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!

rbertalotto

I use the Oppo BDP105D player so I use the RCA outputs for SACD playback but everything else is transmitted via the SPDiF into the DAC.

N

My McIntosh transport has a proprietary MCT cable running to the McIntosh DAC. The display on the DAC says SACD when a SACD is played.  I assume it is the same as Paul McGowen is describing with their PS Audio stuff.

I solved my SACD issue. As I stated in the original post, I had bought A Sony x700 with the goal of somehow using it to play SACD. Yup, it got real complicated and more than I wanted to grt into. I returned it and just bought a used Denon 2910 DVD player….highly regarded, still supported with parts and service and has a reasonable built in DAC to play SACD through analog outputs. It will be here in a couple days and Ill report back.

I have that player sitting in my basement, unplayed for about a decade.  There is a problem with the drawer; it opens and shuts but in continuous motion, no stops.  Inserting a disc is like shooting fish in a moving barrel.

  I still don’t know why you had a “problem “.  In the end you purchased a SACD player for its analog outs.  Plenty of more modern players do that, with presumably better DACs.  Are you sure the Denon doesn’t convert DSD to PCM?  It’s been so long since I have given that player a thought that I don’t remember 

I say rip 'em!   DRM has ruined so many an otherwise good product. That's not because I want to pirate anything.

Hunting for SACDs can be fun.  I remember finding 5 Rolling Stones SACDs just sitting in a used CD bin for $5.99 per disc.  Of course they've just sat there on the shelf since I can listen to something about the same quality without moving from my chair. But collector-me likes to have them.  Someday I'll be glad I have them...or the guy will that bought them at my post-funeral garage sale.