SACD Players

The SACD format is practically made for bringing the best out of classical music performances. A year-long study conducted by the Audio Engineering Society revealed an area in which SACD truly excels: the noise floor is extremely low, even when listening at high volume. Classical music can whisper as often as it roars, so it’s crucial to have that black background for the instruments to play over.

An SACD player’s laser reads the HD layer at 0.6mm from the disc’s surface, while the standard CD is read from a distance of 1.2mm. That’s why you can put both tracks on a single disc.

The SACD format is so intertwined with classical music that some orchestras issue recordings under their own imprimatur. Offerings from the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are perennial favourites on the SACD market.

Are SACDs still being made?

Definitely. In addition to the self-publishing I mentioned above, Mobile Fidelity uses their impressive collection of original master recordings to offer some classic pop and rock albums on SACD. Acoustic Sounds carries a wide variety of SACDs, and you can find a few boutique labels with limited offerings. That said, even Amazon sells them.

Can you play an SACD on a regular CD player?

Yes, if you get the right type of disc: A type known as a Hybrid SACD is made with a high-res HD layer and a standard CD audio (Red Book) layer on a single disc. SACD players should be able to read both, in much the way a Blu-ray player can also play a standard DVD.