@ReaktorLeak I read somewhere that LPs have a resolution of about 12 bits. This means that people ripping their vinyl at 24 bit/196 kHz are more or less wasting hard disk space.

Where do you buy them ?

@@kringtheking2657 I've been getting mine on Amazon and Discogs.

@@revokdaryl1 i looked on ebay but i only found certain music genres. Classic etc

@@kringtheking2657 Yes, Ebay has them as well.

Thanks for your comment. I agree, they need to find a better way to market "physical" music media in a download age to the younger people. I haven't bought a CD in about 20 years, but when I need one, it's nice to have them right there where I left them!

The SACDs on eBay are £££

I think it's simply that most people don't want to pay a lot of money for something that's just marginally better than the cheap or free option. Most people are not aware about the technical limitations of sound recording and storage media - but they do hear differences and if those differences too small, they simply not bother with it. It doesn't matter how good the storage format and playback is, if the recording/production sucks. Because, shit in = shit out. Maybe those SACDs uses a special production without (or with just minimal) mastering and are not affected by "loudness war" and the other factors that really ruin the audio quality of modern music. But, if it's the same recordings/productions as we typically find on regular CDs or online, changing from standard CDs to that SACDs will probably be like getting a few centimeters closer, while the goal is still kilometers away. The improvement is so marginal, compared to doing something about what really ruins the audio quality.

Another example is if we take videos from the shittiest cameras available today (like those found on really cheap cell phones, surveilance cameras or cheap web cams) and put them on and old VHS - that would't look much worse compared to the high quality formats we have now. So now - think about the idea if every commercial movie or TV production was shot with such cameras and most people didn't know there is better cameras out there. We would probably still be stuck with VHS, since the digital formats would barely give any improvement (DVD would probably still come up as an option, but few people would buy it, since the improvement is just marginal). The free downloadable or steamed options would probably still be popular though - just because they are free. But then we would indeed have the people argue that VHS is better. This is exactly the kind of situation we have now when it comes to sound productions. The recording/production quality is so far below the technical limitations that it doesn't really matter what format is used. I'm pretty shure that if the SACDs was that much better, they would be more popular. Even if most people will have a room with terrible acoustics (pretty much any ordinary room without acoustic treatment - that's another limiting factor, because even really good speakers often sound half assed if nothning is done about the room) they will hear a big difference. Also everyone listning thru headphones (who don't have to deal with room acoustics at all), will notice a huge difference between a good recording and the mastered crap, 99% of the music is today

Lol

Agreed! Only the British could do such a thing as take a wonderful speaker design and make it unnecessarily limited!

Totally agree. I have $4000 speakers that sound great.. Mind you the whole system is worth $20 000.

Agreed. They are for a very specific setup. And they did sound stunningly good, like the first time I heard Bose speakers set up at the factory. If they wanted to be more evil today, they'd probably use a proprietary digital stream so you HAVE to use their equipment!

But when Bose speakers are setup properly can put to shame some so-called audiophile equipments out there, lol!

haha, thanks.

Mr picky lol Paul 👍🏻 😁

Totally agree with you. It's not the SACD or Marantz that has a problem. It's the weird speakers !!!

Wonderful story! Thanks for sharing! I don't mind recapping - I do it all the time on 1960's equipment!

SACDs are excellent. Really the only thing that beats them is the master tape of the recording itself, if it's an analogue recording.

Totally agree. I just wish Sony let me have that digital stream that I thought I paid for.

Also, the Alan Parsons Project is rereleasing some of their landmark albums on SACD again.

There’s DVD-Audio and Blu-ray-Audio too… Limiting your audio library isn’t good.

It works beautifully with a CD!

Amen. I'm pretty much an analog guy. I like my separate amps/pre-amps. The Meridiens sound really awesome, to be sure, but I'm a tinkerer and like to mess around with my circuits, and I want an analog input! I get the feeling the Meridiens are for the rich people who want instant high-end sound but don't have the time or desire to mess with low-level circuit stuff.

@@JoyeMusiccom Sorry but I've heard several setups with Meridians, and I'm yet to actually hear music come from them. I've heard a lot of harsh frequencies but nothing that really resembles warm analogue, real music. I'm a guy who plays nice grand pianos, owns 15 acoustic guitars and have been dealing in HIFI for 40 years. Finding a great system can take years of buying and selling and matching and removing anything from your system that isn't musical, such as silver cables of any type. etc etc. etc.

NOT TRUE on both counts. (1) These speakers were from 1993 and SACD came out in 1999, so digital speakers were, in fact, first. (2) I'm not that dumb because, thankfully, I didn't buy any of this. It's all my friend's equipment. Here's the story: When you get great sound from a SACD in analog and you happen upon some awesome digital speakers for a deal, your first thought is "hey, I can hook these up easily and play a SACD". Then you find out you can't, and you get really disenfranchised with Sony for TREATING YOU LIKE A PIRATE INSTEAD OF A CUSTOMER. That's the point I'm making here.

@@JoyeMusiccom But here's the thing....SACD, when played through analog outputs, will work with 99.9999999% of all music systems. The limiting factor is the Meridian speakers.

@@dannytse8767 Absolutely. That's why I hate digital-only speakers!

@@JoyeMusiccom What are digital only speakers? Each speaker must have a DAC in it then? What source can be played? Are they presuming you are using optical out of your CD player or something like that? So could you ever play LP / Vinyl, any other analogue input? Seems like a huge limitation to me? How do you select different audio sources and inputs?

Thanks for the comment. Definitely that would work, and probably be indistinguishable from straight SACD. But it's just painful to think that I would be converting digital to analog, then to digital then to analog again! It is a shame that SACD just does put out normal CD quality full digital. They should put out SOMETHING instead of nothing at all!

@@JoyeMusiccom Converting DSD to PCM would probably offend the proponents of DSD. It would also require extra digital processing for a feature most people wouldn't find useful. Many SACDs are hybrid discs with a CD layer, so you might be able to listen to that. It defeats the point of having SACD (assuming there is a benefit, which could start an audio-religion debate), but at least it will let you listen to it.

DVD-A is done already. Meanwhile, there were over new 500 SACD releases worldwide in 2023 and the format will push past 17,000 releases worldwide any day now. SACD will also celebrate its 25th anniversary next month.

What does one have to do with the other? I still feel ripped off, after listening to a CD that I bought, brand new for about $15, that only included low bitrate MP3s, from a major label. It turns out, they thought I'd be willing to pay an additional fee, to hear the 'CD quality' version. That was about 10 years ago, I guess... and I'm never buying another product from that band. These idiots ruined the entire record industry.

You missed the fundamental problem. The Marantz CD/SACD player does output a standard CD stream through the SPDIF cable, but put an SACD in, and it outputs nothing because Sony does not allow access to the digital stream. Sony treats its customers like pirates. Maybe some newer player can put out HDMI that could be converted into a usable SPDIF stream for the Meridiens. But these are British speakers with only SPDIF digital inputs, so I can't expect them to be flexible. I'm an all-analog kind of guy anyway. Analog never goes out of style. Thankfully I didn't buy the speakers, my friend did.

@@JoyeMusiccom all Marantz SACD output analogue so there’s no need for a PCM stream. The problem is Meridian not Sony. You need a Meridian preamp/receiver that accepts analog in. Nobody who buys an SACD desires or wants PCM from the SACD layer. They want SCAD DSD decoded to analog not PCM as PCM can obliterate the sonics of DSD.

@@supersonicboy75 Amen, the problem is the British!

@@JoyeMusiccom that conclusion isn’t going to help you necessarily. You’ve bought expensive kit but haven’t ready understood what it can and can’t do and now you’re upset because your belief that spending money brings results hasn’t lived up. It’s like buying a two seater Ferrari and then complaining that it doesn’t carry shipping crates. Why did you buy DSP Meridian speakers (only ever used in a Meridian eco-system) and only have PCM inputs? Either buy a Meridian digital source or sell the speakers and start afresh. If you’re passionate about the sonics of SACD and the quality of its mastering, then buy an SACD player and output the analogue into any conventional system.

@@supersonicboy75 Like I said, I didn't buy the Meridiens, my friend did. I'm impressed with how they sound even with CDs. I don't mind CDs. Yes, Meridien is part of the problem, and, to my knowledge, they don't offer an SACD player on their Meridien line-up - At least there was no such option as of 2010. I'm infinitely annoyed that Meridien didn't offer an analog input (after all, they have to convert to analog to make the speakers move!). However, Sony is still to blame, because they do not allow SACD 196kHz to leave the SACD player via SPDIF by firmware; it is either muted (like my Marantz player) or downsampled to 48kHz or 44.1kHz. If you'd like me to make an analogy, it's like buying a 12-cylinder car made by Sony that has a 6-speed transmission, but you can't use the 6th gear unless you cripple the engine by turning off half the cylinders first.

Ok.most respectfully. Are you maintaining DSD or is your system converting to PCM

@@frankgyure3154 DSD to analog.

Don't bet on it. I heard a $100 000 setup recently and it wasn't very musical. Detailed yes. Musical no.

@@robbiefest Good point.

Only the Brits could take such a nice speaker and limit it unnecessarily!

It's 60Hz -- bad fluorescent lamp ballast. I'm upgrading to silent LEDs soon.

I'll never know. Couldn't get that disc to work! Now explain to me why they made an SACD of a Beatles recording if it was so bad? Glad I'm just testing them for my friend, so I didn't spend a dime on them. But $1,000 is definitely a deal for these things. They had no trouble getting very clean bass straight down to 25Hz. Much better than any speakers the Beatles had!

DVD-A is essentially dead.

@@dannytse8767 Yes! So why call Super Audio CD the most epic failure when those discs are still bing made and DVD-Audio discs are not?

@@nicholassheffo5723 You will have to ask the OP of the video.

@@ematcion Actually, I will not have to ask anyone about it because no DVD-Audio discs are made anymore and SA-CD is still alive, so how SA-CD cab be the biggest format bomb ever or whatever the video is saying is outright wrong and totally inaccurate. I like both formats too, but that's the truth and results of the mini-format war they had before Napster arrived.

Actually, the point was Sony treats its customers like pirates when they assume you're buying the SACD to pirate the digital content. And I didn't spend a dime on these -- They belong to my friend! -Cheers

@@JoyeMusiccom Get an Oppo BDP103. You can rip from it. It puts out digital via HDMI.It may even do audio over optical. I haven't read too far into that side of it as I don't need it. Maybe you can get a convertor to go from HDMI to optical if that's what your speakers receive, or get an interface, or small DAC or preamp. Yes Marantz will only put out RCA 5.1 but that's the way the machine is built. It was right for it's time. You have to put everything into perspective. I'd have to ask why was your speaker manufacturer so limited in it's input options? That's where the shortcomings are, not the SACD format. The right equipment for SACD sounds brilliant.

@@robbiefest The speakers were made in 1993 and Meridien is a British company. I think just saying they are British is enough to justify why there is only one input option, but I threw 1993 in there for fun!

Yep, bad fluorescent lamp fixture in the ceiling. Hate those.

Haha nice. Only the British could make speakers so limiting. Still, SACD carries the blame for being a digital format that you can't use in a digital system, all because Sony treats its customers as if they're pirates.

Thanks for watching. I'm glad I didn't pay for them - They are my friend's. I was just testing them out and thought I'd try the SACD. What I can't believe is that SACD doesn't just put out a regular CD stream from the digital port. That's not hard to do. So I had to test them with a regular CD. They sounded amazing and I just wish the Brits put an analog input on them too.

THANK YOU!!

@Mike P correct

These are 24/96 compatible. SACD is the thing that doesn't put out a digital signal, whereas CD does. I don't see how you can not blame SACD for intentionally crippling the capability. I mean, it should AT LEAST put out a CD-quality stream -- you PAID for it, after all.

The Marantz HAS a digital output, which works wonderfully with regular CDs. It's the Sony format which assumes that you are a pirate and does not allow you to have access to the SACD digital stream. Yes, I totally agree that these Meridiens are hideously narrow in only accepting SPDIF input. But, alas, they ARE British, after all!.... I was always an analog guy - Analog NEVER goes out of style!

Amen!

You are aware the Sony also owes one of the biggest music company in the world, right?

Well said.

But if you update your PS3 software to the latest version Your ability to play SACD is gone

@@beezanteeum || That's ridiculous.

I'm just purchased a 1st gen PS3. Keeping my fingers crossed

@@gregbutler7172 To prevent your ps3 backward compatible from overheating.. Don't play longer than 4hrs a day. Keep the console higher up in the air use a box or something. Hardcore gamers play too long and overheated their ps3s. Lastly, clean dust inside dont keep too much dust.

@@gregbutler7172 Mines E01 model. whats yours?

He also spent $20,000 on his recording equipment, but didn't realize it would have worked fine with a $200 recorder...

Bad ballast in the fluorescent fixture. Ugh.

Thankfully, I didn't pay a cent for these speakers.... they belong to my friend. I was just testing them out. He brought over the SACD player and that's when I discovered Meridiens and Sony don't play together.

What I'm blaming SACD for is that they put out NO digital signal at all from the Marantz box, not even a downsampled CD-quality signal. If I put a CD in, I get perfectly good CD-quality audio out the digital port into the Meridiens. But pay extra for an SACD, and you get NOTHING! Thankfully, I was only testing this stuff for my friend, so I didn't pay for it. I do take blame for using Meridien speakers with a non-Meridien source head, however. They weren't meant to be mix-and-match; they are all-or-nothing. But I stand by blaming the Brits. I just rebuilt a Leak Stereo 20 and was shocked to discover that a power resistor is designed to unsolder itself and fall out if it gets too hot. Uhhh? Wow, that's... uhh... British. They should have either sized the resistor correctly or size the fuses correctly! I also have a Phil Jones Bass amp. The power switch is upside-down (push DOWN to turn it ON!!), and the compression knob is backwards from what you expect. At the NAMM show, I asked Phil why it's this way and he said to me, "It's because I'm British"!!

No, you sort of misread it--- I was upset that I couldn't play an SACD on $14,000 worth of equipment! The digital technology existed to do it, but Sony prevents you from obtaining that stream as part of their copyright protection; that is, they assumed you are a pirate instead of a customer. I could use the analog stream (which is already converted from a digital format) from the SACD, convert it to digital, then let the speakers convert it back to analog, but that's just stupid. They sound GREAT with straight CDs, though. BTW, I'm an analog guy; I was really testing these for a friend (the one who bought them).

@@heidijoye3473 You are an analog guy who uses a speakers with no analog input... LOL

I should have bought a bigger house!

"It was also a way of giving consumers access to the master tapes" ..... except that it doesn't give access! Well, okay, the analog part is accessible and great. So my case is a unfortunate storm of an effectively analog-only media (SACD) with a digital-only system (Meridien). Be fair: I blamed BOTH Meridien and Sony. I'm sorry I came across as vengeful and angry -- It was my first use of SACD, and at the time, I just could not fathom that the SACD doesn't give access to the digital stream. I suppose I have been holding a chip against Sony for 20 years now. But I've lived fine without them, so I don't plan to buy much from them now. I think your ultimatum is unnecessary. Sony provided effectively an analog master with SACD. Pirates can still (and probably did) rip it to mp3's using analog digitizers. The market was (and still is) small for ultra-high end audio, but HUGE for mp3-quality portable files. Any pirate with sense would rip off a regular CD to mp3 and distribute it on a P2P network. So I'm not convinced that the anti-piracy measures really achieved much in the end, but they did cost a lot to implement. But I agree, the fact that the SACD "gives access to the analog master" is wonderful. The analog-only is, obviously, the most important thing since we live in an analog world. I'm an analog guy at heart, and I appreciate your comment about media degradation. I was so happy with the convenience of CDs when they came out (no more FF and REW to get the song I wanted).

There are several Elvis titles on SACD. You didn't get them?

"From Elvis In Memphis" was released on SACD by Mobile Fidelity today. Did you order it?

@@dannytse8767 I don’t know why they put one extra song on here. Suspicious minds, Elvis recorded 30 songs I don’t know why they put all 30 on here even if they had to make it a double one and put it in a jewel case I will never buy this because I do not like cardboard, I can’t believe they put only 13 songs on here. What are they crazy? What’s wrong with this company that made this mobile fidelity like I said I do not like cardboard I like Jewel cases only. And if they didn’t make this a double cd it should’ve been two separate jewelcase is.