The Super Audio CD (SACD) format may never have entered the mainstream market after Sony and Philips started pushing it back in 1999, but some audio fanatics out there still believe in the quality of these CDs. Good news for them: Sony today announced [JP] the SCD-XE800, their newest SACD player, which is specifically marketed as an entry-level device.
The player supports both the SACD and conventional CD formats, but it’s not compatible to multi-channel SACD. Buyers can expect a frequency response of 2Hz〜40kHz (SACD)/2Hz〜20kHz (CD) and a dynamic range of over 100dB (SACD)/96dB (CD).
Sony Japan plans to start selling the SCD-XE800 on August 21 for $430. International sales plans haven’t been announced yet.