Coping in an Age of Uncertainty

I owned the sony SCD-1 when it first came out...I own a Levinson 360s DAC and 37 transport now....I've since listened to possible replacements at my local audio salon and at home...short of possibly $20K plus gear...buy the Levinson and forget about the future...enjoy the present!!

Libor35 states the current condition of audio format lunacy extremely well!! I have around 500 redbook CD's; of that amount, about 80% are vastly superior to any DSD, HDCD or High Res PCM discs I have! The technology used to make a recording dwarfs in comparison to the ability of the recording engineers and how they apply their craft. Most new format discs remind me of what I refer to as the "New HI-FI"...they just don't sound natural, like reall instruments playing in a real acoustic space.

When played back through a well set up system, both SACD and CD sound better than any vinyl ever has. Only poor transfers or incompetently produced stuff sounds inferior. I remember the clicks and pops...the warps...groove distortion...hummm...etc...what a pain in the ...well you get the picture. Nostalgia aside, most good universal players will provide a great listening experience.

Sorry guys, I was away having a life and listening to music instead of quoting the audiophile mantra..."All hail vinyl". I was into high end vinyl before most of you were sh...ing yellow! I also have owned enough high end gear to warrant the term "seasoned audiophile". I am usually ahead of the curve, so forgive me for stepping on your nostalgia. In the next year or two you will begin to read about how more and more veteran audiophiles and reviewers are becoming aware of just how superior CD/SACD/DVD-a playback can be!! One caveat, if you determine playback quality based on the worst recordings ever transferred to Cd...you win! If you have the taste and the persistence to seek out great performances on CD...well, I geuss you know how I feel. Meatloaf etc...definately better on vinyl...Sessions on Argo however...well, a thing of beauty!! Gee, no hum, clicks, pops, warps, rumble, feedback, inner groove distortion ...need I go on??

Dear Chadnliz, I have a life ...but I will always make time for people with an exceptional understanding of audio. Judging by your command of the english language, I must admit to being intimidated! That being said however, what is your point? Sure I can be a pain in the ass and hard to pay attention to...not much different than trying to decipher your pointless remarks! What is the substance of your being "pained" by myself? Don't be jealous...my life isn't that fabulous...or is it?