CD Player Suggestions Please

[scott fitlin]

I did already know that an SACD machine CAN play red book CD,s, but I was waiting for more pop music availability on actual SACD,s!

However, I could just jump into SACD as well, its no sweat!

But I dont wish to spend $3500 or better on a machine, either! So, Dave which SACD player do you recommend?

I was listening to SACD on the Sony machine in an audio shop, some classical recordings, man the pianos sounded like analog recordings, real natural, very vibrant and full bodied, minus the noise! Very worthwhile to listen to, but, I fear, the music industry WILL NOT adopt this format for the pop cultures of music, as it requires an expenditure of major monies to get them setup to do SACD, as well as music industry people have told me we probably wont see pop music done in SACD format! Not on a large commercial scale!

I admit SACD has the sound, though! As for the CD player with Tubed output section, well, Im curious to hear this, supposed to be very musically involving, and for the price, couldnt be beat! Fully loaded, all the tricks, $1200 plus shipping!

[speakerdave]

Originally posted by still4given
. . . . doesn't it also require at least a 5.1 setup to really get the benefit of the SACD?
Blessings, Terry

Hey. . . . blessings to you too!

No. SACD is a technology for digitally recording, storing and retrieving musical information. The number of channels is a separate decision made at the time of the original recording. The point of SACD is the QUALITY of the sound, not the number of channels. There are multichannel SACD's, yes, so you can have 5.1 and more if you want it, but they can be played on a two-channel system, with the player sorting all the information into the two channels. Many SACD releases are two channel stereo and there are a few, re-releases, that are mono because that is the format of the original master tapes. Super Audio is used because that is the best way to digitally extract the information available on the original 15 and 30 ips master tapes no matter how many separate channels there are. It is also the best technology for digitally processing the acoustic information that can be picked up by a microphone.

Originally posted by still4given
SACD will still play great stereo CD's

Yes, but you are confusing the terminology here. I assume by "stereo" you mean two-channel, and by "stereo CD" you mean the old technology brought on line in the 80's. As I noted above the SACD format can be used to make any number of channels, so "stereo CD" is not a differentiation of digital recording and playback technologies. It is more accurate to refer to the old CD technology as PCM, or pulse code modulation, sometimes also referred to as Redbook--I'm not sure why.

Originally posted by still4given
I think you have to upgrade your system in order to really take advantage of the SACD player.

I don't think so, and that opinion is based on my experience. Really speaking, it would have to depend on how bad or good your system is wouldn't it?

Still, if a person is listening to a grungy system every link is contributing its share of grung. If he fixes one link, right away he is listening to less grung. And if he fixes the source first he continues to get greater rewards when fixing all the downstream links.

It might help to understand how the PCM CD format was arrived at in the first place.

--The 5" disc was selected to fit into the dashboard space already granted to the radio/cassette player.

--A capacity of 70 minutes of music was selected so that it was longer than almost all LP's

The disc making technology of the time was digital, but it was a linear format that occupied a certain amount of space on the disc for a minute of music. That amount of space could be varied only by varying the number of times per second the analogue signal was sampled. When the BBC looked at the technology their response was that to do this right for frequency response and the integrity of the sound you will get a maximum of 8 minutes of music on the 5" disc. The sampling rate was lowered until the 70 minute target was reached, and that's where the standard came from.

Remember when digital movies were on 12" discs? Since that time the DVD type of storage has been developed, and as I understand it, the SACD uses a similar method, enabling the storage on a 5" disc of a vastly greater amount of information--a movie or 70+ minutes of music sampled at 2.9 million/second.

So, as I said in my first post, there is no reason to stay with the old PCM technology except inertia. The SACD technology is a great improvement in the storage and retrieval of musical information.

David

[speakerdave]

Originally posted by scott fitlin
I dont wish to spend $3500 or better on a machine, either! So, Dave which SACD player do you recommend?

$3500?!?!?! Where did that come from? Even the Marantz play everything player is only about $1400. Good players are available for well under $1000. I have not followed the market in detail, so I cannot recommend players.

I got into SACD about three years ago and bought a Philips SA1000. As I understand it this is one of the players developed to launch the technology and at the time it was being sold off for about $1000, so I think I was lucky to get a bargain. But the same level of playback has been incorporated into less expensive players by Philips and other companies (chiefly Sony, co-developer with Philips of both the SACD and the PCM CD).

Originally posted by scott fitlin
. . . . the music industry WILL NOT adopt this format for the pop cultures of music, as it requires an expenditure of major monies to get them setup to do SACD, as well as music industry people have told me we probably wont see pop music done in SACD format! Not on a large commercial scale!

Yeah, right! Or as Marie Antionette said regarding the starving common people, "Let them eat flavorless starch"!

Originally posted by scott fitlin
I was listening to SACD on the Sony machine in an audio shop, some classical recordings, man the pianos sounded like analog recordings, real natural, very vibrant and full bodied, minus the noise!

Exactly! That's it!

Originally posted by scott fitlin
As for the CD player with Tubed output section, well, I'm curious to hear this, supposed to be very musically involving, and for the price, couldnt be beat! Fully loaded, all the tricks, $1200 plus shipping!

I don't blame you at all. I would be curious too. I just want the straight story about SACD to get out.

David

[Oldmics]

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Originally posted by scott fitlin
As for the CD player with Tubed output section, well, I'm curious to hear this,

I have an old Carver CD player (SD/A-390t) with a tube output section.It uses a pair of 6DJ8 tubes.Kinda neat.I think I am more impressed by converter interpetation than the tube fluff.

Winter"s comin-Time to get the tubes a glowin

Oldmics

[scott fitlin]

quote:
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Originally posted by scott fitlin
. . . . the music industry WILL NOT adopt this format for the pop cultures of music, as it requires an expenditure of major monies to get them setup to do SACD, as well as music industry people have told me we probably wont see pop music done in SACD format! Not on a large commercial scale!

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Yeah, right! Or as Marie Antionette said regarding the starving common people, "Let them eat flavorless starch"!


The music labels arent adopting the new technology so fast. Right now all you have out there on SACD is audiophile music titles, not very much of NOW,s music available!

I want it all! Everything. If they did adopt SACD as the industry standard, music could sound great again!

As for player pricing, I havent checked in a while, i will go see whats available!

I know I can get fritz reiner on SACD, even some classic rock, but I want TODAYS music recorded and engineered with this technology!

Excuse me while I go listen to something through some newly reconed Altec in VOTT cabinets, found me vintage kits for all my speakers! You should hear how todays music sounds through yesterdays Altec! No shit, it,s happening!

But, SACD is good, really good!

[speakerdave]

Originally posted by scott fitlin
I want TODAYS music recorded and engineered with this technology!

Yeah, me too. I hope it happens.

David