DAT machines are still in use, years after they supposedly "died". It's the recording industry's standard format. Sadly, I agree that SACD is probably doomed, sooner or later. I heard the SCD-1, and loved it. I'm also suspicious of DVD-A's chances of making it. The way I see it, it boils down to what the record companies are willing to support. The gains that DVD produced over VHS were easy to see. It didnt take long for everyone to get behind it. The gains that SACD offers over CD is noticeable only to a few.(US) Most recording companies, I imagine, would be unlikely to produce this format.(similar in that respect to pre-recorded minidisc or dat. Hopefully, the new buzz over upsampling will lead to something that will be on par, at least with DVD-A, if not SACD. I fear that in another 5 years, we'll be having this same conversation.
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"?