[hifial]

jhm731, First if you notice what I said "richidoo, it is my understanding from people in the know that no matter how good your SACD playback system is the SACD played back through it will not sound as good as the same DSD file of that SACD played back through a quality DSD playback system costing a lot less." Notice the part " it is my understanding from people in the know". So why do you keep acting like "I" made the statement. I am just the messenger, so do not shoot me.

And I later mention that THE OWNER< DESIGNER OF PLAYBACK DESIGNS HAS STATED THAT HIMSELF. So do you think HE has heard it in his own system.

Even if I heard all of them IN MY SYSTEM it is still JUST MHO so, so what. But when one of the leading designers has stated it then it means something.

Just for the record, I have heard all of them. Personally, I am not crazy about the dCS (to strident for me). I like the EMM Labs, Play Back Designs and MSB. Again IMHO. 

[rklein]

Great PCM is great.  Great DSD is great.  And poor to average PCM and DSD still clutter the hirez market

+1  I could not agree more with this statement.  Look, when I first heard DSD recordings up at Ted_b's home, I thought WOW!  this is fricking great.  However, I have to say that I actually preferred the HiRez recording of Steely Dan's Gaucho album over the DSD example that Ted had.  Both were very good and you would not be wanting for anything if you only had the HiRez version.

On the other hand, when I was borrowing Ted's Mytek DAC(before I purchased my Exasound E20) and got a hold of the DSD recordings of the Mahler Symphonies performed by the Budapest Festival Orchestra conducted by Ivan Fischer, my jaw literally dropped to the floor.  I could not believe what I was hearing!  Mind you, I have performed these symphonies many times in various orchestras and while not live, lemme tell you...it was awfully satisfying listening to the quality of these DSD recordings.

Let's face it. DSD only makes up a very small percentage of anyone's library but I for one am very grateful that I am able to have this additional format available for my listening pleasure.

Regards,

Randy