gino: thank you for saying what i've wanted to express ever since keis first started this thread. i, too, am a friend and loyal customer of john barnes and audio unltd. i was at his openhouse as well. like you, i have an accuphase frontend (dp-90 and dc-300) and also avalon speakers (eidolons). i'm also blown away by the accuphase dp-75v. i'm awaiting an upgrade on my dc-300, which replaces the dac from the 90 to the same upsampling rig as the 75v. i'm planning to hang onto my dp-90 until the whole sacd/dvd-a battle is decided. i've listen extensively, however, to the dp-100 since its pre-usa introduction. not only does it present a magnificant rendering of sacd's (given the same limitations you note) but it also is an incredible deck for playing plain old cd's direct through the amp(s). FWIW, my older son is an internet radio consultant and knows much more than i about cutting-edge technology (he's also a 2nd generation 'phile with his own entry-level accuphase/avalon system). he has told me that an increasing number of pro music sources are on sacd and that portable sacd recorders are being gobbled up by sound studios. i hope this is a harbinger of things to come. if so, we may finally have something to compete head-to-head with our beloved vinyl.
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.