SACD - disappointing so far

RMCF

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I have owned a Sony DAV-500 home cinema system for about 6 months now. As I am sure you all know it is SACD equipped. However, I never had a disc until a few weeks back when I ordered FGTH 'Best of' and Simple Minds 'Best Of'. Now, here's my views (and bear in mind I have been listening to CD separates and HC systems for many years now) - I am disappointed. The FGTH disc is good in terms of the fact that its multichannel (something that really suits FGTH music). The Simple Minds disc is in stereo. But my main gripe would be the actual sound quality. Having read the blurbs about SACD I was looking forward to hearing this enhanced sound with higher sampling rate etc etc. However, I can hear no difference between these discs (especially the Simple Minds one) and other CDs played on the same system. And as I have said, I listen to a lot of music and thought that it would be obvious to me. But it wasn't - so slightly disappointed. Any one got any thoughts on this?
 
I don't think you would notice on a low spec system!

I haven't yet tried SACD (getting player soon!), but my computer sound card does DVDA, and the sample sounds better than CD, see spec below
 
Add Pioneer 104 and Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum, and a load of B & Q 5m extension leads
 
welcome to the market driven world of SACD:(
 
Luckily I did not buy it for the SACD capabilities. I may get the odd one every now and then but I am more than happy with it as a HC system.
 
SACD is just as likely to be badly recorded as a normal CD. Not that you'd hear much difference on a DAVS-500 anyway. However, normal CDs if mastered well can sound surprisingly good, so I dont see why they dont just concentrate on doing the sound quality right on what we have instead of trying to bring out a new format. "Are you shpongled?" proves in style what CD can do if mastered well.
 
So if CD is so great, why have people been moaning about it since it's birth? Not as good as vinyl? Now we have some hi-res formats coming out and all I hear is 'CD is fine, SACD is just marketing hype'.

Well, I disagree. I have heard top quality CD playback and very nice it is too. I have also heard CD playback on my Sony 700 DVD player through my Sony 1080 amp. Not so good. But, I can buy a SACD disk and vastly improve the sound in one easy move. SACD is great for getting better performance from mid range gear. I have not heard a high end SACD player so cannot say if it has any advantage in that market.

Listening to 'Thriller' on CD and also SACD on my set-up shows a big difference in clarity and punch. So, if people like me can get a big boost in listening pleasure for small change then I think it's a great idea. DVD-A falls into this category as well and I hope one of them survives.

Steve
 
I agree with Pburkett...quite a few SACDs (particularly those by Telarc) are simply 20 year old recording taken from the original analogue master tapes - the justification being that these tapes had a freq. response >50KHz. I honestly can't tell any difference between the CD layer and the SACD layer, so in this case yes it definitely is money for old rope!!!

On the other hand, I have some modern Yo Yo Ma cello stuff which was recorded in DSD from the start, and that sounds very good even to me (and I haven't a clue what I'm listening to!). My dad (who plays the cello), loves the sound of them - claiming stuff like it becomes more apparent what make of cello is being used and blah blah...I have yet to blown away by an SACD though:rolleyes:
 
I have the Simple Minds Best Of, which I play through a Sony DVPNS700 player. The clarity is astounding - like there is a thick curtain in the way when I listen to CD by comparison.

The word for it transparency - and the difference is amazing. I just wish the format wars would die down as I am sure DVDA is just as good, but I don't want to waste a lot of money on one format.
 
I've just got the Amanda Marshall SACD from the US. Multichannel from DSD original.

It has convinced me that this is the way forward, but not by issuing old recordings where the masters aren't of decent enough quality....
 
I have tubular bells and in the flesh, both of which I think are great, but I struggle to find anything else that I really want as there is simply a lack of titles, a while ago there were announcements about Rolling Stones albums being released, but so far I havent seen any evidence of this.. anyone know any different? Until there is a wider choice of albums, I can't see SACD really having a chance to take off.
 
The Stones titles are out but not over here (groan). They are supposed to be great and are hybrids so they have a CD layer too. There is one on Ebay that I noticed the other day. It's not mine and I'm not bidding but it was going cheap when I looked.

There seems to be a lack of any new material coming to the UK on SACD or DVD-A at the mo, just a trickle of re-masters. Let's hope that changes soon.

Steve
 
I stand corrected. Good news. Not a big Stones fan myself though. I have some Aerosmith on SACD and thats good. One thing I would like to see is JK and Dire Straits. I would snap that up.

S
 
The RS SACD/CD Hybrids are in any large record shop, usually in with the CDS, It´s not obvious that they are SACDS, they are labelled DSD Remasters and sound great!
 

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