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Sony SCD-CE595 CD Player
As low as $149.99  
Looking for the absolute highest sound quality from recorded music? Then don't look at CDs - they're so 20th century. Instead, you want to play music in the newer SACD and DVD-Audio formats. This new format is as dramatic a change as going from vinyl to CD was back in the day. Like high-definition is changing television, these new audio formats are poised to change the way you listen to music. You cannot help but be impressed by the high-quality when you hear a specially engineered disc on SACD or DVD-Audio. But what do you need to know about those formats, and which players should you buy for them? Let me help with a brief overview and share my picks.

Super Audio CD (SACD) is a relatively new, high-quality audio format launched in 1999 by Sony and Philips. I'll spare you all the technical specs, but in a nutshell, the format can handle four times the amount of data as the existing CD format. So an SACD offers amazing 6-track multi-channel surround sound with much wider frequency response and dynamic range then today's CDs. Not only do you get much higher-quality music, but you'll get extra features as well (plus your old CDs will play on SACD machines). SACDs are starting to gain in popularity, and more SACD players have begun to hit the market as Sony has begun to put a push on their new format.

DVD-Audio (DVD-A), released in 2000 by the WG4 group of the electronic industry DVD Forum, is a new audio format for DVDs that gives at least 74 minutes of very high quality audio, surround sound, plus additional features such as videos and some interactivity. It is gaining popularity as a format for music videos and concerts because of its coupling of high-quality digital video and high-end surround sound. It has an easy-to-use navigation system, and the specification includes the ability to connect to the internet to get the latest information about the title you're listening to. DVD-A players will also play your old CDs.

So where do you start? First you need to know that these new formats are so far available only on selected CDs and DVDs though the numbers are beginning to increase as serious audiophiles continue to lobby for wider release of new and classic titles. To play these special discs you'll need a new player that is able to play the format you choose, and you need to know that the two formats are not compatible with each other, though there are players that play both.

One good and very reasonably priced SACD player is the Yamaha DVD-C740 for as low as . It plays SACDs as well as DVDs, MP3 discs, and CDs (although it won't play DVD-Audio discs.) It's a five-disc unit that handles Dolby Digital and DTS Sound.

For an even less-expensive SACD player, try the Sony SCDCE595 for as low as $149.99. It will play CDs as well as SACDs and also has a five-disc changer. It won't play DVDs, but if all you're looking for is an SACD player, it's a great bargain.

Audiophiles looking for every bell and whistle in the book will want to head straight to the Sony ES SCD-XA9000ES for as low as . This is a serious piece of hardware for serious music lovers. It produces truly spectacular sound, and it includes i.LINK digital output for i.LINK-compatible receivers so that the music is transferred digitally for exquisite sound. It's got more onboard processing than you can shake a stick at, plays CDs as well as SACDs, and it is beautifully engineered. It's the one to get if you must have top-notch sound.

There aren't as many standalone DVD-Audio players available as there are SACD players. Complicating the matter is that you might be torn between which format to go with. But in fact, you don't have to choose. Instead, you can buy a player that handles both. There are a number of these machines that allow you to play any high-quality disc that's out there in either SACD or DVD-A.

The Pioneer DV-47Ai Elite for as low as handles both formats equally well. In addition, it plays normal DVDs, CDs, and pretty much any kind of disc you can put in it. The DV-47A's 192kHz/24bit audio processing, Legato PRO refined-bit expansion technology, and six-channel audio output provide a truly superior musical performance. Dolby Digital and DTS decoding and corresponding outputs also contribute to the machine's outstanding sound quality. And as a video player, the DV-47A plays DVD-Video and DVD-R, and features 108MHz/12-bit video processing and Pioneer's PureCinema progressive scan for a spectacular visual experience. This one's a killer. And it comes with Pioneer's Elite two-year warranty.

Another good choice that plays both DVD-A and SACD is the Onkyo DV-SP800 for as low as . Not only does this machine play both formats and offer progressive scan DVD video playback, and the "required" digital optical outputs, 5.1 surround sound and more to meet the high-end playback, this Onkyo also meets (and actually exceeds) the rigid standards required for it to get THXR Ultra certification.

And you don't have to pay a lot to get into DVD-A. One super-affordable way that will allow you to get all the audio upside of DVD-A is with the Panasonic F87S for as low as . This progressive scan DVD video player also supports the DVD-Audio format. At a price of around , this is a no-brainer choice to get into the next realm of high quality sound!