Sorry to ask this SACD question, but

Jim

Straight from my OPPO menus.

Playback setup.... SACD priority ... Stereo

Audio format set up... SACD output ... Pcm.

Audio format set up ... Hdmi audio ... Off

I can play the sacd layer over rca analog outs.

Not sure what might be occurring with your OPPO?

The new SimAudio Moon 390 DAC/Preamp/Network player also can take the DSD stream via HDMI. Feature wise it is an impressive unit.

This video explained that. I had to use my phone to play the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-41PJdI9yg

Mahler..

My apologies!

Jim/melm.

Imho you should STILL be able to output the sacd layer over rca analog outputs.
Why does my old Pioneer manage the trick?
I don’t think you can do it with dsd but pcm?

When I get in going to play with my very old OPPO bdp80 and see if what shakes.

Jim,

The final answer is that you cannot do what you want to do with the units you have.

The license from Sony for SACD prohibits a digital output (as for into an external DAC) except for digital output through an HDMI cable to a device (like the Bryston or some mid-fi receivers with built-in DACs) that can receive the HDMI signal.

Moreover, as I understand it Schitt devices do not accept a DSD signal no matter what the source; they are exclusively PCM devices.  Schitt owners please correct me.

Other than the Bryston (and I think a PSAudio) unit, the only way to get a DSD signal from an SACD disk into a separate DAC  is to rip it and play it on a DAC that will accept a DSD signal.  Most good ones do.  And thousands of audiophiles do rip their SACDs to send the music through their favorite separate DACs.

uberwaltz,

There is a menu setting on the Oppo for SACD.  It shows it on but it will only play through the HDMI output.  There is dead silence when I use ANY other output.  Most of the problem ( So I'm told )  seems to be that RCA and Optical cables cant handle all the information from the DSD layer.  Just like now you need a new HDMI cable to play UHD/4K.  HDMI 2.2 is what I bought.  Sound will still play on most any HDMI cable.

I am going to try and find a Bryston DAC-3.  If the DAC sounds good to me, then I'll  be all set.

  "That works Mahler but Jim wants to output over rca analog
I think he just needs change some menu settings and he should be all
set"  

Thanks for your thoughts.  Keep em coming.

JD

mahler123,

The Bryston DAC-3 looks like just what the Doctor ordered. It is on my list in all caps!

Thanks again for the tip.

JD

That works Mahler but Jim wants to output over rca analog
I think he just needs change some menu settings and he should be all set

I output DSD from my Oppo 105 over HDMI into the HDMI input of my Bryston DAC3

How do I hookup my 2-channel (stereo) audio system (to play SACD and DVD-A) to the player since it does not have stereo outs?

You have to use the FR and FL channels from the 7.1 analog outputs to get the stereo output (set the BDP-93 to do a stereo down-mix for > 2 channel sources). Also, just in case you are not aware, the BDP-95 will be released in the near future as a replacement of the BDP-83SEwhich will have much better DACs for analog outs. You may want to wait for it if you have a high end stereo setup.

This from an OPPO forum might help.

Jim
You might want to check the OPPO menu for output of SACD.
You have 2 choices, dsd or pcm.
You should set to pcm for analog output I believe.

Jim
Something is wrong somewhere.
SACD for the most part ( odd exceptions already mentioned) is ONLY output over analog outputs either RCA or xlr.

The OPPO might be like my Pioneer and will not play the SACD layer if it senses a digital cable connected as well.
Try it with just the analog RCA connected.

That is how my Pioneer is now connected, just RCA outs to my integrated and I can choose between SACD or regular CD layer.

folkfreak,

When I set my Oppo to SACD and use Digital RCA, Optical or the analog RCA outputs all I get is silence.  With my Oppo, I have to use the HDMI to hear SACD whether its stereo or 5.1.

JD

Hey uberwaltz,

I believe all the Oppo's will play SACD's from the HDMI output.  I have a 93 that will.

But I want to play the SACD stereo layer without going the HTMI route and am confused why I can't.  RCA and Optical can't handle the amount of info and I'm not sure about Balanced.  It looks like USB will work but there are only a few SACD players in my price range that have USB outputs.

How's everyone else playing SACDs?

JD

I found on my old Pioneer sacd player that it will not play the sacd layer over analog outs if a digital cable is even plugged into the rear as well.
Very odd or ultra cautious.

So I just have analog outs connected to it now.

I think some of the later OPPO like the 105 will also output SACD over HDMI as well as the Bryston

Wouldn't this issue be resolved if Apple and Sony would get along so that Apple could create a super drive that reads SACD?

What @bill_k said, run the analog outputs into your main system and enjoy! You can even switch between the CD and SACD layers to see if you prefer what DSD brings over red book, you just cannot use your stand alone DAC 

SACD is a 1bit 2.8224 MHz format. You will need SACD player to pay it.

Any SACD player will play the discs and output the converted analog signal from its analog outputs (either RCA or XLR). It will be playing the actual DSD layer from the disc converted to analog by its internal DAC.

The problem is trying to output the digital DSD data to an external DAC which is what you stated was your objective, and that can be a problem due to licensing restrictions with SACDs and not generally allowing the extracted DSD to be transmitted digitally. There are some exceptions as noted in posts above with specific transports and DACs which can only pass the DSD data between specific devices.

The Bryston BDA-3 DAC is an unusual implementation which is able to accept a DSD signal via its HDMI input from an SACD player with HDMI output, which its DAC is then able to convert to analog. Hope this helps!

SACD players will play the disc through the internal dac  what they will not do is output the signal through the digital out to an external dac. Those that do have paid a fee in order to do it. 

So folkfreak,

Why do so many companies have players labeled SACD if they can't play SACD?  Isn't that more than kinda illegal??  My Oppo plays them through HDMI, but I want to play just the stereo layer through my main system, not my HT.

JD

By the way neither of the two players you link to will output anything other than 16/44.1 digital

i believe some of the Oppo players may allow for SACD (DSD) output

as I just use a dCS stack it all works peachy for me, but that’s not helping you, sorry

What equipment do I need to play the Stereo layer on a  SACD

You need an sacd player, even though sacd is just dsd with a flag.
From memory the first Sony Play Stations from memory, played sacd and gave out the digital stream, so then it could be used on a dsd dac. And also I believe the one of the very expensive dcs transport did also.

Cheers George   

Unfortunately unless your disc player manufacturer provides a proprietary format you cannot output DSD data to an external DAC. dCS use dual AES for example, and others have their own formats.