I really don't understand why any audiophile who can afford it doesn't buy one of the SACD players. It sounds great to me and my experience with it backs up all the things I have read about it. There are less than 100 titles available now but so what? How else could somethig this fine happen? You think a big corporation is going to flood the market with esoteric product that only a few fringe loonies like us are going to buy? I am surprised they have done what they have. Someone at Sony is interested in good sound and has somehow convinced the money people to give it a shot. And what do many of the audiophiles do? They complain the machines are too expensive! They complain the output stage isn't to tweak standards! They complain they can't immediately buy some Lawrence Welk favorites disc! They complain they don't want another "Kind of Blue" ! Well I bought another "Kind of Blue" and I'm kind of glad. It's about the sound, gentlemen. Sony has reduced the price of the ES 777 machine it is my understanding. Is that frustrating to me since I paid a higher price? Yea somewhat, I don't know what they are doing. I hope they aren't dumping and giving up. I certainly don't regret buying the machine however. I am happy to have supported this adventure. And there is really a lot of great music on the discs that are available. And there probably won't be a universal machine with this sound quality for less money anytime in the near future. It's amazing! This SACD is not a compromise. Support it!
SACD vs DVD audio vs 24/96..??
Now that there is SACD player #3 (Marantz SA CD-1 for a mere $7500) with a whopping 24 titles to choose from in SA-CD format, and 24/96 & DVD just coming in to age. What format will survive? Will they RIP like the Sony Beta video, or DAT formats and the MD formats? Will the audiophile of today have the saying "Long live the 44khz 16 bit format", as we said 15 years ago "Long live analog"?