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Have you heard SACD?

Just spent better part of an evening, picking jaw up off floor after listening to SACD sampler disc about seven times in a row on newly obtained Sony 9000ES. If you haven't heard SACD, please, please, go listen to one. It is a statue of beautiful proportions and curves compared to CD's poster-flat presentation. The sound comes alive, and the music is THERE with you. Tonally, it is awesome, with every detail, nuance, hint of sound clearly presented in its proper place, with no brightness or etched quality. Bass is round, firm, fleshy. Midrange will carress you. Does that seem a bit too sensuous for audio? This isn't audio any more. It's not just electronic junk coming from wires and plastic. It occupies space and has at least four, maybe six sides to it. All this with a $15K SS system. With tubes, I would expect even more life.
madisonears
rgd
656 posts
 
Yes an I own a 333ES but the lack of software in Canada (Sony single layer and a few Telarcs via HMV.com) and what is available is prohibitively expensive. Forget about buying off US sites as the current exchange rate is in the toilet coupled with duties/taxes makes it no better. A great format that needs some decent titles and cheaper prices for everyone - something thats been said a million times before. For what I invested in a SACD player last February I could have bought a much better redbook player (probably used)! I am very disillusioned with the whole process...
listener
36 posts
 
I have not yet auditioned SACD in my home, but I have heard it in dealer environments. I tend to agree with Sbruzonsky. I opted for the Audio Aero Capitole 24/192 tubed output player. Expensive, but worth the price when you consider how much my Redbook CD's now sound like music. And, I didn't have to buy the same material AGAIN on a different format!
jtinn
1,124 posts
 
It truly is amazing (Detlof, way to go!!!), and I like it quite a bit better than DVD-A.

What I still have a problem with is the software availability, not just in our neighboring Canada, but everywhere. I am getting quite impatient and look forward to the day when most software can be heard in this GREAT format!
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Aida w, I cannot find fault with what you are saying, but obviously you have not suffered as much in trying to listen to CDs-this goes only for classical, big orchestral music - as I have. I agree SACD, especially if its a hissy classical transfer, is still miles from the real thing, but finally I can enjoy classical music, without finding it unbearably bleached, unnatural and thinned out. There are excellent redbook CDs, but even on my first class CD playback rig, classical music CDs are mostly just plain awful to these ears. Not so anymore with SACD, but only after the Audience mod.
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