There are a lot of folks that are interested in hi-rez audio. I briefly (very, very briefly) compared a red book and a hi-rez version of a recording at Zybar's home, and I thought that there was a slight difference. Zybar has a very detailed system, and with a less revealing system, I don't know how noticeable, if at all, the difference would be. Regardless, hi-rez formats, because of marketing strategies, superiority, and/or whatever, are apparently becoming more prominent, and I wouldn't be surprised if, in the nearer future, the majority of newly produced music was in a hi-rez format. If that is the situation, it might be more difficult to sell a DAC that didn't accept hi-rez material.
Hey Henry, thanks for sharing what you heard, I have come to value your observations and opinions. 
Marty, that is quite a compliment, especially from an expert such as yourself. I don't intend to discount your compliment in any way, but I should mention that I am rather inexperienced, and I don't have many other forum members' and your critical listening abilities. Also, my listening session was only a few minutes. Zybar could undoubtedly articulate the distinctions in a more helpful way, but I don't think that he peruses this forum.