Wanting to gain SACD capabilities?? Best way...

[lovinthehd]

Thanks guys good feedback and likely saved some money thinking that if I bought SACD I would get higher sound quality than a CD.
Stupid tapatalk ad someone can't be bothered with deleting

Maybe, depends on the mixing and mastering for the most part, like for any media. I haven't personally found CD vs SACD for the 2ch mixes to be particularly motivating to buy more just 2ch SACDs. I prefer the multi-ch mixes. Choices over all are quite limited so depends how much you like the selection available as well...

SACD is significantly more expensive to collect so maybe have a capable player that works for other things as well and try it, see if you find it worth it for the longer run.

 

[2channel lover]

Thanks guys good feedback and likely saved some money thinking that if I bought SACD I would get higher sound quality than a CD.


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I think you're getting good feedback from both sides, pro and con on SACD which I found to be pretty normal here on AH.

The reality of it SACD or Hi Res music files in general is truly about file size. IMO, more data, not necessarily better data is what hi res is all about....after all, the recording is only as good as the equipment used....the difference is in the details and some people can tell a difference and some people can't. What that should tell you is your experience may or may not be the same as the next person.

If you are going to buy a spinner, a good quality one is going to cost in the $400-500 range...that puts you within the grasps of a Oppo 203 (or insert other SACD player)...scratch the itch, and see for yourself.

 

[Jeff R.]

Maybe, depends on the mixing and mastering for the most part, like for any media. I haven't personally found CD vs SACD for the 2ch mixes to be particularly motivating to buy more just 2ch SACDs. I prefer the multi-ch mixes. Choices over all are quite limited so depends how much you like the selection available as well...

SACD is significantly more expensive to collect so maybe have a capable player that works for other things as well and try it, see if you find it worth it for the longer run.

Thanks!!


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[lovinthehd]

FWIW my SACD players each cost under $100....

 

[slipperybidness]

FWIW my SACD players each cost under $100....

Well, now you have to tell us model numbers, perhaps supply links

 

[lovinthehd]

Well, now you have to tell us model numbers, perhaps supply links

Mentioned in post 7....

 

[j_garcia]

I've owned sub $100 players too and never felt they didn't deliver. "Budget" players (~>$300?) seemed capable enough that you could get the majority of the experience. With multichannel music, most of the benefit is in that mix and expansion to the whole system (with well done mixes), so the quality of the audio isn't the first thing you notice. The recording/mix/master tend to be the most important aspect of this being truly good and worth it. You don't need top dollar gear to enjoy this.

To get that sublime experience, especially in 2ch, when you already have the hefty speakers and amplification is when you start to extract the most out of those AND already have at least a small catalog of titles, is the point at which I'd start looking at a $1K+ player.

 

[2channel lover]

Agreed!

One of the other advantages/differences of SACD is the multi-channel audio. But, with only a 3.2 system, he pretty much loses that advantage too.

I think I have maybe 10 multi-channel...Dire Straits Brothers In Arms and Pink Floyd DSOTM take full advantage of the 5.1 signal, the rest are 2.1 or 3.1 I think.

 

[KEW]

For those more in the know, are SACD's still being recorded/produced with any regularity?

 

[lovinthehd]

I think I have maybe 10 multi-channel...Dire Straits Brothers In Arms and Pink Floyd DSOTM take full advantage of the 5.1 signal, the rest are 2.1 or 3.1 I think.

Haven't run across any 2.1 or 3.1 SACDs....got a list?

 

[lovinthehd]

I've owned sub $100 players too and never felt they didn't deliver. "Budget" players (~>$300?) seemed capable enough that you could get the majority of the experience. With multichannel music, most of the benefit is in that mix and expansion to the whole system (with well done mixes), so the quality of the audio isn't the first thing you notice. The recording/mix/master tend to be the most important aspect of this being truly good and worth it. You don't need top dollar gear to enjoy this.

To get that sublime experience, especially in 2ch, when you already have the hefty speakers and amplification is when you start to extract the most out of those AND already have at least a small catalog of titles, is the point at which I'd start looking at a $1K+ player.

So this $1K player would rely on on-board dac or something for a difference in audio rather than exporting it digitally to your main dac/avr? What speakers/amps are needed for this sublime experience?

 

[Jeff R.]

I have been looking at SACD. And like many have said. They are not readily available. I did stumble across my old Sony BD player and it actually can play SACD. So I think I may buy 1 or 2 discs and compare vs well recorded CDs.


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[2channel lover]

Haven't run across any 2.1 or 3.1 SACDs....got a list?

They all say multi-channel or 5.1...I'm going to play them back in 7.1 to be sure, but Mile Davis, "Kind Of Blue" is one off the top of my head to appears to be a 3.1 mix. I don't recall Norah Jones "Come Away With Me" having any rear signal either.

 

[j_garcia]

A good percentage of SACDs are 2ch only, mainly the earliest ones. There are few 3.1 discs out there, but they'd likely say multichannel rather than 3.1 on packaging. Some discs just didn't actively use the rear channels and that was the choice of the engineer. I have a few discs like that.

 

[2channel lover]

A good percentage of SACDs are 2ch only, mainly the earliest ones. There are few 3.1 discs out there, but they'd likely say multichannel rather than 3.1 on packaging. Some discs just didn't actively use the rear channels and that was the choice of the engineer. I have a few discs like that.

Agreed.

I have a couple that are labeled multi-channel that are 2.1 or 3.1 and I went back a played a couple of those over the weekend that I thought were 3.1, or something other than 5.1 to make sure the player was connected via the in 7.1 input or hdmi and not stereo.

The connection was 7.1 ch and I played around with hdmi as well to see if the rear channel has a signal and they do not so a 3.1is basically marketed as a multi-channel. Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow is a quad 4.0 mix.

 

[lovinthehd]

They all say multi-channel or 5.1...I'm going to play them back in 7.1 to be sure, but Mile Davis, "Kind Of Blue" is one off the top of my head to appears to be a 3.1 mix. I don't recall Norah Jones "Come Away With Me" having any rear signal either.

I realized I had a samplier disc that included the Miles Davis cut Blue in Green, my avr identifies it as a 3/2/.1 dsd format and playing it back in direct mode I do get surround output....

 

[sterling shoote]

For those more in the know, are SACD's still being recorded/produced with any regularity?

There's a lot out there; but, not much recently released. Some out of print SACD's are relatively expensive, especially multi-channel. For me, multi-channel is SACD's highlight; but, seems most folks now see Bluray as the medium where multi-channel audio is going. I don't know, so far, the multi-channel Bluray's I've purchased have been disappointing, even with the video to support the feel of the performance. One thing for sure though, with a modern pre/pro or receiver, the newer Bluray players having capability to play multi-channel SACD's through HDMI output, make multi-channel SACD easy to enjoy, that's to say if you can find music you have an interest in.

 

[2channel lover]

For those more in the know, are SACD's still being recorded/produced with any regularity?

Kew...I don't consider myself in the know, but talking people in the SACD biz, I've learned that most of the plants in operation now that can press SACDs are off shore. I think Japan has one, I've gotten half a dz issued from there. Another one in Austria maybe.

I've seen recently released stuff by Beyonce on SACD. I'm seeing several re-issues from CDJapan of SACDs as recent as Sept 2017

 

[2channel lover]

There's a lot out there; but, not much recently released. Some out of print SACD's are relatively expensive, especially multi-channel. For me, multi-channel is SACD's highlight; but, seems most folks now see Bluray as the medium where multi-channel audio is going. I don't know, so far, the multi-channel Bluray's I've purchased have been disappointing, even with the video to support the feel of the performance. One thing for sure though, with a modern pre/pro or receiver, the newer Bluray players having capability to play multi-channel SACD's through HDMI output, make multi-channel SACD easy to enjoy, that's to say if you can find music you have an interest in.

There is recent stuff out there Sterling, but a lot of them are re-issues.

Agree, if there is a "wow factor" with SACDs it is with multi-channel SACDs. The selection is limited to certain genres mostly...fortunately there is quite a bit out there that I like...on pricing...if you go to the speciality sites, the selection is larger but the prices are a bit crazy imo...especially for imports, but I've had pretty good success lately on Amazon...Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms" multi was $30 at Acoustic sounds...I got it for $14.99 & free shipping on Amazon.

Pink Floyd "DSOTM", and Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue" I just had to have those...DSOTM is out of print and for a new one you could pay 3 figures...I bought a good used copy for $34, and I think the Miles SACD I finally found it for $29. I won't pay that kind of money on the regular, in fact aside from those 2 I haven't spent more than $15-$18 on any of the others I've bought.

Bluray...I bought 3 so far none were multi I don't think but I've been pleased with the SQ for the most part.

 

[j_garcia]

I've paid in the $30+ range for a few SACDs, such as Jazz at the Pawnshop, probably one of the better recorded/mastered discs around:

https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-At-Pawnshop-30th-Anniversary/dp/B000N39HOE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505920402&sr=8-1&keywords=jazz+at+the+pawnshop+SACD

Dave Brubeck's Time Out SACD is also worth it, but I picked that up for like $12 around the time of his passing.

DSOTM was selling pretty inexpensively a year or two ago while there was still inventory ($10-12), but a lot of the OOP discs, often the most popular ones like that one, are going up in price still. Brothers in Arms is a must own especially while it is still cheap.

Steely Dan Gaucho is excellent but the SACD can be hard to come by. The DVD-A is just as good and still around, but not cheap anymore either.