Save your pennies Boys and Girls(Awesome budget component alert #2)  

I was hanging with some of my audio buddies tonight and a rep stopped by to show off some new gear.Usually these visits are laced with skeptisism and alcohol.Tonight was a different story.We got to hear an early production version of the new Philips DVD 963SA DVD/SACD/Upsampling CD player.That's right the "Magic Bullet" of redbook upsampling bought to the masses.If you have'nt heard me say it yet ,I'll repeat that I firmly believe upsampling to be the savior of redbook CD playback.This player brings it in at the lowest price point yet($499.00 retail) and does it as well as I have heard it done.I was not expecting to hear anything significant when this player was being installed in a system which consisted of a pair of Dynaco Mark 4 monoblock amps,Vandersteen 2CE loudspeakers and a Rogue 99 Magnum preamp.I actually was sitting around talking on the phone when the rep put on the new Stones "Let it Bleed" Abko remaster on SACD.I didn't talk long after the disc started.This player is just incredible.Keep in mind that me and the rest of these guys are still in awe of a Revox E-46 CDP that we had in this same system this past weekend.We don't have the Revox around anymore to compare but we are all once again in awe.I know that the Abko remasters are incredible sounding and the player was playing the SACD layer of this Hybrid disc,I wanted to hear the effects of the upsampling on a redbook disc.I picked one that we are all getting a little tired of but know well and played a bit while the Revox was around,Kenny Burrell's "Soulero".This disc was played as well as I have ever heard it.Low level detail and bass were just unreal.The midrange was as sweet as pie.The rep had a prerelease of a new Sony SACD recording (which he made us promise not to reveal) that sounded oustanding.This release, I might add, is much more exciting than the Philips player itself and will generate,I think,the type of enthusiam that SACD needs to thrive.I checked the Philips site and there is no mention of the player there but I saw that J&R actually has a listing with a price, though it has not yet been introduced.The player is very nice looking with a very bright,almost polished looking aluminum faceplate and a super cool looking remote.I cannot emphasize enough how amazed I am how great this player sounds.I knew that better, lower priced gear was coming but this is the cake.

I can't wait to get one of these players home and audition it in my system.This player and the New SACD releases really has me pumped.If you would have told me a year ago that an Upsampling CD/SACD player would be available for this price,I never would have thought it true,but here it is.the rep said that the players should hit the street by late November.This just makes me wonder what else is on the horizon.

Edit:Sorry,about the lack of details,All I know now are the general specs(also on the J&R page) and the fact that it has three power supplies and six DACs.I assume that each format(SACD/CD/DVD has its' own power supply and DACs(one per channel).This unit also had a replaceable power cord and very nice looking blue display.It was heavy and inside I could see a large power supply.We were told that cosmetics would likely be different and possibly a black unit would be offered.It also had some sort of disc recognition that read the titles and songs on CDs which allowed scrolling of the titles and instant playback which was really cool.

If this player hits the street with a price of $399.00,I'd have to call this the new bargain of the century.I am super impressed with Upsampling technology but have heard some negative effects.I do not like how some of the earlier upsampling DACs sounded and still do not like the the Perpetual DACs.I have always thought that they caused imaging and soundstage to sound "artificial", a sentiment that was shared by many who heard them.Later upsampling DACs like the Bel Canto,MSB Link III and the latest Musical Fidelity,allowed the true performance capabilities of Upsampling to be heard and enjoyed.Once you have heard the effects of upsampling(and oversampling in the case of the Revox) you are ruined forever,no CDP is gonna sound great to you once you have heard it in it's full glory.With Upsampling, the gap between SACD and Rebook CD is no longer expansive,it is within a soft breath.I have not heard the Philips in my system yet, so I will reserve ultimate judgement,but I can say that I am truly impressed so far.Once again the point of diminishing returns drops to the level of the ordinary consumer.It is just bad judgement to go out and spend big bucks on a digital rig now.