How about a basic SACD tutorial??

[EJD]

I finally put together a little 2 channel rig for my stereo listening and moved my CD player into that system. However, I found that I miss the convenience of a CD changer downstairs in my HT area, so I was looking for an inexpensive one to put back into it. I like trying out used equipment, so after digging around a bit, I picked up a Sony nc685v today.

The thing that sold me on this one was that it has SACD capability. To be honest, SACD has never really interested me, so I never bothered to learn much about it. But since this seemed like a pretty cheap way to give it a try - I figured why not? The problem is that I know next to nothing about SACD - other than the first SACD I shoud get is Dark Side of the Moon.

Anyone care to give me a few basics about SACD? Anything I should look for if I decide to pick up some SACDs? Any well recorded SACDs you would recommend? (musical tastes lean towards rock, mostly acoustic stuff - Patty Griffin, Steely Dan, The Sundays, Neil Finn, John Hiatt, yadda, yadda, yadda)

Thanks

 

[dvda-sacd]

SA-CD.net

Go SA-CD.net:

· Top Recommendations -> http://www.sa-cd.net/toprecommendations

· Top Library -> http://www.sa-cd.net/toplibrary

· Top Sellers -> http://www.sa-cd.net/topsellers

Cheers!

 

[j_garcia]

Steely Dan Gaucho would be a good one to start with since you are a fan. It is very well done. I picked up Clapton's Slowhand this weekend and I am enjoying it quite a bit.

 

[EJD]

Thanks - that site should help a lot.

I notice that some of the titles have a "multi-ch" icon, some have a "hybrid" icon, and some have no icon. I didn't see descriptions of those - does this mean that if there is no icon, it's just a 2 channel recording? Does hybrid mean that some songs are 2 channel and some are multi channel - or does it mean that there is both a multi channel version and a 2 channel version of the entire album on the same disc?

I was under the assumption that all SACDs were multi channel - but apparently that isn't the case?

 

[dvda-sacd]

does this mean that if there is no icon, it's just a 2 channel recording?

It's just stereo and single layer. Hybrid means that the disc contains two layers: SACD layer and CD layer; so that it can play on all SACD and CD players.

 

[j_garcia]

The earliest SACDs were stereo only, say the first 100 titles or so. After that m/c (multichannel) became pretty much the norm, but some artists may choose to release stereo only. A hybrid means it contains a redbook (standard) CD track as well as the hires audio; meaning it can be played in any CD/DVD player - though you are getting CD quality only, not hires. Every disc I have that has a m/c track also has a stereo hires track as well, and that is a good thing because not all discs translate well (bad mixing IMO) into 5.1. There are some discs that I use the 2ch track rather than the m/c - The Police 25th anniversary is a good example IMO; far too gimmicky. That doesn't mean there aren't discs out there that don't have a stereo SACD track. Discs that have m/c and stereo SACD tracks should indicate the fact that both are available, so just make sure you read the cover or details closely.

 

[obscbyclouds]

Another Recommendation would be The Allman Brothers Live at Filmore East SACD. It sounds excellent and has a stereo CD layer.

 

[skizzerflake]

The primary reason to get SACD (IMO) is to get 3 or 5 channel sound (some 3 channel vintage classical recordings exist). Unless you are extremely critical, you probably won't hear much difference between cd and sacd versions of the same recording in stereo (they mainly differ in sampling rate), but good 5 channel recordings are really vivid. The problem I see is that music people just don't think in 5 channels so engineers don't know how to use it. As often as not, you end up in the middle of a band that surrounds you and that just ins't very real. The best sacd's however are the ones that use the back channels for space and ambience. A live recording like Allison Krause and Union Station's live double sacd really puts you in the 10th row and makes you feel like you're really there. No stereo or synthesized surround can match that. I love sacd and dvd audio, but neither seems to be catching on very well.

 

[audiofox]

The RCA Living Stereo titles are all very nice, and they are mostly three channel (which I believe was the original recording method for most of the LS catalog). There is also a great reissue (it is a 2 channel hybrid) of Leo Kottke's 6 and 12 string guitar, which is hands down the best version of this recording available (I have the orange/purple label first pressing vinyl on Takoma, which was my former best version until I got the SACD). I second skizzer's lament-HD audio is great, but the masses don't seem to know it exists (until I play some for my non-HD audio friends, that is).

 

[WmAx]

Well, how about which SACD to NOT get?

Danny Elfman: Serenada Schizophrana

The music is fine. The problem is a blunder on part of one of the production engineers: a high frequency constant noise that appears/fades away at different times on most tracks. I isolated the noise to about 15730 Hz with FFT analysis. If you have severe hearing deficiency at that frequency, it's a non issue. If you can hear that frequency reasonably well, I wager the recording will drive you nuts. The same sound is found on the CD layer.

-Chris

 

[obscbyclouds]

I went to a local Borders and was surprised how many SACD's and DVD-A's they had. They also were running a buy 3 get 1 free program that applied to CD's and DVD's (hirez too). You can definately find them in Music stores, just expect funny looks if you ask the staff about them....