SACD is VERY confusing


Seems there are thousands of folks out there buying and playing SACDs using coax or optical from a player to a DAC and thinking they are listening to the SACD layer and they are listening to the CD layer. I was assured the Denon DVD-2910,3910,5910 would play SACD through the digital outputs but on the back of the units they clearly state PMC from the digital outputs.....Seems the ONLY way to truly play a SACD is HDMI to HDMI.....Even stripping the audio off the HDMI signal returns it to PMC ..... And everything I've read states the analog outputs, stereo and 5.1 are PMC...

 

Oppo’s User Manual states: “Due to copyright restrictions, SACD audio cannot be sent through the coaxial or optical digital audio output. To listen to SACDs, please use the HDMI or analog audio connections.) IOW, with a DAC that is connected via coax or TOSLINK, you might be limited to playing the CD layer of a hybrid SACD.

I can't believe they would allow DSD files through analog outputs....Wouldn't this violate the whole copyright issue?

.....There are thousands of people out there buying SACDs and listening to them on their OPPO, Marantz or Denon ..."SACD" players, either through digital or analog and they are listening to the CD/44.1 layer.....This is nuts!

rbertalotto

Showing 2 responses by milpai

Not sure what the confusion is about SACD.

You buy SACD players to play SACD discs and connect the RCA/XLR out to preamp or integrated amp. The only way to get DSD out is through HDMI/I2S cables of some blu-ray players and get the output to the DAC.

Last option is to rip SACDs as DSF/DFF files and lay them through the DACs using USB or I2S cables. You will never get DSD through coaxial unless you use players like Meitner which state the following:
 

  • Up to 24bit/192kHz & DSD support over all inputs: USB Audio, AES, TOSLINK, COAX and Network(RJ45)

lasers get weak with age

This is correct, but it take a few years to reach that stage. Best thing to do it so rip the SACD as DSF files and play it via software player. You can buy a cheap Sony/Pioneer player off eBay and rip the SACD. Then archive the SACD for future.