SACD is a substantial improvement over CD generally, but it depends, like everything else, on the quality of the particular SACD, and I have heard several instances on particular hybrid SACDs where dCS-upsampled playback of the CD layer is preferable to SACD playback (using a SONY SCD-1). Generally, of course, the SACD playback is preferable. But I have never heard a single regular CD which the Purcell and Elgar did not improve on playback in some respect, and any "thinning out" I've heard simply has only been further clarification of thick and opaque-sounding CDs.
