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CD vs SACD

#1
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9/29/08 at 1:27pm
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waiting for my Pioneer Elite DV-48, which can also play SACD, among host of other formats.

I have 2 channel front speakers but have a Pioneer Elite VSX-33TX Hometheater receiver, which has clean sound.

1. Some state SACD is clearly better particularly on the more recent recordings, what is your experience?

2. where is a good place to buy SACD?

thanks,

gychang
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#2
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9/29/08 at 1:41pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Yep, SACD blows away regular CD. Very smooth sound, I don't know how else to describe it. But as far as where to buy SACD discs, half.com and ebay.com, since they aren't being made anymore. Try to get David Bowie's Heathen SACD. Besides the best sound quality, five of the songs are longer on the SACD than they are on the regular CD.

"Scientists are saying the future is going to be far more futuristic than they originally predicted." -Krysta Now

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#3
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9/29/08 at 2:55pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
Yep, SACD blows away regular CD. Very smooth sound, I don't know how else to describe it. But as far as where to buy SACD discs, half.com and ebay.com, since they aren't being made anymore. Try to get David Bowie's Heathen SACD.

SACD are not being made any more?
am into classical and jazz..., but thanks for the recommendation.

gychang
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#4
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9/29/08 at 4:19pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

CD vs SACD isn't just a matter of superior audio format. There are several other matters to consider:

1) The original recording--how well was the music originally recorded?

2) The remaster--how well was it done?

There are some mediocre SACDs and there are some excellent RBCDs (= redbook CDs), and vice a versa. Generalizations are inaccurate.

3) Availability--you mention that you are into jazz and classical. Then I suppose that you will enjoy SACD. There are good number of smaller labels still producing classical music in SACD (I think this holds true for jazz, but to a lesser extent). However, if you are into rock music, there is not a lot happening in SACDs. Sure, we have a few titles forthcoming (Emerson, Lake & Palmer's BSS; Black Sabbath's Paranoid; and the early Genesis material), but overall, rock SACDs are a vanishing breed, perhaps not going extinct, but becoming rare.
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#5
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9/29/08 at 5:43pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

If you want to try SACD somewhat inexpensively, you can sign up with yourmusic.com, which has 28 SACD titles in its catalog. The site is basically an offshoot of the BMG Music Club, but is much more straightforward in its commitment. Create a queue of music titles and each month a title from that queue gets mailed to you for $6.99. You can also buy at that price (for single disc titles) however much you want.

He was one of those people who would be neither a follower nor a leader, but only an aspiring heart, impatient in the failing body which imprisoned it. -- T. H. White, "The Once and Future King"

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#6
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9/30/08 at 1:47pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Gregory,

You might wanna follow this ongoing thread to see what (mostly) SACDs people are buying these days:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...cently-59.html

If you're just starting out on the format, you might wanna pick up some classics like:

* Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet
* Various Miles Davis classics
* Michael Tilson Thomas' Mahler Symphonies cycle, if you like Mahler
* Violin works performed by one of the current/new gen of (primarily) female concert violinist, eg. Hilary Hahn, Julia Fischer, maybe Lara St John (her Bach sonatas and partitas), etc. or there's also a small handful of old classics by Heifetz, Stern, etc.
* Some of the old classic RCA Living Stereo records
* For opera, seems like Blu-ray looks more promising going forward

But yeah, I can't say I've seen too many new SACDs for jazz or classical either. And it's quite possible for Blu-ray to supercede SACD in these areas (well, at least classical anyway) as that format grows...

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#7
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9/30/08 at 2:28pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong

If you're just starting out on the format, you might wanna pick up some classics like:

* Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet
* Various Miles Davis classics
* Michael Tilson Thomas' Mahler Symphonies cycle, if you like Mahler
* Violin works performed by one of the current/new gen of (primarily) female concert violinist, eg. Hilary Hahn, Julia Fischer, maybe Lara St John (her Bach sonatas and partitas), etc. or there's also a small handful of old classics by Heifetz, Stern, etc.
* Some of the old classic RCA Living Stereo records
* For opera, seems like Blu-ray looks more promising going forward


_Man_

Great!, thanks, will look into trying to get some SACDs.

gychang
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#8
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10/2/08 at 11:47am
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Re: CD vs SACD

Here is a good list for classical and jazz fans:

sacd

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#9
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10/5/08 at 11:59pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Has anyone heard any of the genesis SACDs yet? Particularly "Selling England by the Pound" and "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." They carry a heavy pricetag -- around 45 dollars a piece. Anyone know if they're going to come down any time soon? I'm really interested in these.

Also, I notice that the product descriptions (via amazon) state SACD 5.1 and standard CD. Do these include stereo SACD as well? (like Dark Side of the Moon)
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#10
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10/6/08 at 8:14am
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrettV
Has anyone heard any of the genesis SACDs yet? Particularly "Selling England by the Pound" and "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." They carry a heavy pricetag -- around 45 dollars a piece. Anyone know if they're going to come down any time soon? I'm really interested in these.

Also, I notice that the product descriptions (via amazon) state SACD 5.1 and standard CD. Do these include stereo SACD as well? (like Dark Side of the Moon)

I have the Genesis box set and think it sounds great. Trick of the Tail is especially good.

Look around for pricing. There are deals out there on ebay. ImportCDs sold this on special for $10.95 for a short while, I'm not kidding, and that is what I paid.

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#11
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10/6/08 at 11:35am
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Scoggins
I have the Genesis box set and think it sounds great. Trick of the Tail is especially good.

Look around for pricing. There are deals out there on ebay. ImportCDs sold this on special for $10.95 for a short while, I'm not kidding, and that is what I paid.

Wow! That definitely gives me hope. Thanks alot for the reply.

Would you mind checking to see if the discs have a stereo SACD mix available, particularly the two discs I mentioned above.

Thank you!

Brett
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#12
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10/6/08 at 12:24pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrettV
Wow! That definitely gives me hope. Thanks alot for the reply.

Would you mind checking to see if the discs have a stereo SACD mix available, particularly the two discs I mentioned above.

Thank you!

Brett

I only have a stereo SACD setup so indeed that is available. Each album title comes with a second disc of NTSC video.

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#13
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10/6/08 at 10:34pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Thank you, Lee!
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#14
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10/7/08 at 9:44am
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Re: CD vs SACD

BrettV,
Lee is talking obout the first batch of Genesis SACD releases of their later material. These do not include Lamb or Selling. To the best of my knowledge those are not released yet but should be soon.
Jeff
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#15
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10/7/08 at 11:36am
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Re: CD vs SACD

im so lost...what is SACD?
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#16
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10/7/08 at 12:24pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by robynbrock84
im so lost...what is SACD?

See Wikipedia entry on SACD
SACD not listed at sa-cd.net (updated 8/26/2009)
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#17
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10/10/08 at 5:34pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
But as far as where to buy SACD discs, half.com and ebay.com, since they aren't being made anymore.
SACDs aren't being made anymore? I just got an email from Mobile Fidelity listing their new SACD releases.....?
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#18
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10/12/08 at 7:37pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

This July Warners/4AD released all 9 DEAD CAN DANCE SACD-Hybrid, Made in Japan, mastered by MFSL, in LP card covers and a rather thin info booklet.
Humorously, in their effort to exactly reproduce the original details of the originals-this leads to a a couple of 2 LP sets being put on one CD-but including the 2 UK sleeves-one with CD -one empty; These all have repros of the paper 4AD inner sleeves, whether blank wallpaper art, as some were or an extra, with those clear japanese sleeves inside. There is an OBI, largely in english, with some Kanji for the Japanese market-the UPC is on the obi-as well as the EU "LC 3656" 'tube' -always wondered what those were

The initial worldwide run of 6000 sold out in a couple weeks.
Look hard and you still may find some-
I guess with that demand they will have to do another pressing-even though listed as Limited Edition.

For the longest time Amazon listed 'out of stock' on all of them-then listed "more available Oct 2" Whether they did or not is moot-they are not in stock at this time-though some are selling theirs privately.

REMASTERED CDs will be available in November. Brendan Perry wanted them in Super Jewel Cases, but I dont know if they will be in the US

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#19
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10/13/08 at 7:59pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by MielR
SACDs aren't being made anymore? I just got an email from Mobile Fidelity listing their new SACD releases.....?

Ok, a slight exaggeration. There are still 2 factories on the planet that can make SACDs.

"Scientists are saying the future is going to be far more futuristic than they originally predicted." -Krysta Now

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#20
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10/14/08 at 12:34pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
Ok, a slight exaggeration. There are still 2 factories on the planet that can make SACDs.

At least 2, if not more.
SACD not listed at sa-cd.net (updated 8/26/2009)
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#21
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10/16/08 at 6:18am
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Re: CD vs SACD

delete duplicate post
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#22
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10/16/08 at 6:19am
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Re: CD vs SACD

There are still some classical SACD releases and a few jazz SACD releases and recently even a few pop/rock music SACD releases. I haven't noticed a new release in some time I want although I did see ELP "Brain Salad Surgery" was about to be released and if I didn't have the DVD-A, I would look for a deal on that one. Unfortunately with the format becoming more and more a tiny niche format, the prices for the few pop/rock releases are now more expensive than ever. I own about 200 titles and expect I will live with those, maybe adding a few in the future. By using Microsoft Live.com Search on eBay, I purchased this Genesis 1976-1982 set for $51.50 net after cashback delivered and should have it in a couple of days:

Amazon.com: Genesis 1976-1982: Genesis: Music

I don't recall buying anything SACD new and sealed in quite some time until that Genesis set which has been out about a year if I recall. My personal opinion is that SACD should just go bye bye now and allow Blu-ray music releases to be given a chance to catch on. DVD-A and SACD had their chance and flopped and if all three continue to exist and confuse and fracture the market, we aren't likely to ever see a better than CD and better than DVD format amount to much of anything in terms of marketshare.

SACD is better than CD, but a good CD is so good, that the difference in stereo probably doesn't amount to much with the average system. I will say SACD's tend to be done better than CD's, but comparing the best of both might not leave someone terribly impressed. I do like surround so for me, the difference is great.

Chris
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#23
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10/17/08 at 1:33am
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Re: CD vs SACD

SACD and CD layers sounded more similar than the CD layer vs the CD-R of the original release. However, the SACD version seemed slightly softer in the transients than the CD - almost as if the edges have been smoothed off. The CD layer "harsh", the softer sound did seem to liquefy the sound a little, but perhaps also reducing some of the "bite" of the music. SACD's tendency to emphasise micro-dynamics in the presence region Patricia's voice sounds more detailed.
---------------
Stephanieluis
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#24
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10/17/08 at 6:23pm
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Re: CD vs SACD

SACD has more detail pure and simple. That's the reason you hear more detail. It's not one out of emphasis.

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