I'm thinking SACD would be cool. Any opinions?

madmax

I've been looking at SACD players. Is there any particular one that is considered a good value amoung SACD enthusiasts? I would like it to handle progressive scan DVD as well. I'm not sure if the same unit will do both well but...
madmax

Frank Z

SACD and DVD-A are fantastic! Multi-channel SACD is excellant also. Check out the Pioneer Elite DV-47a, it will play SACD, DVD-A, DVD-V, CD-R, CD-RW, & MP3. Oh yea the Progressive Scan picture is Freakin' Incredible!!

F1nut

Check out the Philips DVD963SA, it does CD with 24bit/192kHz upsampling, SACD 2 channel and multi, DVD-A, DVD-V with progessive scan. It's new on the market, replaces the respected SACD1000 for alot less money, runs about $500.00.

rlw

The sale on the Phillips SACD1000 for $399 is supposed to be the hot ticket.


Gosh, if you knew somebody who worked at this store, they could make sure you got on the list for when the sale started this weekend.

capitan100

SACD is great.

F1nut

The SACD 1000 is great for sacd, but the cd playback leaves a little to be desired, still for sacd use only the $399.00 price isn't a bad deal. The new model for $100.00 more is a much better player.

jrausch

Interesting read. look for reviews of this up and comming chip.

http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?1502

madmax

Increased dynamic range! Sounds like a cool chip! Great article.
madmax

polkatese

rlw,

The sale on the Phillips SACD1000 for $399 is supposed to be the hot ticket.

where can I get more information?

F1Nut,

Check out the Philips DVD963SA, it does CD with 24bit/192kHz upsampling, SACD 2 channel and multi, DVD-A, DVD-V with progessive scan. It's new on the market, replaces the respected SACD1000 for alot less money, runs about $500.00.

do you have eta on this player? I heard that build quality will not be as good as sacd-1000. I am strictly interested in buying a SACD m/c and stereo player only (the rest of the features are not needed) do you have an opinion on the best sounding SACD out there? thanks, fh

HBombToo

Originally posted by Frank Z
SACD and DVD-A are fantastic! Multi-channel SACD is excellant also. Check out the Pioneer Elite DV-47a, it will play SACD, DVD-A, DVD-V, CD-R, CD-RW, & MP3. Oh yea the Progressive Scan picture is Freakin' Incredible!!

or the 47ai is next on my list.

Nice unit is my opinion.

HBomb

polkatese

fyi,
Phillips sacd-1000 has been selling like peanuts at tweeter. Just order one that they have to bring it over from other stores. At $399 I think it is a great bargain, besides, tweeter will let me upgrade it to other player in the future for full credit, should I think it's not the player to own.

F1nut

polkatese,

The Philips unit should be out in a week or two. I haven't heard any negatives about the build quality, it's suppose to be reference quality and I can't wait to hear it. The best SACD player? How much do you want to spend? Accuphase makes a real nice one for about $15,000! Sony ES has a couple, the XA777ES which is highly rated for about $2500.00 (I like) and the C555ES 5-disc unit for about $750.00 (I like too).

F1nut

polkatese

F1nut,
thanks, perhaps I meant to say, the best sounding SACD for the money and my budget, that is no more than 1,000. I've been reading about the XA777ES, it's discontinued and currently no one sell them used (ebay and audiogon). I had bad experience with the sony multi-disc unit, the door/flap will eventually failed (3 to 4 years) and the drawer motor will not have enough torque to roll out the tray. It happened on my old LD player. I will audition the new Phillips when it's out.

cheers, fh

F1nut

I didn't know the XA777ES was discontinued, I'll check with the guys at the local shop. Do you know what the replacement is? The problem you had with the drawer is the Achilles tendon of Sony CD/SACD players. You'd think after all these years they would have figured out how to it right!
BTW, I might be wrong on the price of the other Sony, I think it's more.

polkatese

F1nut,
my mistake, SCD-XA777ES is still in production, $3000 msrp, but can go as low as $1700 on the street. I must have confused with some reviews. What is interesting, it seems that there is enough demand for this player to be modded with modwright, that made it sound even better. Have you listen to any of these modified units? curious the hell out of me, since now I am thinking $400 investment on sacd-1000 + mod (about $1200) can put it to surpass sony scd-1........see why I keep getting into this kind of mess....

F1nut

polkatese,

I have not heard a modified unit, it's hard to believe it could sound better, but I'd love to hear one. It is a mess, no matter what you buy, next week something better comes out!

danger boy

i think this one runs about $1,400 MSRP
who knows how much it cost on the street. have not heard it.. no one around here carries it

rlw

I really don't have any more information on SACD - but I'd suggest you check out AudioAsylum.Com, on the HiRez digital forum. Somebody over there is bound to bend your ear.

I just came across folks raving about the price/performance of the unit, I think it's been highly rated by Sterophile [maybe a Class B"] component, so I figured I'd toss the idea out.

Let me know how it works out for you.

polkatese

Danger Boy,
That is a very nice unit, SA-14, it's second from the top of the line SACD from Marantz, lots of dough, though...MSRP is actually $2,900...either way, it's waayyy out of what I am willing to pay for a SACD player from Marantz, now if it's Rotel, that's a different story....just my opinion.

rlw,
thanks, I placed an order at Tweeter, $399 for top notch MC SACD player (that is my sole reason in acquiring it) is a great deal. Hell, at that price, I can't even get entry level Sony XA222ES, and the Philips is definitely get a big nod for its SACD quality. I'll let you know how it performed. I was told that tweeter should have it by Monday or Wednesday.....and that purchase should conclude my upgrade rampage for the year........

mantis

polkatese,

.....and that purchase should conclude my upgrade rampage for the year........

Now there's 2003 around the corner.;)

polkatese

Dan,
funny you mention 2003, Sony SAT-HD200 already on my list.....

polkatese

fyi, if you are interested on the Philips SACD, here is a review by Sound and Vision Magazine:

Philips SACD 1000 Super Audio CD/DVD-Video PlayerPhilips SACD 1000 Super Audio CD/DVD-Video Player
(original review, April) It was a no-brainer to give a Reviewer’s Choice Award to the Philips SACD 1000. This flagship, “statement” component represents digital audio technology at its finest. (For $1,999, you’d expect no less.) The SACD 1000 was the first on the market to play both stereo and multichannel Super Audio CDs, and while the number of SACD titles is still small, what’s available sounds fantastic. If you need a bigger discography, the SACD 1000 also plays DVD-Video discs. For extra credit, it includes a Dolby Digital decoder and a progressive-scan component-video output. However, proving that there is a difference between excellence and perfection, its bass management works only with DVD-Video discs, not SACDs. Yes, it would be better if the player was able to redirect bass to a subwoofer if you have small main speakers. Still, the SACD 1000 is easily one of the best disc players to cross our threshold this year. Now, if only it played DVD-Audio discs, too . . . .
Philips Electronics - www.philipsusa.com, 800-531-0039
— Ken C. Pohlmann

polkatese

At $399, yes it is a budget price with first rate quality.....here is another review by Hi-Fi Choice of UK. Can you see why I am so excited about this player :

Although the SCD-1000 is no budget model, it does contain six channels of SACD technology together with all the decoding required of a fully-fledged DVD player.
Jitter is exceptionally low at 165psec for such a complex machine while any clock noise or uncorrelated noise-like jitter is utterly banished.

Distortion, too, is just about the lowest ever recorded at 0.0002% (or -114dB) through the midrange at peak output.

This 'increases' to 0.0005% at -10dBFs and just 0.005% at -30dBFs.

Even at the treble extremes, distortion is some 1000x lower than the unfortunate Integra RDV-1 at 0.006% while the wide 112dB S/N ratio is close to a true 19-bit performance (the theoretical limit for SACD is about 20-bits).

Combine this with complete freedom from digital images, excellent low-level linearity, >100dB channel-to-channel separation and it's easy to appreciate why the SCD-1000 is such a clean and impressive-sounding product.

jdavy

SACD is great if you listen to lots of music and do not mind replacing most of your collection. Worth the $ if you got it to blow.

madmax

A lot of good input from everyone. As for me I definitly want the following: SACD, Progressive Scan and DVD-A would be nice.

That eliminates everything presently available below $1000 except the Philips DVD963SA for $500 and the Pioneer Elite 47ai for $700.

Any thoughts between those two?

madmax

Frank Z

The 47ai came out right after I got my 47a. Yeah the latest model would have been nice but I'm still very happy with the performance of my player.

har_navalta

Yeah, I'm planning to get Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai too...

madmax

This bugs me a little bit. I was almost ready to take the plunge but someone over at hi rez asylum posted his in depth comparison of the '47ai vs his modded sony. He said the '47ai was fairly equal but that it sounded a little transistory as oposed to a fuller tube like sound from his modded sony. He said both were good but that the female voices seemed a little thin with the '47ai. I know this thinness (at least on my equipment) and have been trying to get away from it because it is standing in the way of some really good listening. I may try it anyway so long as I can send it back.
madmax

liv4fam

Sony 999ES.

Descent for the money

madmax

Well,
I just took the plunge and ordered the DV-47Ai. I can't wait to try it out!!!
madmax

danger boy

i really like the looks of these players.. anyone else notice how great looking they are? I can't afford any of them. but they are nice looking huh?