SACD 2 channel vs Redbook 2 Channel

Durham42, comparing a Sony with the Linn is not a fair test, the Linn is arguably the best one-box player out there, at least to my ears, and the Burmester is a top of the line DAC, while the stock Sony is comparable to a Wadia 830/850 level player at best. What was your impression when you listened to both redbook and SACD through the Sony's output stage? That's really the appropriate test.

This thread is too long for me to digest everything said, but I'll throw in my two cents on at least one aspect of the question. As I hinted above, one of the limiting factors in comparing SACD (or DVD-A, for that matter) to redbook CD has been that the best of the high end manufacturers, as well as the recording industry, have spent the last 20 years trying to make redbook CD sound the best it can, but SACD and DVD-A are still in their comparative infancy, and the best of the designers (save Meridian, Ed Meitner and dCS) have not really been willing to throw a lot of money into R&D for formats which might not make it in the marketplace. To some extent the hi-rez situation reminds me of the early days of CD, where there were a lot of modifiers out there who would take major manufacturers' cost-compromised offerings (principally Philips/Magnavox units then, as they were the easiest to work with) and come up with modded units that were far better than the originals but certainly no match for today's players. I see the same going on with hi-rez units (I've had a lot of the mods made to my Sony SACD player). The question is whether the formats will take hold enough for talented designers to devote the time and effort they did to CD; if they do, then you might see the promise both of these formats hold be realized.

Durham: On your first point, I would say that, perhaps unlike others, I don't consider the differences between CD and SACD (or 24/96 DADs I've heard) to be earthshaking or of a magnitude that would dwarf the use of a substantially better analog stage and power supplies, which the Linn and Burmester have in spades. They are more subtle in my view, but the end result is that I find the music more compelling and relaxing to listen to with both SACD and DADs than CD. Part of this may stem from my preference for analog and vinyl, which the high-rez formats seem to get closer to, and my preference for classical and acoustic music, which I think tend to show better the new formats' strengths. Were I to listen principally to electronic or rock music, I might prefer CD's comparatively "sharper", for lack of a better word, sound. So I would respectfully disagree with your point; I think a better comparison to hear the differences in the formats would be to use the same player for both SACD and CD playback (preferably something at the EMM Labs or dCS level of quality, given what you're used to in the redbook format), otherwise I think you're introducing too many variables.

On the numbered points you made:

1. Don't really hear it, but my hearing dies at about 12khz and I tend to think most recordings sound too bright anyway compared to live music, so I'm not bothered.

2. I use a Purcell upsampler for redbook, which adds a lot of noise to the signal but makes it sound better to me, so I'm not bothered by this concern either.

3. You make a good point. Most of the recording studios are geared to pcm, so they would not have to make the substantial investment in DSD recording equipment to be able to use the 24/96 medium. In that respect, it may be that pcm will ultimately win the day, although given the public's lack of a cry for anything better than MP3 and the continued lack of any really strong leadership to promote the high-rez pcm format, I doubt that either of the new formats will be more than a niche format unless something changes.

4. As I mentioned, I do hear the improvements, but acknowledge that they are more noticeable with better equipment (particularly power supplies and high quality analog stages) and are more of the subtle sorts of things that make listening worthwhile to me.

5. If you're a rock fan, I agree. There's a good deal of classical software being released from good labels with good musicians that more than satisfies me, though. Could always be more, but I've still got vinyl and CD versions to listen to in the meantime.

In the end, if the differences aren't enough to move you when you listen to music (and that's what this is all about), I think your last point probably makes good sense at this juncture, although if you already own a Sondek you're going to have trouble improving on it--why not spend the money on more music?