One thing for sure is that there are sure enough high quality hi bit rate converters like Benchmark Media and others to take playback to very high sonic levels. Since even the inexpensive Oppo player gave good results as a disc spinner, I guess this makes sense.

The more DSD I own the more it is my format of choice...for now. The Telarc discs I own are as good as it gets for me. Ms. Sutton never sounded finer or more present in my listening room.

I guess time will tell and maybe JA will have some comments as well. I know that when John Marks reviewed the Tascam DV-RA 1000 he loved the clarity, but since it is not true DSD is is flawed as well. You could sure master that DSD analogue out through a great ADC to redbook or something else and retain an awful lot.

At least we have a record exec not talking about issuing MP3 downloads. It will take the younger folks outputing their computers into real audio systems with some decent speakers.

It was interesting to see how many high end Ipod acessories were at this show. I'm sure more to come. My 12 year old son, Nick, just asked for and received a Shuffle loaded with songs. This is the first time he has shown interest in audio of just about any kind. I may have put him on sensory shutdown over the years having music playing somewhere in the house just about all the time. I need to do more Phones listening and maybe give him a break.

Those files cannot be played back on any SACD player. John Marks commented that his experience with the Tascam unit...it was a remarkable sounding piece. I think even more so considering the $1299.00 street price less HD.

For me there are 2 issues: 1). Leaving a recording session with the recorded music in the highest resolution format possible...capturing the most when you are there. 2.) The ease and quality you can do the mastering, retaining as much of the live event as possible while converting the files to CD Redbook. This makes the Tascam more cumbersome. Is it a flaw? It certainly makes for more work, but the price is sure right.

Since Redbook is still the most distributed format that is where most recording project will end up. It seems that JA and others are of the opinion that he can retain on CD more information by recording at 88.2. I have also read JA to say that the science of synchronous conversion (multiples of 44.1) sounds better. I can personally say I have heard that as well.

The other issue is it almost the same to use DiscWelder and record at 24/96 and release the music as a DVD? This seems to be Craig Kallman's take at this point for higher resolution and customer acceptance. Sony is certainly not offering anything like DiscWelder Bronze for $99 for DSD. The Tascam DV-RA 1000 is the closest any consumer will get to the real data.

If the anologue outs of the Tascam are not felt to be "high end", they could always be modded, a cottage industry for CD players for sure. For the likes of DMP and Telarc when they made their choice to bite the financial bullet and go with Ed Meitner's recording gear, this is not insignificant. Maybe it is a different thought process for them vs the large labels. I think it is somewhat amazing we are still talking "formats" in 2007 when Sony/Philips gave us perfect sound forever in the 80's.

The fact that now DVD burners and HD's are so cheap does change an awful lot. I personally don't see that much difference in the trasferring the 3 channel master reel to reel analogue tapes for Kind of Blue to the DSD format vs recording it on the Tascam DV-RA 1000 now and then picking a final format for mastering for retail sale.

It is always easier to keep the music in a digital format for manipulation inside the computer whether 44.1 , 88.2 , or 96K sampling freq. I guess you could even throw in 176.4 as well. There is just no cheap way to DSD, yet, if ever.

Finally, I eagerly await someone reviewing Ed Meitner's $10K DSD/CD player. It may end up being one the biggest high end bargains of all time.