Coping in an Age of Uncertainty

cornfed

my solution

beef up the redbook setup

I went with an EVS Millenium II dac (incredible piece)
upsamples tp 24/192
and a Teac (Wadia) transport

I also bought an inexpensive ($300) Toshiba DVD/DVD-A player
I have done direct a/b comparisons on Steely Dan's new disc
it's a toss up

why go the universal route when I can enjoy DVD's today and the DVD-A. I doubt SACD will ever have music I like and $25 a pop when I can get new discs at $9-12 each, forget it.

so hedge your bets and spend little now
and see how it plays out

tom

In an age of uncertainty, I buy gear compatible with established formats in the marketplace - that is to say, those formats which are "universally available". I haven't attempted a 7.1 system, DVD-A, SACD, etc - not enough software to justify the expense. The cost to get into all of the latest formats (latest preamp for 7.1, added speakers and amplification, and the source units to make it work) vs. the benefits obtained is too expensive. I find that staying in a 5.1 system has given me much more bang for the buck. I like high quality used gear or closeouts for this reason - I get expensive sound with not so expensive prices.

SACD and DVDA are crippled at the starting gate

1. People are not going to replace their CD collections.
2. Source material is too slow arriving in the marketplace.
DVD source material moved quickly into marketplace, I think
because of the DVD rental market.
3. Teen-agers won't fork out the cash - huge marketshare
4. CD replaced vinyl - audio quality didn't figure in. QED

Over a year and half later from when this post was originally started and you could ask the same question.

On the eve of 2003, WHERE'S THE MUSIC?

With all disrespect, how many music lovers are satisfied with the assortment of titles available on SACD (or DVD-A) as of December 31, 2002?

It reminds me of a joke that the owner of Wilson Audio supposedly used to tell. He claimed that he sold a $150,000 WAMM system to a well-to-do farmer in Nebraska who only owned 15 albums, 6 of them by Conway Twitty... and those were the good ones.

Personally, "Tony Bennett Unplugged" and Eugene Ormandy conducting the Cleveland Orchestra aren't my idea of great music in any format. Last time I looked, EVERY SINGLE ONE of the SACD titles available was a similar old chestnut from the Sony/Columbia archives, aimed squarely at casual listeners.

So far, SACD versus DVD-A is shaping up to be the war of elevator music formats!