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I'm totally confused about Hi Rez formats

I was hoping that somebody out there could help this two-channel audiophile make some sense out of the DVD-A and SACD formats. I was interested in exploring these hi resolutiuon formats, but was told by a salesman that the benefits of these formats are only achieved when used in multichannel setups. I went to the dealer under the impression that if one wished to, he or she could simply use such players as two channel digital front ends, and still obtain the benefit of the higher sampling rate and bit rate. I know of one high end player like the Marantz SA-11 that only has two channel analog outputs.

I was interested in testing the waters with a universal player, but I don't want to go nuts and spend thousands of dollars until I have a chance to experiment with the possibilities. Certainly, I have no use for the so-called high resolution formats unless I can truly obtain higher resolution in a two channel system. I am not interested in multichannel audio at the moment. Can somebody please explain things to me.

Thanks!!
mstram

Showing 3 responses by czbbcl

czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
Hybrid discs are available and have both a redbook layer and SACD layer and in some instances a multichannel layer. The majority of hi-rez CD's I buy today are hybrids. They are playable on a standard redbook player as well as an SACD player. As you mention there are a few good quality universal players out there. Sony is far from the only label who produces SACD software. Simply go to Elusive Disc or Tower records and peruse ther sites. Also peruse past threads on AG concerning this subject there is alot of information out there. I can appreciate you folks who are into vinyl but I am staying in the digital domain.
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
Sbank

Let me see on Hybrid SACD Diana Krall is as is Elvis Costello yup to Allison Krauss and Patricia Barber. Don't know about the others you mention. However I am primarily a classical listener with some female jazz vocals thrown-in for good measure. I am finding plenty (and in some cases more than) of Hybrid SACD's available for my taste. I will admitt that I do not buy alot of software and I do find myself listening to the same discs over and over. I am finding more and more of the smaller labels such as channel clasics and fidelis or perhaps mo-fi marketing sacd's. To me vinyl is simply to much hassle to bother with. As I said earlier I can appreciate those of you who love vinyl. I think that there is a certain amount of romance that goes along with a great looking tt; similar to tube amps. One of my friends is into vinyl and buys it all the time. He has a Michel Gyro Deck and I love the way it looks.

Chuck
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
There is really no reason why one format has to win out over the other. After all look at vinyl it is still around long after it was supposed to be dead. If albeit on a substantially smaller scale. And one may miss out on some truly beautiful music waiting for this format thing to shake out if, as I mentioned above, it ever does.

So I would say to mstram if you feel the need/desire to experiment try it you may be suprised. Leting other people make your decisions for you is not in your best interest.

Chuck
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