Q. I discovered Super Audio Compact Discs at a music store. What is an SA-CD? Is it worth the extra bucks over a conventional CD?

A. I’ve only seen a couple Super Audio CDs at music stores. SA is a newer audio format struggling to break into the market.

SA-CDs are part of an audio format war, competing with DVD-Audio. Both are supposed to deliver clearer, more lifelike audio than conventional CDs. SA-CDs seem to be more popular. But, really, neither format threatens conventional CDs.

Many are recorded with surround sound in mind. They want you to feel like the band is in your home.

Whether Super Audio actually delivers better sound is debatable. Some hardcore audiophiles swear by it. But others say they can’t tell a difference.

You'll need special hardware to listen to SA. CD players run from $150 to more than $3,000. The SA-CDs themselves cost around $25. A surround sound system is also recommended.

I tend to listen to music most when I’m in the car. So, I would need to install an SA-CD player there.

Upgrading doesn’t mean you have to throw out your old CDs. SA-CD players play conventional CDs.

However, SA-CDs do not play on a regular CD player. You can buy hybrid SA-CDs that are dual layer. One layer has the SA audio, and the other a plain CD. These will play in a regular CD player. But not all SA-CDs are hybrids, so be careful.

You won’t find many new and popular music choices in SA-CD. The only genre really pumping out SA-CDs is classical music. I did find music by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Pink Floyd. But you're more likely to find Mozart and Bach.

SA-CD and its competitor, DVD-A, just aren't for most people. If you’re a committed classical music fan, it might be worthwhile. Otherwise, save your money.