Will SACD Formats Play through a Standard DAC?

you can only use the DAC for the 'redbook' (i.e. NOT sacd) signal.

NO. A standard DAC does not decode DSD and the signal is not passed through the digital out of the player.

There is a mod shop in Switzerland who will sell you a modified multichannel player (SACD and DVDA) with digital outputs, probably PCM that the standard DAC can handle, for all six channels. They will also sell you the circuit boards if you want to mod your own player. Evidently Sony's control of the industry does not extend to Switzerland!

Thanks... darn it.

So, has anyone made an outboard DSD decoder? Is there anyway to get the DSD out from an SACD player? Just curious.

I believe that the EM (Ed Mitner) Labs D/a will decode Sacd format. They are very pricey though.

Dartford, can you share your resources other than "a mod shop in Switzerland?"

Sounds interesting.

Here:
http://www.dvdupgrades.ch/product/Modification/SPDIF/Output/Six_channel_S_P_DIF_output_board/24308.html

Kal

You can use firewire, Denon Link, HDMI 1.3 and other proprietary connections on appropriately equiped players and decoders to pass SACD/DVDA digitally.

Why so secretive RW? A few details please.
What "other proprietary connections?"
What "appropriately equiped players and decoders?"

The answer, in general, is that all digital outputs from an SACD must be encrypted in some way or other, at least if you play by the rules of the SACD licensing agreement. So, the relatively standard links that RW mentioned do this. In addition, there are the proprietary connection schemes of Accuphase and Esoteric.

There is no 'off-the-shelf' way to get and play with the digital information, except for the DVDUpgrades mod.

Kal

Denon uses Denon Link which is an RJ45 connection between their receivers and SACD/DVDA players. There is also I-Link which Sony uses and various other companies use their own methods of sending encrypted digital signals between player and processors. Some of these schemes work with other companies' devices. I believe Denon Link and I-Link will work with various processors.

Try to Oppo digital 970HD universal player. It will convert SACD to 24 bit 88.2KHz linear PCM at the digital output. It only cost $150 and makes a nice dvd player.

Wloeb...The Oppo players look great, but I don't think they will output six discrete channels in digital format such as can be input to a DAC. They do output a data stream for Dolby decoding into six channels.