Some quick thoughts, none of them original:
1. I guarantee that if we all wait to see which format survives, none of them will.
2. Anyone who doesn't hear the difference between SACD and CD shouldn't bother spending any more money on audio equipment.
3. SONY is an odd company. Now and again they build something special. After 700-800 hours, my SCD-1, which I use as a CD transport via its digital output, is starting to sound a whole lot like a classic. Certainly it is good enough to convince me to sell my Levinson transport, which was damned good itself. Could SONY build a better SACD player for $500 in a year or two? Maybe. But can SONY, or anyone else, build a comparable CD transport for that money? When pigs fly--build quality doesn't come cheap.
4. Universal players? They're always just around the corner. But how much compromise of quality will they involve? And for what--SACD availability is gradually getting better, but DVD-A? That's a joke,and will remain so as long as you can't even play one without a TV monitor.
1. I guarantee that if we all wait to see which format survives, none of them will.
2. Anyone who doesn't hear the difference between SACD and CD shouldn't bother spending any more money on audio equipment.
3. SONY is an odd company. Now and again they build something special. After 700-800 hours, my SCD-1, which I use as a CD transport via its digital output, is starting to sound a whole lot like a classic. Certainly it is good enough to convince me to sell my Levinson transport, which was damned good itself. Could SONY build a better SACD player for $500 in a year or two? Maybe. But can SONY, or anyone else, build a comparable CD transport for that money? When pigs fly--build quality doesn't come cheap.
4. Universal players? They're always just around the corner. But how much compromise of quality will they involve? And for what--SACD availability is gradually getting better, but DVD-A? That's a joke,and will remain so as long as you can't even play one without a TV monitor.