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The difference between writing a review with the intent to...

entertain and the more mundane replying to an e-mail from someone you do not know. I think it is refreshing to hear more and more individuals come forth to question what they are hearing from SACD (and DVD-A as well). Hey, the whole idea with SACD, originally, was to replace the CD. It was the format that was going to put the copy genie back in the bottle. There are subtle differences between CD and SACD and funny enough, I was just reading Mr. A's review of the Sony SCDXA9000ES, the newest flagship from Sony. In comparing the Sony with the Krell and Linn Unidisk, he says, it is hard to distinguish much difference between the players. Now that is in a comparison of SACD discs, but he also mentions that he is mulling over the fact that SACD, while it gets instrument timbre more "right", it does seem more fragile. I agree with this assessment as well. SACD seems to be lighter in weight or texture than CD. So if the differences are this subtle, how is the "average" person going to hear any difference? I also agree with his comments in regards to DVD players. The retail salesperson has been told that DVD players sound as good as CD players. To me, this is the industry doing another disservice to itself. But then again, most people can't tell, don't care and just want convenience. In my view, we should not be pandering to the record labels and cheering everytime a new disc comes out, we should be acknowledging the discs, for sure, but lets be critical about their assessment. Just cause a disc is announced, doesn't mean it will sound any good, yet the hype on many discs begins as soon as they are announced and we get the first breathless review,"sounds like night and day the difference" when we don't even know if the reviewer has listened to the CD layer. As well, we should be clambering for a standardized digital connection. 5 years for this is far too long. By kowtowing and being patronizing towards the SACD format, we are not adding anything to the urgency necessary to move it forward. The SACD format has all but abandoned its lifeblood, the audiophile, in pursuit of bigger markets. Why? Because we have let them know we will be there regardless of what they do. Where are the steps forward in the format? New hardware? Well, read the Stereophile review of the TEAC DV50 - it is almost exclusively done with CD material!! Hardly any mention of SACD or DVD-A discs!! How can we make an assessment of a universal player based upon this?? The new LINN, Krell and Sony players sound very similar, the Sony, uses the same DACs as from its predecessor? Cripes, what a dogs breakfast!! Come on, lets keep the heat on! And I don't mean by keeping the fire going so Sony can come into the living room when they got cold, I mean by holding a burning flame on their feet to keep them moving!!

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