Don't wish to take this thread too far off topic but,
What would SOTA even be at this point? Haven't CDs pretty much achieved audible transparency? Maybe they didn't with the CDP-101, but surely the designs that came after it were adequate. I mean it only supports 2-channels. Isn't DSD pretty much bullshit? I don't think there is anything to support the use of higher sample rates, and greater bit-depth doesn't seem to make a difference with regards to playback. I've seen some pretty fancy active speakers posted here with DSP and the like. Aside from that and possibly stimulating nerves responsible for aura perception directly I am not sure what you could conceivably do.
Yes Redbook, DAC's, Amps have all achieved transparency but transducers have quite a ways to go.
Lot's of work to be done on multich. Current optical sources all have some weaknesses in various areas, though SQ isn't one of them.
Settle on a high rez data standard even if for nothing else than piece of mind. 24/96 or even 24/192, there's no reason to worry over delivery bandwidth any more.
We presently have a mishmash of multich optical sources, there's work to be done on bringing a better one out. Combining a standardize data rate, with least 20+ audio channels, 8k video, and
easy access with or without a monitor. We should be way past having separate formats for audio and video.
DSP is still in it's infancy for the consumer market, lots of work to be done there.
Some feel that integrated actives are the future, I have reservations there. There are so many variables in audio reproduction that I believe separate boxes will have a lot to offer for a long time.
We've make a lot of progress in the last century but there's still a lot to be done before we can truly say,
Is it live or Memorex?