I don't know about AKUS, but an oldie but goodie is due out late February... Bela Fleck's Drive.

Yes, SACD's do make it sound like you've never really heard it before, but, there are still a LOT of good songs out there that are too good to pbutt up, even tho the technology is not up to modern standards.

Surround sound is GREAT! Don't get me wrong... the separation of instruments into discrete channels brings new insight into the music. I relish every new album I can get in SACD! But the number of breastles making into SACD or DVD-audio format makes me wonder...

It seems that downloading songs and MP3 players are really going in the opposite direction: quanbreasty not quality. Demand is not towards the high end systems... at least not yet.... when good home theater systems become truely affordable, audio and visual, as well as car sound systems (where I do most of my listening) will be out of the reach for too many.

My hearing is not where it used to be. Yes, SACD has brought me to hear things I never heard before... If I were a professional musician, I wouldn't be without it. A GREAT deal can be said for "remixing" and cleaning up old stereo (and mono) recordings, which can bring them into newer focus, rather than focusing only on new releases. I've heard both good and bad results of messing with old recordings.

As far as Alison's new CD... I have listened to it twice... in the car... and I like it! At least one review that I read was not as kind to it as I felt it deserved. I have not yet listened to it in my home system, with much better speakers, etc. Yes, it will sound "better"... but a LOT has to be said about the "performance" of the artusts as well as the technical aspects of the recording.

Anyway, I love my SACD! But not having a recording in that format is not going to keep me from enjoying my music.