This is an interesting thread. I have a 777 machine, and I come to SACD as a vinyl lover who increasinly became impatient with hasseling lps. I didn't own many CDs because I never liked the sound. I was playing them through a Wadia 860, so I felt like I gave them a good hearing. I sold the 860 to buy the 777 so I never had the opportunity to compare the two directly, but I feel that now that I have maximized to my satisfaction the performance of the 777 that the redbook reproduction is as good as I have experienced. But my experience is limited. I think the performance of the 777 is very high which makes it sensitive to power and interconnects. Connecting it with Shunyata King Cobra to a PS Audio P-300 and Acoustic Zen Silver Ref. to a Joule Electra LA-100 III improves its performance tremendously. It is kind of goofy to spend so much on tweaks, but I trusted my ears.
When I first got the 777 I immediately got something from the sound of SACD I hadn't from CD : a relaxation and freedom from fatigue quite similar to what I felt when listening to analogue. I think SACD may be more interesting to audiophiles who have come to it from vinyl as their primary listening source rather than CD.
SACD is not vinyl and if I were less patient and willing to spend more money I would still be pursuing vinyl. I still think at this time it is the ultimate for realism in reproduction. But for me, SACD is very exciting. The titles being issued may not all have the incredible transparency of a pure DSD recording, but I feel very connected to the performance and like I am hearing what is on the master tape (which of course I have no way of knowing). There is great resolution and for instance people have criticized the sound of the Billy Holiday release, but the sound of her voice on the acapella track is absolutely mesmerizing and fascinating. Yea, the sound of the strings is screwed up, but a vitality comes through that isn't there with redbook.
Whether SACD succeeds or not I still have these recordings to play with this exceptional fidelity. I believe if I owned 1000 CDs, I too would be wishing for continued development of their reproduction. It may happen. I think you could make a lot of money if you came up with something that made audiophiles forget vinyl and SACD. But from what I understand, there are just inherent limitations that make this unlikely.
Whether Sony has taken the right approach to marketing time will tell. Top down seems to make the most sense to me and it appeals to my purest sensibility. Perhaps they are trying to increase the price people will pay for a music release? If this doesn't work maybe they will come down in price. What we do know is that they have come up with a better way to record and archive music. I love the potential of it as someone else said, wait till more talented engineers and music lovers work with it.
I agree with Stereophile's rating of the 777 and their opinion of SACD. This is no deception on their part.
When I first got the 777 I immediately got something from the sound of SACD I hadn't from CD : a relaxation and freedom from fatigue quite similar to what I felt when listening to analogue. I think SACD may be more interesting to audiophiles who have come to it from vinyl as their primary listening source rather than CD.
SACD is not vinyl and if I were less patient and willing to spend more money I would still be pursuing vinyl. I still think at this time it is the ultimate for realism in reproduction. But for me, SACD is very exciting. The titles being issued may not all have the incredible transparency of a pure DSD recording, but I feel very connected to the performance and like I am hearing what is on the master tape (which of course I have no way of knowing). There is great resolution and for instance people have criticized the sound of the Billy Holiday release, but the sound of her voice on the acapella track is absolutely mesmerizing and fascinating. Yea, the sound of the strings is screwed up, but a vitality comes through that isn't there with redbook.
Whether SACD succeeds or not I still have these recordings to play with this exceptional fidelity. I believe if I owned 1000 CDs, I too would be wishing for continued development of their reproduction. It may happen. I think you could make a lot of money if you came up with something that made audiophiles forget vinyl and SACD. But from what I understand, there are just inherent limitations that make this unlikely.
Whether Sony has taken the right approach to marketing time will tell. Top down seems to make the most sense to me and it appeals to my purest sensibility. Perhaps they are trying to increase the price people will pay for a music release? If this doesn't work maybe they will come down in price. What we do know is that they have come up with a better way to record and archive music. I love the potential of it as someone else said, wait till more talented engineers and music lovers work with it.
I agree with Stereophile's rating of the 777 and their opinion of SACD. This is no deception on their part.