1st SACD Purchase

pgaulke60 

I'm a McIntosh person. I purchased the MVP 901, which is a multi-function transport that plays audio & video discs. All kinds of formats, as long as they come on a compact disc format.

I think you're confused. The CD format is cast in stone as 16/44.1 audio. The MVP901 will play CD as well as Blu-ray, DVD, SACD and DVD-Audio. Each of those is a different format.

kren0006

I’m currently streaming only but considering a future SACD player purchase, but only if I can expect the SACD quality to exceed streaming quality.

If you do actual comparisons, I think you’ll find that sometimes streaming from a service such as Qobuz will give you the best SQ. Other times it will be the SACD with the best sound, or even a CD. It depends as much on the actual source and how it was mastered. There are so many variables in preparing commercial recordings for release that it is really impossible to cite any format as the best in all instances.

@cleeds  What I was attempting to say is that it will play any format on the round disc we call a CD.  Whether it is Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, CD-R,  and DVD-Audio, it is still a round disc with a hole in the middle.  So, no, I am not confused.  I know what my equipment does, hell I own it.  

For audio playback, I can use XLR or optical from the 901 to the 2600. I am doing some A-B testing to determine which DAC is better for CD playback, the 901 or 2600.

MVP901 will output optical , but most likely it will be CD layer only.  Your A-B testing will be SACD vs CD.

Thx cleeds.  Yeah as in all things audio I suppose there are very rarely absolutes!