Definitive Audiophile pressings

AnthonyI said:
Since we're talking about "Difinitve" pressings and while this isn't completely in line with this thread, I thought it best to pose this question here. So I'm just looking for some opinions, I'm not diving head first into SACD's, but would like to grab something, if for nothing else, to test the unit. But, while I was mulling this over and just looking for an SACD I started to wonder, should I get something I don't own in some other format, or should I get something I do have and am familiar with for comparison.

What would you do?
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I'm always a bit surprised with SACD's, I've got a few classical & have the DOTM 30th anniversary, but don't own & never have had an SACD player, So I don'r really know how they sound. I though about buying one years ago, but SACD's sort of fell out of favour. I wonder if they'd made a better fist of adding SACD capability to most CD players if the CD market would be as strong as the vinyl market.
 
Andy said:
I'm always a bit surprised with SACD's, I've got a few classical & have the DOTM 30th anniversary, but don't own & never have had an SACD player, So I don'r really know how they sound. I though about buying one years ago, but SACD's sort of fell out of favour. I wonder if they'd made a better fist of adding SACD capability to most CD players if the CD market would be as strong as the vinyl market.
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I think that there was a bit of that but also a bit of Sony/Philips launching a super duper high sound quality, more expensive, physical format onto the market at the same time as people were moving towards cheap low quality downloads that could easily be stored on the lower capacity computer/player memory of the time.

The appetite for higher quality sound is always niche and was particularly niche in the early 2000s. It’s only really recently with better internet connectivity allowing hi res streaming that we’ve seen a move back towards sound quality in the mainstream and it’s had to come back towards lower res on price and convenience to do that.
 
Joe Mac said:
I think that there was a bit of that but also a bit of Sony/Philips launching a super duper high sound quality physics format onto the market at the same time as people were moving towards cheap low quality downloads that could easily be stored on the lower capacity computer/player memory of the time. The appetite for higher quality sound is always niche and was particularly niche in the early 2000s. It’s only really recently with better internet connectivity allowing hi res streaming that we’ve seen a move back towards sound quality in the mainstream.
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Yeah, I was meaning that of Phillips/Sony gave away the tech, made it easier for other companies the mainstream might have seen are more notable difference between the (SA)CD they were ditching & the shit streaming quality that Spotify & Apple were offering. If I'm honest I don't think that would have been the case anyway, I don't even think the mainstream are bothered about higher quality now. The amount of people I know who are well into music but don't realise how shit Spotify is is ridiculous. The move for Spotify to go to CD like quality is huge for the streaming world, but it's still only a niche part of the market.
 
Andy said:
Yeah, I was meaning that of Phillips/Sony gave away the tech, made it easier for other companies the mainstream might have seen are more notable difference between the (SA)CD they were ditching & the shit streaming quality that Spotify & Apple were offering. If I'm honest I don't think that would have been the case anyway, I don't even think the mainstream are bothered about higher quality now. The amount of people I know who are well into music but don't realise how shit Spotify is is ridiculous. The move for Spotify to go to CD like quality is huge for the streaming world, but it's still only a niche part of the market.
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True but it’s probably the biggest shift the mainstream has made in that direction in 25 years because let’s face it Spotify and Apple Music are, whether we like it or not, the mainstream.

I also think how you listen makes a huge difference as well, Spotify normal is shit in my living room through a stereo but on a crowded tram through noise cancelling headphones it’s absolutely fine, a bit like FM radio in the car, not everything needs to be audiophile either.

I think SACD was doomed for large sales from the start to be honest, it was never going to take off in the time and place it came out. It was just as physical was no longer required by the casual music fan or the less discerning normal fan. It only persists because of the classical/jazz audiophile market in the west and because it was big in Japan which always kinda marches to its own beat.

I think the licensing and strict refusal to allow the DSD layer to be passed out was a fear of copywright theft of what they were billing as master quality sound files.
 
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Joe Mac said:
True but it’s probably the biggest shift the mainstream has made in that direction in 25 years because let’s face it Spotify and Apple Music are, whether we like it or not, the mainstream.

I also think how you listen makes a huge difference as well, Spotify normal is shit in my living room through a stereo but on a crowded tram through noise cancelling headphones it’s absolutely fine, a bit like FM radio in the car, not everything needs to be audiophile either.

I think SACD was doomed for large sales from the start to be honest, it was never going to take off in the time and place it came out. It was just as physical was no longer required by the casual music fan or the less discerning normal fan. It only persists because of the classical/jazz audiophile market in the west and because it was big in Japan which always kinda marches to its own beat.

I think the licensing and strict refusal to allow the DSD layer to be passed out was a fear of copywright theft of what they were billing as master quality sound files.
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Agree with everything, except the FM comparison. FM can sound great though the hifi :)
 
Joe Mac said:
Haha! Fair enough. I don’t think I’ve listened to FM radio outside the car regularly since the late 90s! When I ditch the antique and get a new car with carplay I can’t ever see me listening to it again…
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FM's great if you get a good reception, obviously you don't have the capability to get as many chances as digital.
I must admit, any radio listening I do now is through Digital streaming, but I would think a good FM tuner would likely give a better sound.
 
Andy said:
FM's great if you get a good reception, obviously you don't have the capability to get as many chances as digital.
I must admit, any radio listening I do now is through Digital streaming, but I would think a good FM tuner would likely give a better sound.
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I’m just not that big on radio to be honest. It doesn’t help that DJs here never shut the fuck up, it’s all talk talk 3 hours of adverts talk talk some more and maybe a song or a news bulletin if you’re lucky. The only station I listen to is 6 music on my alarm clock which obviously is no go other than DAB or the net. Radio is one thing I that I have very little love for.
 
Joe Mac said:
I’m just not that big on radio to be honest. It doesn’t help that DJs here never shut the fuck up, it’s all talk talk 3 hours of adverts talk talk some more and maybe a song or a news bulletin if you’re lucky. The only station I listen to is 6 music on my alarm clock which obviously is no go other than DAB or the net. Radio is one thing I that I have very little love for.
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I get what you mean, I used to listen to a bit of Radio 6 but less so lately, I also listen to some things on Radio 4. TBH most music I listen to is on vinyl
 
Andy said:
FM's great if you get a good reception, obviously you don't have the capability to get as many chances as digital.
I must admit, any radio listening I do now is through Digital streaming, but I would think a good FM tuner would likely give a better sound.
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I remember in the late 70s being able to get FM signals broadcast over the coax cable and my dad hooking it up to the stereo. The sound was amazing, especially live stuff
 
jamieanderson1968 said:
I remember in the late 70s being able to get FM signals broadcast over the coax cable and my dad hooking it up to the stereo. The sound was amazing, especially live stuff
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I was thinking the same, my dad always had a fairly decent tuner hooked up via coax. It sounded great.
 
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