SACD... can you hear the difference?

IMO a better comparison is to match up a quality XRCD against the SACD
XRCD is the uncompressed hi-Rez "normal CD pressing" without the max 16/44 format first introduced for airplay.

E.g. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms discs are issues in both SACD and XRCD pressings.( there are many others including inter alia, The Eagles)

My observations

(1) Any comparison is system dependent sensitive for sure as highlighted by the prior posts . The better the system ...... Yada Yada ....

(2) I've heard both including A-B .

(A) In my system, the XRCD wins out and the difference is not subtle because of (1) above and also because of the preferred results embedded in the actual recording.

(B) I've heard them in more modestly priced audio systems and the the results vary even to the point that the SACD prevails.

(3) in all cases, audio reproduction through a multi channel receiver always lagged far behind the audio performance of hi-end and quality built separates. There is no escaping the time-honoured tenet in this hobby that you only get what you pay for.

It depends. When I first started listening to SACDs about nine years ago, I could certainly hear a significant improvement over CD. Much greater clarity, precision and quality. However, some SACDs are not of such good quality. There's a significant difference between the SACDs of Miles Davis released in the US versus those produced in Japan. The Japanese SACDs are a real marvel. The US pressings are not so much so. You do, however, have to have a decent player to notice the differences.

I use an Ayre C5xemp which plays both CD's and SACD (and DVD's too)...anyway, I've come away with the view that both are good and there is little to distinguish between them. Really depends on how it was produced.

I find it very from disc to disc. You said your disc player is new, the sound may change as you get more hours on it. then might see(hear) a difference. Not all SACD are great but i do like them.
enjoy Pete

It depends on the source material and mastering, I think that sacds sound airier and more resonant with a good dac. I know this sounds anal and silly, but 24/88.2 sounds more natural than either 24/96 or 24/192. Maybe the recordings that opt to use 24/88.2 are created by more careful producer? Anyway, that's what I've found. Compare a good sacd of a well known chestnut to the cd and I think you will agree. I have one of the oppo universal players and have listened to both on the same player and guests who don't know a thing about audio have remarked on the clarity. My former CD player, a heavily modified behemoth costing six times what the oppo costs, will be going up for sale shortly.