Can't say I know why, but the redbook CD playback on my Sony 9000-ES is certainly of a high caliber. I haven't made direct comparisons myself yet, but some very respected members have, and they are satisfied that the Sony CD playback is good enough to lead them to selling their high end CD rig. Without paying a lot of extra cash for upsamplers, outboard dac's, etc. the cd playback of my 9000-ES gives me just about as much as the CD format allows. I think that perhaps it has been wishful thinking on my part in regards to SACD being the next format. Both DVD-A, and SACD represent a refinement of an existing format, and not a true innovation, like the Walkman or the compact disc itself. People that have a decent, if not high end system will hear a subtle improvement in sound quality, but nothing so fantastic as to make them run to the store and buy one. DVD was an obvious winner, CD convenience for video playback, but I suspect that SACD will become the digital format of choice for audiophiles, and not the general public, unless every record company releases all their titles with both CD and SACD capability, for maybe a dollar more than current prices.
Are Sony SACD Machine Owners Crazy??
I am sorry about the "tabloid" title..but another
post I did got little response on what, I think, is a real
question. Ie:.. many people have stated that the playback
of standard format cd's (16/44) on these SACD machines is
very good...indeed beyond things like Levinson..etc. The
question is ..in this age of "upsampling" 24/96..and beyond, how can these one bit/bit-stream (in "redbook" format) units
be so good? This is asking the owners of the model 1, 777,
9000..etc. Sony players..how can this be so. I had owned
the Xa-7es at one time, and thought that the excellent
playback was the FET analog stage...these new SACD machines
are all using OP-AMPS....not very "high-end". The concern
I have is that while we all hope for a format that will give
us analog sound in a digital format, the near-term concern
is what any unit...SCAD or DVD-A will do with my collection
of standard CD's?
post I did got little response on what, I think, is a real
question. Ie:.. many people have stated that the playback
of standard format cd's (16/44) on these SACD machines is
very good...indeed beyond things like Levinson..etc. The
question is ..in this age of "upsampling" 24/96..and beyond, how can these one bit/bit-stream (in "redbook" format) units
be so good? This is asking the owners of the model 1, 777,
9000..etc. Sony players..how can this be so. I had owned
the Xa-7es at one time, and thought that the excellent
playback was the FET analog stage...these new SACD machines
are all using OP-AMPS....not very "high-end". The concern
I have is that while we all hope for a format that will give
us analog sound in a digital format, the near-term concern
is what any unit...SCAD or DVD-A will do with my collection
of standard CD's?