I want my SACD! A Plan of action to make this happen.

[Herman]

So let me get this straight. Is that a tv I see in the picture, standing right next to the (SA)CD-player and amplifier?

With the pollution radiating from the tv I wouldn't worry too much about the sound you're getting, super audio or cd. You're pretty fortunate to hear anything at all.

[Teresa]

So let me get this straight. Is that a tv I see in the picture, standing right next to the (SA)CD-player and amplifier?

With the pollution radiating from the tv I wouldn't worry too much about the sound you're getting, super audio or cd. You're pretty fortunate to hear anything at all.

I'm not hooked up to cable and there is no antenna on the TV as both caused RF in system even when the TV was not turned on.  I don't watch TV, it is used as a monitor to watch DVDs either rentals or from my collection.  I live in a studio apartment so I only have the luxury of one audio/video system.  I'm not one of those rich people that can have a separate audio and video system.  If you notice the power amp and pre-amp on on a stand below the TV by several feet and wood separates them.

Even with the TV in the room I still can plainly hear the gigantic difference between CD and SACD. 

[Guido]

These were not one format at a time but multiple formats, I have been very promiscuous with formats, I seem to enjoy them all except for CDs.  The reason I quit SACD before was because of transport problems and Hybrid TOC issues, I blamed the format when the problem was Sony's lousy transports.  I loved the sound of SACDs even when I wasn't collecting them.  So I have SACD now as well.  Remember CD is the only format I do not enjoy, everything else I like to listen to.  

So you prefer casette tapes to CD? And is the thing about mono true as well?

[Teresa]

So you prefer casette tapes to CD? And is the thing about mono true as well?

Yes I does help that I have a Nakamichi cassette deck.  To me cassettes are very musical and they can sound quite good as well especially on Metal tape using Dolby C.  Unlike CDs which I can't enjoy at all.  Did you know there are many people who record CDs to cassettes to add analog warmth and make them more listenable?

I don't like the perspective mono recordings have on a stereo, also depending on how old there they often have distortion and excessive hiss.  The only acceptable mono I've heard is through a single speaker mono system.  But considering mono is before my time, there is not any that was important enough for me to consider.

[DavidW]

To me cassettes are very musical and they can sound quite good as well especially on Metal tape using Dolby C. 

You must have lead ears!

[Daverz]

You must have lead ears!

No, that would be chromium ears.

[SonicMan46]

......  Did you know there are many people who record CDs to cassettes to add analog warmth and make them more listenable?

Well Teresa, you must be a member of some small 'cult' group! 

The only time I used to do that was to play tapes in my car on trips - but now my cars only have CD players, so burn CDs instead now!  But I must admit that the inferior dynamic range of a cassette tape was ideal for the car where 'road noise' often did not permit a pleasurable CD experience; in fact, if I listened to a lot of music in my car (which I don't), I'd probably want to 'burn' my CDs w/ a program that would compress the dynamic range considerably -    Dave

[Daverz]

But considering mono is before my time, there is not any that was important enough for me to consider.

That doesn't even make sense given that you listen almost exclusively to music written long before your time, to say nothing of the touch of narcissism it expresses (before I was born = not important).

[drogulus]

You do seem to have half a mind to steer the discussion towards that direction, though, considering your comments on an otherwise unrelated post about the general value of high resolution audio. From my part, at least, consider your fears allayed.

   

I am far from being an audiophile, but I'm glad that there are many SACD's around for me to enjoy.  Having said this, I don't think it's a very big deal and Theresa's plan has "failure" written all over it.  She really won't listen to a mono recording?  That's crazy.

     SACD offers no benefit other than multichannel/hybridity. It could offer 2 mixes of the same recording and end the loudness war for those of us who care about that, but you don't need a hybrid disc. You can do that with a plain vanilla CD properly encoded. Nevertheless, I like the SACDs I have and would like to see more SACDs made if in the process more good recordings are thereby made available. So, the argument shouldn't be between people who want them and people who don't. It should be about why they are worth wanting.

[flyingdutchman]

So by not considering mono we have done away with many of the best and authoritative recordings of virtually every composer.  No Talich, no Furtwangler, no Weingartner, no...you get the picture.  All of the giants of music conducting are unimportant to Teresa.　　

Right there you have convinced me and I am sure others that you are not interested in music performance but merely the sound that comes out of your speakers.  While good sound is important, you have destroyed any sense of fairness when it comes to what music is.

[Daverz]

The only time I used to do that was to play tapes in my car on trips - but now my cars only have CD players, so burn CDs instead now!  But I must admit that the inferior dynamic range of a cassette tape was ideal for the car where 'road noise' often did not permit a pleasurable CD experience; in fact, if I listened to a lot of music in my car (which I don't), I'd probably want to 'burn' my CDs w/ a program that would compress the dynamic range considerably -    Dave

Yeah, I used to get the TDK D cassettes and record CDs with as much saturation as I could get away with.  Did a decent job of getting the dynamic range down to an acceptable level for car listening.

[Teresa]

You must have lead ears!

Many including Mark Levinson agree with me, we just don't find CD musically or sonically pleasing.  Mark Levinson has been quoted as saying "I find even cassettes to be more musically pleasing than CDs"

Mark Levinson: CD vs. SACD and LP http://www.redrosemusic.com/essay.shtml

I have excellent hearing as demonstrated by the ability to hear a huge difference between low resolution CD and high resolution SACD.  I prize my hearing ability above all else.  And while I consider cassette low resolution it is still sonically and musically pleasing while to my ears CDs are not. 

[Daverz]

Many including Mark Levinson agree with me,

Like he doesn't have an interest in selling more bejewelled high-end equipment.

I have excellent hearing as demonstrated by the ability to hear a huge difference between low resolution CD and high resolution SACD.  I prize my hearing ability above all else. 

You just can't hear music.  Throwing the implied insult right back atcha.

[Teresa]

That doesn't even make sense given that you listen almost exclusively to music written long before your time, to say nothing of the touch of narcissism it expresses (before I was born = not important).

So by not considering mono we have done away with many of the best and authoritative recordings of virtually every composer.  No Talich, no Furtwangler, no Weingartner, no...you get the picture.  All of the giants of music conducting are unimportant to Teresa.　　

Right there you have convinced me and I am sure others that you are not interested in music performance but merely the sound that comes out of your speakers.  While good sound is important, you have destroyed any sense of fairness when it comes to what music is.

Maybe I was not clear enough, my first stereo system was an 8 Track Cartridge Player/Amp combo and all the 8 Track cartridges I ever found were stereo.  But I wasn't looking for mono anyway.

Same thing when I switched to 7 1/2 IPS 4 Track Reel to Reel tapes in 1973, I never remember seeing any Mono Reel to Reel tapes in Barclay-Crocker's catalogs.

That is what I meant, as I was never exposed to Mono recordings until I subscribed to Franklin Mint's 100 Greatest Recordings of all Time back in the late 1970's.  I canceled my subscription because of the mono recordings, I didn't enjoy them.

Bottom line I can only listen to music I enjoy listening to.  If it is a chore and it hurts my head it is not worth the trouble.   I listen to music to enjoy music.  Mono and CD is anti-music to my ears, but this is my humble opinion and others may have no problems with either one.  It's a guess all about choices.

Speaking of choices that is what is so great about SACD/CD hybrids, as they offer three versions of the musical program.

DSD Multichannel program on the SACD layer for those who like high resolution in surround sound.
DSD Stereo program on the SACD layer for those who like high resolution in 2 channel stereo.
CD layer for those who like low resolution.

[Iago]

Teresa,

   YOU'RE NUTS!!!

You say that you cannot tolerate the sound of cds.
Have you ever subjected yourself to a double blind test, wherein the same performance is heard via cd and SACD on the EXACT SAME equipment?

Sorry, but if you do that you will be hard pressed to say which is which.
And anybody that is still using that reel to reel tape player/recorder that is pictured and a Nakamichi cassette deck CANNOT possibly have "golden ears". Those two pieces of  equipment cannot possibly measure up to the quality of equipment available today.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Mark Levinson: CD vs. SACD and LP http://www.redrosemusic.com/essay.shtml   

That article is frankly little more than ad copy.

So "DSD" is it? It would interest Sony to know that there are any number of small audiophile labels who've long maintained a standard of "stress-free" sound, with ample warmth, richness, and bloom. Think Harmonia Mundi, MDG, Winter & Winter, Fuga Libera, Dux, Onyx, BIS, Analekta, and on and on...and in two channel.

In fact, undoubtedly Sony DOES know this and is just one of many mega-companies trying to play catch up with the spunky independents (as far as sound). So "DSD"? Big deal.

And poor Levinson - I'd be embarrassed for him for latching on to Sony like this except his company isn't among the independents anymore. So I guess it fits...

[Dancing Divertimentian]

DSD Stereo program on the SACD layer for those who like high resolution in 2 channel stereo.

See my previous post.

[Bulldog]

I have excellent hearing as demonstrated by the ability to hear a huge difference between low resolution CD and high resolution SACD.  I prize my hearing ability above all else.   

That settles it.  If you have excellent hearing, you must be right.

[Henritus]

I agree that SACD format just doesn't have much global appeals. In addition, many people I know just don't hear much sonic improvement in SACDs over redbooks. For the record, I enjoy SACDs greatly and probably more than 80% of music purchases are SACDs, and I have a modest 2-speaker system (audiophiles would laugh at). My recent listening of Heifetz/Bruch concerto in RCA living stereo SACD format was quite an experience.

I think right historical comparision would be 'stereo vs. quadrophonic' - they used to argue 'well we have only two ears so why need four speakers???, rather than '78rpm vs. 33 1/3 rpm'

[Henritus]

And while I consider cassette low resolution it is still sonically and musically pleasing while to my ears CDs are not. 

I can only use my bluetooth headset less than 3 minutes (it gives me a terrible headache), while my wife has no problem wearing and using it for an hour (all day if battery can hold up). Probably we have a lot more to learn about the mystery of our auditory organs.
(Casette tape more musical than compact discs? Get outta here!!!  - kidding)