Is SACD winning over DVD-A?


It seems to me like there are more high-end SACD players and more software. The obvious answere is a universal player but a number of manufactures have gone SACD. I still ask myself if these will both just sit on the sidelines. Most people can't tell the difference between redbook and MP3.. so what chance does either format really have. With DVD-video vs VHS it was something a kid could see.
btrvalik

Showing 3 responses by ben_campbell

Hard to say at this stage which is winning and I think it's impossible to call the future at this present time.
I also think it depends what you've invested in-if you bought into SACD seriously then you'll be pro-SACD-if like me you have lightly invested in it -a Sony NPVS900 DVD/SACD player and decided against investing further in it-(I've just spent heavily on 2 channel stereo with an Ayre CX-7 and Ayre AX-7)-then like me you may harbour serious doubts about the format.
I have no interest (at this stage)in multi-channel though I have heard some great stuff already on both formats in a friend's system-I'm sure DSOM is truly excellent in 5 channel.
I think SACD may very well survive as a true Audiophile format but not in the mainstream-I think the discs available reflect this-much of which I have no interest in-other more interesting SACD releases by artists such as Bowie,Beck and Gabriel are probably individuals interested in both technology and audio reproduction and I would guess there's not too many of those around pushing the format -but I buy tons of music-I like to experiment-there's no new music out there on SACD or next to nothing.
Of course it's getting better but the hybrids are a double edge sword (no pun intended) because I can hear very little difference on either layer of The Stones,Police and indeed DSOM SACD's I own.
I'm sure if you have the MF or a high end Sony the superiority of SACD shines through but the lack of a noticeable difference at the mass market end is extremely damaging imho.
Also the hybrids are being remastered-guess what?- the CD layers sound improved to their previous releases-therefore proving more is available from CD-so why should you invest in a new player for the new formats?
The killer to me is that you (and I haven't heard it yet) need to spend serious bucks to hear what SACD can do.
The cheap universal players are damaging to the stereo aspects of both formats because I doubt very much if they exhibit any clear improvement on CD.
I also have SACD's which are not hybrids and the best of these Bowie's Heathen and In A Silent Way (M.Davis)were arguably slightly better in my system before I got the Ayre equipment-now on a quick listen to Bowie today it's quite a way back in comparison to the CD version-I need to check IASW at a later date.
Of course I'm not comparing like with like but that's because intially I was pro-SACD but the lack of players to audition and software to buy made my mind up to not invest further in it.
I wanted to believe in SACD but too many things were against it and I'm absolutely delighted with the descision I made.
Thedautch-I only have Sychronicity-I will recheck it tomorrow I didn't give it more than a cursory A/B on which my gut reaction was more of the same i.e not much between the layers but I really haven't listened in detail-I was actually quite disappointed overall with the disc.
I didn't think the remastering was that startling from the previous release but I listened to it a lot more at the time when it came out-on vinyl!
I'll get back to you on it...........
Thedautch did a quick check of the Sychronicity SACD hybrid today.
Part of the problem is the original sound of the recording the production has not particularly stood the test of time that well-at least half of the tracks veer towards thin sounding and lack weight-although some other tracks have a less flat sound and more substance and sound a whole lot better.
However that aside I stand by my statement perhaps on the odd track on SACD may exhibit a little of the smoothness I associate with the format but it's very marginal to my ears the difference between that and the CD layer-this is indicative of what I found with all the hybrids I've heard.