SACD vs redbook bass and sound volume

[muncybob]

I noticed this week-end after connecting my first subwoofer that SACD's in mutli-channel playback seem to have less bass and a lower playing volume than redbook. I had an SACD playing and popped it out to listen to a regular cd, did not change the volume on the amp but it was extremely loud as compared to the multi-channel SACD. Is this normal or do I need to make some amp adjustments...I thought I had properly calibrated all speakers. I think this was true previous to connecting the sub but now it's seems even more noticable. Is this "normal"?

 

[jcPanny]

Bass Management

During the SACD playback, your DVD/SACD player is doing the bass management. Durring CD playback your receiver is doing the bass management. Make sure that you have completed the setup on the DVD player and bump up the sub level a couple DVD to match your preferences.

How the CD or SACD is mixed will also make a difference. Many people also manually adjust the sub or the receiver up a couple dB when changing from music to movies.

 

[j_garcia]

With multichannel hires music there is one small issue that many players have - with DD and DTS tracks, the receiver has a +10dB offset for the .1 channel built into the decoding. Hires music does not have this and if your player or receiver does not have a way to compensate, you have to adjust your speaker levels to achieve the correct bass level. Redbook does not have this problem either because the receiver is handling the bass management (there is no .1 channel with a stereo signal, whether analog or digital).

 

[Sleestack]

Generally speaking SACDs do have a lower volume during l\playaback. I have found that to be the case with most, if not all, of my SACDs.

My pre/pro, the TACT TCS MKII, is on of the few that will actually allow you to apply bass managment to the LFE channel of a 5.1 SACD or DVD-A recording. It does, however, use the ADC6 to the AD conversion on all 6 channles.