Sorry to ask this SACD question, but

Jim

Straight from my OPPO menus.

Playback setup.... SACD priority ... Stereo

Audio format set up... SACD output ... Pcm.

Audio format set up ... Hdmi audio ... Off

I can play the sacd layer over rca analog outs.

Not sure what might be occurring with your OPPO?

SACDs are meant to be decoded internally by the player, just use the analog outs on the player over to your preamp and good to go.

According to the OP they cannot get any sound over the analog outputs, which is most peculiar.

Maybe my OPPO menu settings will help.

"How's everyone else playing SACDs?"

Maybe by bypassing the player altogether. Rip the files into DSD and play through any DAC you wish (as long as it works with DSD).

"According to the OP they cannot get any sound over the analog outputs, which is most peculiar."

I am not sure about Oppo, but some machines disengage internal DAC when something is connected to a digital output.

In this case, I would disconnect HDMI (or whatever digital connection is there) from the player when attempting to listen to a SACD via RCA/balanced outputs. I would not even just turn those off but rather pull them out from the player for a test. Just a thought.