Is it worth buying an SACD player?

If your DVD player can play the SACD but (1) you cannot hear a difference between "regular CD" and SACD and (2) your player doesn't access the "higher end sampling," it is likely you are only hearing the RedBook (CD) layer of a hybrid SACD. Thus, you are still only listening to a CD.

So, you do need a real SACD player to appreciate what the medium can do. There are many options and, for the most part, all will output analog audio from the SACD layer and almost all SACDs have a dedicated 2-channel track on them.

Specific recommendations? Too many options but they start at about $100 and go everywhere.

Is it worth it? Well, again, that depends on whether you have or will buy enough SACDs to justify the purchase. Go to www.sa-cd.net and see what there is that appeals to me. If so, don't wait as you are coming very late to the party.

Kal (who is now hoarding SACDs and players)

No. Wait until the SACD masters are issued on blu-ray.

Buconero117 wrote:

No. Wait until the SACD masters are issued on blu-ray.

Depends on how patient or old you are. I don't see a comparable level of purely musical releases to happen for quite a few years.

Kal

I sold my SACD player and sometimes I regret it. When I play an album I used to listen to in SA, it just doesn't sound as good anymore. SACD is really a wonderful format and I will probably get another SACD player down the road since new ones are still coming out.

Arthur