I recently demoed a Sony SCD-1 in my system, It did not compare favorably with my Theta Gen Va/Data 3. The sound of the Sony playing standard CDs was more dynamic but too much in your face not delicate or musical I tired of listening to it. SACDs played on the Sony were also fatiguing. SACD may be the next greatest but the Sony is not the unit to prove it.
SACD Demo
Went to Denver two weeks ago to hear an Accuphase demo system playing SACDs. I went wanting/expecting to be impressed. Etalon speakers, sound treated room, top end Accuphase amp, pre and SACD players. Lots of fellow audiophiles sitting around going owww ya. After moving from chair to chair and keeping my mouth shut and ears open for 30 minutes I said out loud the sound was indistict, bloted, and lacking highend detail. All of a sudden several of the other listeners declared they too had reservations. Actually I still don't believe what I heard. It's tough listening in an alien room through an entire system that your not familiar with so I will try again sometime at a different store/room etc. What concerns me is the number of golden ears that were ready to accept what I was hearing as the best they had ever heard. I have a system that most of you would rank as good but not great Sonic Frontiers SFD2M2/Line3/Krell KSA200s/Thiel 3.6s, and it was clearly better then what I heard. I really want the new technology to be better, I'm ready to buy but demo's can really dance on your head.