just got my first sacd player

[FISH_MAN]

I have never owned an sacd player but just purchased this one off the display at barrets it sounds great "smokes my rotel" and I have yet to play an sacd with it because I do not own any yet.I think the company is going to change the line because they are also on sale at music direct for $1399.99 I just wanted to share it with you all "MARANTZ - SA-15 REFERENCE"

 

[taylode]

Congrat's on your new toy! If it sounds half as good as it looks your in for many hours of enjoyment. :music: Being a bit of a Mc-nut I just got their new MCD500 SACD/CD player. I too don't have many SACD's but plan to fix that. :rocker: In any case, enjoy your new toy and thanks for sharing the pick.

 

[TomDac]

you're gonna love playing SACDs and hearing things you never heard before!! it's cool!

 

[twich54]

Nice find "Fish", enjoy !

 

[MiTT]

I've seen the Marantz's at several trade shows and in the Music Direct catalog etc., but haven't had a chance to sit and listen to them myself. They seem committed to the format and have been well reviewed, and it certainly is a looker.

I think you're going to enjoy SACD's as you start to acquire them. Did you happen to see TonePub's comments in another thread? He was mentioning that MoFi and others are seeing a resurgance in SACD and see it competing with vinyl in the coming year. You'll likely see many new titles to choose from!

Enjoy!
:music:

 

[FISH_MAN]

I think sacd and vinyl are going to be a final audiophile holdout.I have been wrong in the past about such things but as the ipod takes control of the main stream market quality recordings will find their refuge here.Oh and the 1/4" headphone jack sounds really good.

 

[theWB]

Fish,
Nice find.
Here's a previous thread on some great SACD titles.
http://www.martinloganowners.com/~tdacquis/forum/showthread.php?t=5029&highlight=sacd
If you have a 5.1 system, Roxy Musics Avalon is a must buy.

 

[FISH_MAN]

thanks for the link

I am going to pick up 15-20 sacds

 

[Cherian]

I can not say enough good things about the Dead Can Dance on SACD. It is awsome.

 

[nsgarch]

You can order LPs online, but you still have to wait for the mailman!

He was mentioning that MoFi and others are seeing a resurgence in SACD and see it competing with vinyl in the coming year.

I know mitt was quoting someone else, but SACD competing with vinyl? Another instance of a mouth over a brain at the finish line?

Vinyl will be played, and new vinyl pressed long after SACD and all the other optical formats have been retired, and here's why: can you say 'broadband'?. (You have to smile just to say it ) If you've been reading business reports, sales of all optical formats, including video, are sliding. And in some countries (not ours) where 20 Mg broadband is common, it's really down!

And for devoted digiphiles, not to worry. Your needs have already been addressed: http://www.hdtracks.com/index.php

 

[tav1]

Congrats. Enjoy!
Torry

 

[C.A.P]

SACD is a area I have been looking at . I am toying with that or Blur Ray HT.

 

[FISH_MAN]

I have a ps3 for blue ray it is a great machine but it sucks a big one for cd playback in my opinion.

 

[User211]

Lucky you! This might sound paranoid, but over the years I have found laser mechs to be basically unreliable - especially CD/DVD burners etc.

It might well be worth finding out what mech is uses, and buying one if the price isn't too bad. The reason I say this is my MF Tri-Vista SACD mech is broken, and as a result I am heart broken.

All - be aware that Philips seem to do short runs of transports, say 500, and then they produce no more. It is impossible to get a replacement for the Tri-Vista.

So my Tri-Vista has now be converted to a DAC. I am negotiating with Musical Fidelity for some sort of deal - but I DO NOT like their current offerings... and the top of the line transport/DAC, although on the website, is no longer stocked by them AND it doesn't play SACDs. They have offered me half price on a next one down, but you can't use it as a DAC, and that for me is essential. I'd better add I DID buy it off of ebay some time ago, so MF are being nice to some extent.

Difficult situation. So all SACD owners - take note - and do some checking up...

Oh - enjoy FISH_MAN - Beck's Sea Change is my fave SACD. And THEY ARE better than CDs, no matter what anyone might tell you

 

[DTB300]

Difficult situation. So all SACD owners - take note - and do some checking up...

The transport in my player was approx. 4 years old and I just had it replaced. Not because the old one failed, but when rated at around 5 years, and for $100 or so, why not replace it.

I wonder if MF "really" used a limited version transport, or just does not want to deal with it.

And THEY ARE better than CDs, no matter what anyone might tell you

They can be when done right. But like all formats available there are great ones, average ones, and down right crappy ones.

 

[User211]

I wonder if MF "really" used a limited version transport, or just does not want to deal with it.

They can be when done right. But like all formats available there are great ones, average ones, and down right crappy ones.

First point - definately not. I have tried other sources for repair - it's a known fact there are none available. The servo controller ICs have gone in nearly all sold...

2nd - yup. But all things being equal... it is a better format.

 

[MiTT]

I believe that Michael Fremmer actually wrote about this transport issue in Stereophile. Apparently this transport was also used in a Wadia product, and Ayre and the first version of the Krell SACD Standard. There was some sort of a design issue and Phillips abandodned the product leaving all of those manufacturers in the lurch, including MF. I know Wadia now sources their transports from Esoteric. I recall that right after the story was published there was a pretty large influx of those players on AudioGon. I'll see if I can find the actual article and if it's online I'll post a link here.

 

[User211]

Thanks Tim. About the only MF option is their X-RAYv8 CD player http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/xseries/xrayv8.html, which I could use as a transport.

Their A1 just got a average review in Hi-Fi News, so not an option. The player they offered me half price was http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/a1008/index.html - but no digital in so NOT an option.

I am LOATH to let it go - it was A+ rated and it sounds superb. MF want it back for a half price deal on the 1008, i.e. £1500.

The X-RAYv8 option would mean I'd have to keep the Tri-Vista - I am not sure they will go with it. Oh BTW: it is not possible to put a bog standard CD transport in the Tri-Vista - it just won't work, apparently. It'll just be an interface thing, I expect.

 

[DTB300]

2nd - yup. But all things being equal... it is a better format.

It has the "potential by design" to be better than Redbook - and when done right, is.

And we are seeing better and better SACD releases - too bad it is limited to just certain genre.

 

[amey01]

Surely they could modify any transport to fit to the TriVista? Especially if they're failing all over the place it would make sense for their engineers to develop a replacement part.

But alas, they'd rather sell you something new.

It's a damn shame, but Musical Fidelity is like that. They make some fantastic sounding products, but the constant turnover of products and their carrying on about how this product is the best sounding ever (until the next one comes along a few months later, when it's suddenly garbage) really turns me off.

I had an A2 (class A integrated) many years ago and it too was a great sounding product, but I needed two of them for when it was in for repair. Then they tried to tell me that reliability was the "price you paid" for class A operation and that if I wanted something reliable I should look at the A3 which was no longer Class A. No more MF amps ever again - no matter how good they sound!

I now own a X-DAC v3 and as per standard MF, it sounds fantastic. Haven't had any reliabiliity issues either, but time will tell. Hopefully I'll be able to buy my long wanted Tube Technology DAC64 before it goes bellyup.