Should I make a compimise on DVD audio for SACD (1 Viewer)

[Bobby T]

I can only afford one player right now. I thinking about getting the Sony NVP 500 for a new player since it has multichannel SACD and listen to DD 5.1 tracks on DVD audio discs since they still sound better than CDs. Is this a good idea or should I just decide between formats and get one dedicated player until a combo player becomes affordable?

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

Well, I didn't want to wait. I had some money in hand and didn't know if I'd have it later, so I decided to go with a Panasonic RP-91 for DVD-Audio (and great video as well).

I have my reasons for choosing DVD-Audio over SACD, but

whichever format you favor, go for it. I'd say in a year or two universal players will be out that can handle both formats, or both formats will flop. My gut feeling is that DVD-Audio will win, and SACD will be like the MiniDisc: on the scene but not in a big way.

Regards,

-JNS

 

[Jaehoon Heo]

There is already a DVD-Audio / Progressive-scan DVD-Video / multichannel SACD player in Japan/EU. It is Pioneer DV-S747, and I think it will be available in USA, soon. Another to keep eyes on is Philips SACD 2000 to be available in months, and I think this is either a DVD-A/multichannel SACD pure audio player(no video) or something like Pioneer S747. It may be without Progressive

scan output as in SACD 1000.

 

[KeithH]

Bobby, if you can only buy into one format, I'd get SACD, and therefore, the Sony DVP-NS500V if I were you. I own both formats and feel SACD is the better of the two. Admittedly, my SACD players are better components than my DVD-Audio player, but SACD is an incredible format. Of course, you need to look at the catalogs of available software for the two formats to see which one appeals to you more. Note that SACD has far more titles available currently than does DVD-Audio.

In spite of what I just said, you might consider getting a DVD-Audio player now and saving for an audio-only SACD player to have the best of both worlds. All DVD-Audio players, of course, offer DVD-Video playback, so you can kill two birds with one stone there. However, it is often true that DVD players suffer somewhat on the audio side, so you might consider getting an audio-only SACD player. Most DVD players are lacking to some extent in playing CDs when compared to comparably priced CD players. I would expect the same thing to hold true with SACD. So, since SACD gives you the option to get SACD and CD playback without DVD capability, I'd go that route. JVC and Toshiba make progressive-scan DVD-Audio players for $400 and under. You could get one of those players and then save $350 to get the Sony SCD-CE775 multi-channel SACD/CD changer.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

Keith I agree that in most cases the DVD player doesn't make that good a CD player but there are exceptions. The Sony 7000 and 7700 were generally regarded as being very good CD players. Maybe this had to do with their dual lasers vs the single that most DVD players have or simply better DAC's etc. Anyway I've been wondering if the lower priced Sony's use the same or similar DAC's that the more expensive SACD players use? Having not heard the new Sony's I can't say either way but I'd love to compare a high priced SACD player with a cheaper one. I just wonder if SACD is similar to DTS/DD where a cheap budget DVD player pretty much sounds the same as a mega buck model..