Are Sony SACD Machine Owners Crazy??

I've yet to audition SACD at home, and don't intend to do so until the format is a proven "keeper". But in regards to the post.... I have friends who swear they can't hear the difference between an MP3 and audio CD. This is regardless of the quality of the digital front end or the associated electronics. Those who can't tell the difference might be better off purchasing 8-tracks on ebay, and buying a new car rather than upgrading their systems. Hey... You can RECORD at home with the 8-track format. Try that with SACD!

Whatjd, I think several people might be responding to the delta between CD and SACD formats and not necessarily to your question. I believe you are asking about an SACD’s playback of Redbook CDs, so I'll throw in my $0.02.

From my listening experience, which is admittedly limited, I would have to agree with LFR that Redbook CD playback is not on par with mid to hi quality CD players. Many a post espousing SACD playback quality has further stated that perhaps a good outboard DAC for Redbook playback is a better option than straight out of the SACD player (Several folks have talked about the output stage quality being questionable on the 777 and SCD-1). I have seen this written more on the SCD-1 and 777 than on the Marantz SA-1 (not even sure if it was written about the SA-1), which I have never auditioned. The outboard option has intrigued me, but the expense of an SACD player and quality outboard DAC has prevented me from going this route, as of yet anyway.

My opinion, for what it’s worth.

Hifiho, just a follow-up. I believe I read somewhere that Sony and I think it was Tascam are working on a recordable SACD. For all of us analogue buffs out there does this mean that some day our rare, precious copies of vinyl can be archived on SACD format? Regarding MP3 vs cd sound quality this worries me. If the future music lovers become content with under achiveing MP3 what will the future hold for the hi-end? Where do we find our new converts for hifi? Just rambling, sorry about drifting off target. Cheers, Bluenose

Depends on what you want. I have not jumped to SACD because I care much much more about the quality of the musical performance, than a lesser performance that might sound better. In other words, I listen to music not sound. I keep looking at what's available on SACD and I do not see much of anything that could replace what I have on Redbook and LP in the performance department.

I think the 2 questions you posed, 1)how can the units be so good, and 2) what will they do with your standard CD's are essentially rhetorical and theoretical, and whatever answers posed will be subjective from a given individuals perspective. Listen for yourself. You like Key Lime pie and I like Apple. Who's right? Who cares- you like what you like and so do I. Your reasons are your reasons, mine are mine. These threads are great as a springboard for further exploration, however in the final analysis it's what yanks yer crank when sitting in your room with your favorite music that counts. SS/tube, vinyl/CD/SACD etc etc, the debates will always rage on. I appreciate all the info I glean from this site including that which disagrees with me, but when it's gametime, what sounds best to me, regardless of format and your opinion of my gear and it's measurements, is what ultimately counts.If I like it, I like it. Right or wrong don't even enter into it. 1 bit or 50, if you like it better or not, YOU like it better or not. What a piece of gear does on paper or how it measures or what you think of it is inconsequential when the rubber meets the road at listening time.