm thinking that if I bought one and had 10-15 killer SACDs I would feel it worth it.  This would require the SACDs to be of great music I love and also offer something special sonically. 

And now, THE Question:  What can you tell me about your SACD use and would you replace the player if it broke or was otherwise out of commission? 

Thank you so very much.  This forum makes it possible to get intel like this without knowing a living soul using SACD that I could have a beer (or two :) and learn more from a firsthand user. 
128x128jbhiller
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,055 posts
 
Yes, I would replace my SACD player if it can’t be repaired. I have a pretty decent collection of SACD’s and continue to buy the titles that are not available on Tidal/Qobuz. 

i just bought Japanese pressings of Gary Karr SACD’s and they are simply stunning. 
ericsch
750 posts
 
@jbhiller 
Which tubed DAC are you using?
Post removed 
hickory_r
24 posts
 
I would absolutely replace my SACD player if necessary.  I only own about 15-20 SACDs but six or eight of them are my favorites (can’t live without).  My son streams from Tidal and I’ve tried to share this music with him but much of it just isn’t available on Tidal. So not only is this some of my favorite music, the sonic quality is superb.
stereohans
12 posts
 
I'm in SACD since it started in the early 2000s and own today a collection of over 3500 SACDs - both hybrid and single layer (SACD only). If the player is high end you can notice a difference - more detail, more tonal colours, especially more space. But this you will only experience with a good and expensive machine. I also bought a cheap pioneer D06 SACD - but it is not worth the money. Even with redbook CD my ML 390s shatters it to little pieces. A quite different picture with big Marantz SA-players. In a KI Ruby or an SA10 that old Levinson finds its master.
When you buy an SACD player, keep in mind, that digital out only functions with CD. For SACD data the digital interfaces (koax or optical) are blocked, if you use digital out you will only get redbook data stored on the cd layer. If you play back a single layer SACD, you will get no digital signal at all. Only very few high end player/dac combinations, fe dcs, were using an interface capable of transporting the SACD digital data.

Greetz, Hans
More to discover