"local" sacd's

I hate to spoil your party, but SACD is finished before it got started. I have received word from a good source that Sony has already discontinued their 2 top of the line SACD players and will only incorporate SACD into cheap players. So who in mid-fi will care about SACD? Thus, SACD's doom. If you want really great sound today, try a player or dac with upsampling - 24/96khz. Forget SACD, lick your premature, "I gotta have it now" wounds and buy one of these great sounding new upsampling units and make your entire 16/44 disc collection sound better than ever.

Sorry Markel, but you've misread Sony's current marketing plan. Sony never intended SACD to be a high end product. The DSD process was originally designed as a archiving A/D for the digital conversion of their massive music catalog. The introduction of DSD as a consumer product called SACD had more to do with Sony trying to out position the DVD-Audio consortium. Sony now intends to market SACD as a mass market product -- witness the introduction of their $1,200 multi disc player and the annoucement of a $400 (street price) single disc player. Furthermore, within 18-24 months all new Sony CD/DVD players will be SACD capable. Where Sony has fallen down is on the software front. Despite many promises, SACDs are not readily available. Also note that all current Sony SACD players have digital output of 44.1kHz signals, so if desired, an external DAC can still be utilized. By the way, most who have experienced both upsampling and SACD opine that SACD is the superior format.

I think you are right Onhwy61, Sony has to push this to the end (hey got to keep the royalties coming) I do wish I could actually go down the street and by a SACD instead of having to order them and it would also be nice to pick up something a little more "rocking". You would think that with Sony having their hands in so many record labels out there that the software would be a little more prevailent but with the plans you listed above that should change hopefully SOONER not later.

By the way every store I have tried, (Borders to Warehouse) has looked at me with a total look of bewilderment when they hear the term "SACD". Half of them thought it was a band!!!!!!

When I bought my first dvd player,I got blank stares at Blockbuster when I asked when they would start renting DVD's . I predict by next Christmas there will be over a thousand titles and the major music retailers will carry them. It takes time to shift formats. Look how long it is taking the HD tv thing to happen.