Vote

I have not heard a surround audio display in any audio shop. Is this a a real product , it seems so in the press but where do you hear it? The movie surround displays I have heard have not impressed me. After that I would have to determine if such a system could ever win wife approval or more importantly fit in my room? This seem to be a retrogression to less full range sound. I have spent $35,000 to improve my experience.

This is two-fold for me as vinyl is always my first choice for serious listening. The second is I have enough invested on getting the most out of my Rred Book collection already. I can't see wasting any more hard-earned cash on such an uncertian future.

Is there any new music worth worrying about? Nope—I've got all the old music I want on vinyl or CD. If there's any new music coming out I do want, it'll sound just great on CD—the new formats will just offer silly surround versions. There's just no point in "upgrading," especially with the music industry the way it is.

Actually, I'm waiting for an audiophile quality player.

Definitely. Perfect for a family oriented HT setup. In fact, when I can get a modestly-priced, multidisc player all-format machine that performs as well as stand-alone machines, I will buy. I suspect that such a machine is just around the corner.

Give me all the goodies (better price, more software and 1 cable conexion) and I will change.

Well, vinyl is the best path, but since too few new releases are on vinyl (thanks, "Boss" - I bought it both ways) I'd buy a player that decodes each format. But I don't want a player that decodes one format into the other and then goes to the DAC.

It seems like I may be one of the very few audiophiles who does not listen to jazz, classical, blues, etc, so, only when my favourite artists start releasing music on one of the new formats will I consider buying a so-called universal player. For now, I have a huge CD library of music to enjoy.

Right now, I have a cheap DVD player that I want to eventually replace with a player that can handle DVDs, CDs, and SACDs at a minimum. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of money to spend. $1000 tops, and preferably closer to $500.

Gimme one I can plug into a PC, preferrably with Linux Drivers and an Echo Mia card.

Really, I have no interest in DVD-A at all. It just doesn't impress me. While it may offer higher resolution than regular-old CD, I don't view the format as any substantial progress. SACD is interesting for its nearer-to-analog quality (due to different the encoding process), but at this point I'm still not convinced of the format's viability, not to mention the serious lack of titles available. It just isn't worth the investment at this point.

I am also interested in your magazine reviews of "upsampling CD Players". That sounds better than investing in SACD or DVD Audio since I have no interest whatsover in surround sound music.

So far universal machines have had something lacking - either in video quality (chroma-bug, for example) or in audio quality - what sense does it make to buy into high resolution formats when the sound coming out of the universal players is worse then mid to hi end CD players? You are better off to buy two separate players, but there isn't a good way to connect two players to most pre/pro's as they have only one multi-channel input. There also needs to be much more software, although I've already bought some SACD titles and I don't have a player (I do have a Denon 1600 currently and a handful of DVD-A titles).

My CD and vinyl gear is sounding pretty good right now. Unless the price jobs significantly, and adequate software is available, I see no reason to buy a "universal" player. I have to wonder about the compromises of the circuitry of a "universal" type player. In audio, often simpler can be better.

I will only buy one when they settle on a digital transmition standard. I don't want 6 cables going from my cd player to my receiver.

Not while there's a possibility of a watermarked signal. I'm off to buy a 26/94 Chesky disc now!

Real Excited about PC's for audio Playback. They are also able to play most formats. Just saw a PC with a built-in vacuum Tube audio output section. Has Vishay, MultiCap, Cardas and other high-end components. That coupled with a powerful XP-Media rich environment makes this the way of the future. I would rather have my universal disc player in this format than in a simple black box. See www.aopen.com for details. Hey How about a review of their tube unit?

Pioneer's DV-47a works fine for me.

for now Go Vinyl!

CD (2- Channel) for the sake of convention , but my #1 is still my Linn lp-12!!!!!

Yes, but not for $30 when great sounding used vinyl is available for $1 or so.

I'd rather have a universal format!

There is no way that a universal disc player can perform at audiophile levels on all formats and be as inexpensive as disc player designed for just one format. The future success of recorded music playback at audiophile standards depends on selecting one format for recording, not a multitude of them.

WHile I wish I could get a player that would play the big 3 plus 1( lp, sacd,dvd-a, and the plus 1 cd) I guess if I can only get digital universal! Actually it would be a great idea, because the artist and producers could select the best format for an albuem!

I am in the market for ML390S together with my LP12. Thats all for my 2 ears - happy me.

These combo machines will be just fine for the Jr and High school kids that just want to dig on some quick music, however when you move up into the highly-polished, sold only in the jewelry store audiophile buyer like myself, forget the two formats Give me SACD or give me death! I can't deal with more than one channel, or multi-channel high quality speakers all over the room, just feed me some signal from a Sony SCD-1, give me my polishing rag for the brass counter weight, and let the listening begin.

I have an Integra 7.3 on order.

How many times do we have to buy the Sony catalog before they just start releasing better artists and higher QUALITY mastering standards?

Though I'm not convinced that either DVD-A or SACD are "replacements" for the good ol' Red Book CD, I'm considering covering all of the bases for the sake of flexibility.

Yes! drop prices, Yes! give me more software, Yes! give me one cable interface.