New Sony NS999ES is in.


It's a day old so it should improve but---

The CD player is competent, on par or perhaps a bit supperior to the Adcom/MSB combo. The SACD is better but not by a whole lot. But it is better. A touch more detail, and depth, etc.

What it does do is make listening to digital not Sux.

Vinyl still hold a serious edge but the gap has closed.

Oddly with the Sony the bass seems better with the CD.
Cymbals and all the air are only slightly better than the CD, and the Sony is slightly better than the antique Adcom, and newly improved MSB link.

So if your wondering about making the plunge, I say save your money for something else.

Will I buy SACD's in the future, you bet, will I replace existing recordings I already own, no way.

BTW I haven't yet done the 5.1 with it. That will come after Christmas.

cheers and Merry Christmas to all

loon
loontoon
Tony thanks for the balanced comments hopefully this will help the original poster,as will Trelja's.
Loontoon should also note if he does have some reservations about SACD he shouldn't discount SACD hybrid purchases in the future,most of these I've heard represent the best CD/redbook version available.
Ben_Campbell, you are the SACD Scrooge in this Christmas season.

You are quite sensitive when the topic of SACD is brought up. To the point where quite a high percentage of your opinions rendered here on Audiogon have to do with SACD. I for one, feel you have made your point(long ago), and have grown tired of it. It makes you look petty and resentful, and I know you are a better man than that.

As I have made statements regarding the superiority of SACD over CD, I have touched a nerve in you. You then feel obliged to say I am speaking in absolutes(which I am in some cases there). There is no problem with my post other than that which you have.

Do you want to argue that digital players need time to break in? If so, we'll go another round. Until then, have some egg nog, throw in a CD(or SACD, if you still have the player), and enjoy the holidays.
Bah humbug.
Trelja the sensitivity is all mine,unique in the world of Audiogon,such is life when you are a sensitive soul like me.
Of course the more observant Audiogon members will know my opinion on SACD and it must get boring.
Their day must be brightened up by the enlighting posts that the pro-SACD continually wheel out- gems like yours-the difference between you making a statement and me is?
SACD I would accept is probably superior at a level I personally haven't heard-that make you happy?
I say this despite others,many others who are far from convinced about the format,on all kinds of different levels.
Note yet again I refer to the original poster and tell him to still consider SACD's,even if only for redbook,the chances are he'll compare layers and maybe make his own mind up.
For the record most of my posts are on music.
As for break in-I have yet to be convinced totally about it.
Doesn't make you wrong.
Oh and I bought somewhere in the region of 30 SACD's this year-I've kept all the hybrids-which still amounts to 20.
Apologies for boring you.
Seriously-have a merry Christmas.
Ah, peace in the holiday season is a wonderful thing...

Merry Christmas, Ben and everyone else here at Audiogon!
My best,
Joe
Joe-we should all arrange a designated time where guys like ourselves and Rsbeck at a pre-arranged time on Xmas day sing John Lennon's Merry Christmas (War is over).
For this even we should wear home made T-shirts with the following printed across the front........

SACD WAR IS OVER (IF YOU WANT IT)

Best Regards

Ben