SACD BREAKING-IN EXPERIENCE................

Jim,
Yes I had read your review before(both here and at Audiocom's site a while back) but I guess in a way I was relating it to your new Black Gates etc.
A very detailed review thanks.
I'm going to follow your path and see what I find.
I do find it very interesting though your comments about the difference between CD and SACD-I'm a right in saying you are finding a noticeable but subtle difference-I have read that a lot but also others saying SACD slays CD.
Care to comment?
Thanks

Ben, I own the SCD-1 and DVP s9000es players. In my experience and from what others have said in previous threads:

1. The s9000es takes about 200 hours for the cd laser to to burn-in and 200 to 400 hours for the SACD laser. The SCD-1 took me about 300 hours for cd and then another 300 hours or so for SACD.

2. In my experience the burn-in is more gradual, but there were certainly days where I'd hear improvements more than gradual.

3. Still both units will sound quite good right out of the box. Especially the SCD-1. Instantly could tell this unit was significantly better in every sonic category over the s9000es. And I think the s9000es is a very nice unit sonically that does so many things well.

-IMO

I own a best kept secret in SACD players and they recently blew them out at under $200.The Sony SCD CD-775 and yes there is a noticeable difference in CD and SACD.There is also a rather long burn in time,I was told about 200 hours and it proved out being correct.

Ben, I believe the differences between SACD and redbook after modifying my SCD-1 did indeed become less noticeable. The redbook is so good now that it's very close on initial listening. There are differences still. Better and smoother extension with SACD. SACD is more of a musical experience where redbook is more a display of imaging and audiophile terms. The SACD is comparable to the differences in digital to analogue. More natural, less edgy, smoother, more relaxing.
With the modifications to my SCD-1, I do not feel like I'm missing much when playing redbook. In that my library is mostly redbook, I find I'm listening to redbook more often. If the redbook playback was a great step down I'm sure I'd be wanting to upgrade, as it is I've had no feelings of upgrading for three years and during that time I've had many of the "best" digital players in my system.
Jade