what's the current state of digital?

drphoto · « **on:** 24 Nov 2003, 06:04 pm »

I've seen people touting the merits of filterless dacs lately. Having just reread digital section of Rob Hartley's book, it seems like filtering is neccesary. So how can they work?

Is SACD everything it was promised to be? Are there new relatively inexpensive players that sound good?

Can these players be used as transports for redbook?

I've got the Stan Warren aiwa/MSB setup. It's very laid back and pleasing, but not the last word in transparancy. (I thought the modded Sony DVD/modded P3 I heard at Marbles was just as smooth, but much more detailed......albeit at 3x the price)

_scotty_ · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Nov 2003, 07:44 pm »

drphoto, the next step up from the Aiwa/MSB combo is Stans' full boat modded Phillips SACD 1000. It has greater detail,better transparency,and more dynamics, than the Aiwa/MSB combo. SACD's from new DSD or PCM
masters are very good,reissues from old analogue masters are variable in their sound quality. Red book playback can be extraordinary, but is once again a function of the mastering used and the quality of the original master. I have spent about $1000.00 total on the SACD1000
including mods.

Marbles · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Nov 2003, 07:51 pm »

The thing with the SACD 1000 is the reliability of the transport mechanism.

Sometimes they work, sometimes they break. I don't think I have heard as much trouble with any other SACD/CDP as I have with this player.

Scotty, what have you heard on the reliability of this player?

_scotty_ · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Nov 2003, 07:37 am »

Alex Peychev at AplHiFi, is the man who can fix them on the west coast
and Jim Lucas at the Phillips Tampa repair center on the east coast can fix them. According to Alex, so far all of the failed machines he has seen have had the same series no. MACE 2 processor fail. Mine has a 2600 series processor, these apparently have no known reliability issues. Because of the rumor-mill nature of the internet if ten audiophiles have a problem with a product and post about it the assumption is that the product has an above average failure rate. We only hear about the ones that didn't work, or were difficult to have repaired, we never hear about the ones that are still working. If you go to the AA SACD forum, all brands of players have problems that are reported. The consensus opinion could be
that nothing works reliably. I so far have had no problems with mine, but I know where to send it to have it repaired if necessary. I apologize for the
off topic nature of the post.