SACD-I don't get it

[Loose4Bruce]

After an entire year of shopping and researching, I just bought the Yamaha rxv 2500 and 940c dvd player.
Even though I'm using an optical connect for DVD's, I still have to hook up 6 analogue connects to get the 5.1 channels of a sacd? Just regular RCA cables? Listening to music has become so freeking complicated.
Also wondering about DVD-audio. Doesn't a player have to compatible? Some sales dudes told me that any dvd player will play dvd-audio discs. Is this true? When I told them I just bought a Yamaha that plays sacd, they told me that only Sony makes SACD players, I was wrong, and suggested that I better look more into it. Geesh. No wonder I like shopping online.

 

[Loose4Bruce]

Sorry, wrong category. I didn't realize there was a forum for this type of thing.

 

[MDS]

Except for a few proprietary solutions, like Denon Link, you must use the 5.1 analog inputs to play SACD. i.Link (Firewire) can pass DVD-A signals, but again only appear on a few receivers.

SACD hybrid discs contain both 2 channel PCM and the high resolution surround tracks. You can play the 2 channel mix using only your optical cable, but will need the 5.1 analog inputs to play the high resolution tracks. Alot of SACD are actually hybrids, but not all.

DVD-A discs may also contain 2 channel DD or PCM tracks. A DVD-Video player will play those tracks (but not a CD player as the sampling frequency is higher than the 44.1 kHz supported by the cd player). To play the high resolution surround tracks, you need the 5.1 analog connection.

So, keep a digital connection (coax or optical) but also get the 5.1 analog cables if you want to actually play the high resolution tracks.

 

[rgriffin25]

The DVD player must be compatible to play the Hi-Rez 96/24 DVD-A material. It will say DVD Audio/Video on the player. Trust me after connecting the DVD player to the Receiver or pre-amp it is just as easy as selecting the source and pressing play.

It's funny how often sales people only know part of the information needed. Sony and Philips invented SACD so you won't find a DVD player from these companies that play DVD-A.

 

[keenan]

Except for a few proprietary solutions, like Denon Link, you must use the 5.1 analog inputs to play SACD. i.Link (Firewire) can pass DVD-A signals, but again only appear on a few receivers.

IEEE 1394(iLink-firewire) is the only digital connection that carries SACD. Denon Link does not.

 

[Colonel_Tomb]

Even though I'm using an optical connect for DVD's, I still have to hook up 6 analogue connects to get the 5.1 channels of a sacd? Just regular RCA cables? Listening to music has become so freeking complicated.

Yes, except for the proprietary solutions mentioned already, an SACD's high-resolution programs (stereo mix and surround mix, if present) are output only in analog form. Also as mentioned, hybrid SACDs have a CD mix that's the same as any CD, and you can pass it via analog or digital.

Also wondering about DVD-audio. Doesn't a player have to compatible? Some sales dudes told me that any dvd player will play dvd-audio discs. . Is this true?

Yes and no. All DVD-A discs include a Dolby Digital mix (with lossy compression), so you can play the surround mix on any DVD player; it'll just be at movie quality. To hear the high-resolution LPCM mix (typically 24/96), you need a compatible player.

When I told them I just bought a Yamaha that plays sacd, they told me that only Sony makes SACD players, I was wrong, and suggested that I better look more into it.

Well, that's obviously not true. Not many manufacturers make SACD-only players (Sony, obviously, and Krell, and that may be it), but there are plenty of "universal" players (from Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer, Marantz, others) that play both SACD and DVD-A.

 

[egcarter]

The new Onkyo TN-NR1000 and Integra DTR-10.5 receivers will do DVD-Audio and SACD all digitally via the iLink module (standard on the Onkyo, optional on the built-to-order Integra). It works great if you have an iLink-equipped DVD player, like the Onkyo SP1000/Integra DPS-10.5. You get the full six-track spread through that connection.


Eric