dac or sacd?

go with the dac. if you rip music to a music server, or have a decent cd transport, a dac is necessary for very good sound.
most of the very good sacd players are 2 channel, not multi-channel. plus, i used to have a multi-channel sacd player and IMO, all of the multi-channel sacd's that i purchased were mixed terrible. For example, there were drums in the rear speakers, sax in the left surround, etc...
i did like the multi-channel DSOTM just because i can hear the cash register in each of the speakers and it would circle the room. if they would just mix the multi-channel to hear what you would hear in a concert hall instead of all the gimmicks, i think multi-channel would have taken off more mainstream. i still have a sacd player but it is only 2 channel.

OK - I stand corrected RE: SACD multi-channel. Can we get the OP a recommendation on a SACD player that has digital inputs? 2 birds. 1 stone. I'd be interested to know as well.

The sad truth is that SACD IS all but dead for anything but jazz or classical. It is true that their is a decent amount of stuff out there in other genres but most of it is OOP and brings really high prices on the used market.

If you have the itch then I would recommend a DAC and whatever else you need to get a computer / ipod setup to be as good as it can be. That is the future of music.

If you still really want SACD then Marantz makes several SACD players that have digital ins.

Mark

Rbstehno wrote:
.....IMO, all of the multi-channel sacd's that i purchased were mixed terrible. For example, there were drums in the rear speakers, sax in the left surround, etc...
i did like the multi-channel DSOTM just because i can hear the cash register in each of the speakers and it would circle the room. if they would just mix the multi-channel to hear what you would hear in a concert hall instead of all the gimmicks, i think multi-channel would have taken off more mainstream.

That's why it has been modestly viable in classical where the majority of recordings are as you, and I, would wish. It is unfortunate that the pop/rock producers lacked sufficient consideration and artistic responsibility.

Kal

CD/SACD players with digital inputs:

Esoteric SA-50
Esoteric K-03/K-01
Ayre DX-5
Playback Design MPS-5 (MPD-5 for DAC only)
MCIntosh MCD-500
McIntosh MCD-1100
Cary 303T Pro
Cary 306 Pro
dCS Puccini