Board Message

Sony SACD Review
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Active Message Board ] [ Archive Home Page ]

Posted by Bill V on April 10, 2000 at 15:17:29:

Just had my first DSD experience. I went in to my local music store sat in a compfy chair and listened to Herbie Hancock's
Headhunter SACD. They only had the budget low end model player in stock($3500), It was amazing. I know it may sound cliche but the first thought I had was that I was listening to Analog. Of course the original recording was analog but the SACD transfer exibited none of the negative characteristics a lot of CDs have. The bass was very fat and the highs really smooth. In fact the highs were almost too smooth as I found myself repeatedly turning up the treble. After the salesman left the room I really cranked it. Only then did I really get the full impact of clarity. I set the tone controls flat and realized I was hearing what the original producers must have been hearing when they mixed it. I did'nt have a CD of the same material to A/B with but the SACD seems to be more life like with more air around the sound. Their is greater depth and it seems a little more 3 dimensional. It is also very clean sounding, so much so that while I had the treble cranked the original tape hiss became intrusive.

While I think that from the one SACD I've heard, the sound quality is EXCELLENT, I don't think the improvement in quality over regular CDs is anywhere near worth the very high cost. But if enough rich people start buying them, then in a few years from now,who knows maybee they will be as cheap as CD players.

Follow Ups:


These archives brought to you by The Recording Forums
by Dan E. Monk. copyright © 2003