John Smyth <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I bought just about all of the '50's and '60's RCA Living Presence SACD
>releases and wow--could've been recorded yesterday.  How they captured
>all that dynamic range back then, yet couldn't do it in the '70's beats
>me.  It's been fun to hear them in their original 3 channel incarnations;
>the Reiner/Chicago stuff, the Rubinstein Chopin Ballads/Scherzos...
>An amazing set or re-releases, especially if you've never heard these
>performances.  The Munch Daphnis (in 2 channel only), is especially fine,
>and leaps and bounds in sound quality over the original CD release, (OK,
>I had this one).  These SACDs are of course hybrids, a layer for 3
>channel, two channel SACD and two channel CD.

These reports are mouth-watering (or ear-watering).  I have never tried
SACD equipment or recording mainly because I listen mostly on headphones.
(This is not just for practical reasons but also because I actually
prefer it.) I have always assumed that SACD would give me no advantage
at all on headphones.  Am I wrong?  Would SACD equipment and these new
releases transform my headphone listening?  Or would I get an improvement
by trying the new Dolby Headphone technology instead?  I assume that
this is designed mainly for giving special effects in films, but has
anybody tried it with classical music?

George Marshall
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