Interesting conversation here. But other than a few manufacturers still producing SACD players and selling them at considerable expense over regular Redbook players or transports, is there any reason today, here in 2023, to buy one?
I mean, why not just buy the DSD files online and put them on external storage plugged into a DAC that can handle DSD *natively* all the way through to the output stage without any conversion to PCM or DoP?
I was always under the impression, perhaps wrongly, that SACD is pretty much a dead format as far as any mainstream music goes.
Sony killed it by all the DRM restrictions it had. And we can blame the RIAA for part of it too. The idea of putting out such high-quality files of their master tapes in a digital format that might be copied scared the crap out of them. Hence it was crippled.
Yes, there are "special" labels putting them out such as Octave Records and some small classical outfits, but those old copyright issues caused by Sony that are still in place seem to be too much trouble, requiring you to jump through hoops to get a marginal increase in sound quality. SACD is what, DSD64? But you can get files that are even higher bit rates in DSD if you want today that at least in theory on a really good system and assuming you have great ears, that can sound better.
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!
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@rbertalotto OK, I could see that...the thrill of the chase to find something, just as many do with trying to find 1st pressings of vinyl albums in VG+ condition. |
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