2. digital
  3. 150122-96007

Playing SACDs

Howdy,

A few months ago I changed my DAC from a Bryston BDP-3 to a CE Hugo TT2. My source of digital music is an Aurender N100H using USB to the Hugo. The change from BDP-3 to the Hugo was significant to my ears so I am as happy as I can be in that respect but... and there is always a but, isn't? I have a collection of ~150 SACDs which I enjoyed playing from my Oppo, through HDMI, to the BDP-3. Since the BDP-3 is gone and the Oppo can not pass SACD/DSD/PCM in its other digital outputs, I now have to use the onboard DAC of the Oppo and use its analog outputs. It does not sound bad... but it is not as good as it used to sound.

I am have been reading multiple posts here and in other forums but from what I can gather, there isn't a SACD transport that will output SACD (DSD/DoP/PCM), am I correct? I don't have that many movies anymore so I could get rid of the Oppo and get me a SACD transport if it would be possible to play SACDs without HDMI.

Any ideas or should I just suck it up and move on?

Thanks!

Ivan
smdb01us
junzhang10
252 posts
 
SACD has two-channel and 5.0 channel. I dont know if any outboard DAC can do 5.0. Also DSD can only pass through HDMI encrypted. Does your DAC have HDMI port or just co-axial, optical., PCM will lose the purpuse of DSD. I would still use Oppo out for SACD.
big_greg
6,567 posts
 
Most SACD's only have 2 channels.  I have a combined 2 channel / home theater system. 

I use an Oppo UDP-203 to play movies and the few multi-channel SACD's I have through a Marantz AV 7704 pre-pro. 

For 2 channel, I have a Marantz KI-Pearl SACD player and use its built in DAC to play 2 channel SACD's through my Modwright LS 100 preamp.  Playing SACD's with the Marantz / Modwright combo sounds much better than the Oppo / Marantz combo.

In general, I prefer the 2 channel mixes of the SACDs I have.  While it's fun to listen to Dark Side of the Moon in 5.1, it's also kind of disconcerting to hear things swirling all around you that you're used to hearing in 2 channels.   
junzhang10
252 posts
 
Historically, recording start from mono to stereo (actually 3 front channels) to multi-channel. Vinyl limited to stereo (2 channel) the sound image is hard to image with just 2 channel (you need to toe in and sit the at the best spot to get good image) with 3 channel, it will become much easier. So you could ignore surroud channel if you are not used to that. But with three full-range front speakers, there is no match with only 2 channel stereo.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
dbphd
1,624 posts
 
Ripping the DSD portion of SACDs seems complicated, but apparently can be done with the right equipment.  You might instead use analog from a high-quality disc player you might find in the used market.  I use an Ayre C-5xeMP for that purpose, although I now have a DX-5 DSD as well.  The sound of SACDs played using either is superb,                        
jafant
18,958 posts
 

Another +vote for AYRE DX-5. Honorable mention for Marantz KI- Pearl and Marantz SA-10.  Big fan of the SACD which now is 20 years old as a format.


Happy Listening!

More to discover