Is it worth buying an SACD player?

OK, maybe it sounds like I know what I'm talking about in my original query, I don't!
But FYI, I'm using a tube pre-amp Rogue Perseus in to the tube Rogue Monoblock 150's driving Magneplanar 1.6 QR's.
I reread the manual and this is what it says, and I don't know if makes a difference. And I may have misinterpretted the value of such, since I don't really know what "LPCM rate" means--

Credit Camridge Audio DVD99 player user manual
"48K-supported by most equipment
96K-Allows a higher sampling rate and frequency response. It can result in higher audio quality. Ensure that the receiver/amplifier can support it.
192K--Allows the highest sampling rate and frequency response. It can result in the best audio quality. Ensure that the receiver/amplifier can support it."

That said, I could not adjust the LPCM to anything other than 48K after setting it to read the SACD's as stereo. I assumed, possibly in error, that I may not be getting any better sound than a regular CD?

Just FYI, this DVD player does have digital (Toslink) and coax audio outputs. HDMI and composite video too. The manual says it supports full 7.1 surround too and multi-channel audio. The complete manual is available online at the Cambridge Audio web page if anyone is interested.

I bought this because it also has a USB interface I (and the dealer) thought could be used to access my external HDD with my catalog of uncompressed music on. (like my PS3 can, yes I bought the 40 gig stupid Yes!)) But it can't, go figure. But it does play SACD/DVD Audio and the CD player is way better than the average Best Buy/Circuit City stuff. So, I'm considering keeping it, if it can really play SACD level sound through my 2-channel system, which ain't too shabby. If not, I can take it back and look for something that can play SACD, you guys confirmed my suspicion that it would be worth while.

OK. It can play SACD via the analog outputs and via HDMI. It is never available via coax or toslink.

I suspect that the LPCM setting is irrelevant to SACD since (1) DSD is not PCM and (2) none of those values represent the sample rate for DSD. (DSD, btw, is the common data format for SACD.)

Since most SACDs are hybrids, you should be able to compare SACD with the CD layer on the same disc.

Kal

Kal, thanks so much!
If I get your drift correctly; those LPCM settings have nothing to do with the SACD quality, and it (SACD) should work fine through my analogs, GREAT!
However the SACD I bought, Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" says right on the CD, "For Use with SACD Players only".
It doesn't seem to be a hybrid, it's marked as a 1997 print, if that means anything.
Again thanks!
I just might keep this thing!
I'll go buy another SACD, a hybrid this time and play with the settings (play SACD or as CD) to see what differences I hear.

Many of the early Sony SACDs were single-layer, that is, SACD only.

Kal

Go to www.acousticsounds.com and look at the SACD collection. Does owning a good bit of that float your boat? If so, then get a player and start buying software while you still can. If anything is reissued on Blu-ray it'll be the same ole stuff and I doubt that it'll sound better, in two-channel.

If you want to go multi-channel, then it's a whole different story. When I've heard multi-channel I've been unimpressed. It always seems contrived to me. Some like it, so it's a personal thing.

I really doubt that two-channel Blu-ray is going to sonically beat two-channel SACD. With a great player, the two-channel SACDs are my favorite format vs. CD and LP. (I buy a lot of all three, but I lean toward SACD when given a choice).

Dave