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Playing SACDs

Howdy,

A few months ago I changed my DAC from a Bryston BDP-3 to a CE Hugo TT2. My source of digital music is an Aurender N100H using USB to the Hugo. The change from BDP-3 to the Hugo was significant to my ears so I am as happy as I can be in that respect but... and there is always a but, isn't? I have a collection of ~150 SACDs which I enjoyed playing from my Oppo, through HDMI, to the BDP-3. Since the BDP-3 is gone and the Oppo can not pass SACD/DSD/PCM in its other digital outputs, I now have to use the onboard DAC of the Oppo and use its analog outputs. It does not sound bad... but it is not as good as it used to sound.

I am have been reading multiple posts here and in other forums but from what I can gather, there isn't a SACD transport that will output SACD (DSD/DoP/PCM), am I correct? I don't have that many movies anymore so I could get rid of the Oppo and get me a SACD transport if it would be possible to play SACDs without HDMI.

Any ideas or should I just suck it up and move on?

Thanks!

Ivan
smdb01us
melm
1,057 posts
 
I suggest you rip your SACDs. Makes them easy and convenient to play, and with the highest possible SQ.

You haven’t said which Oppo you have, but if you have either the 105 or 103, you’re all set to do it. If you don’t have one of those, you might buy a used 103. There are other hardware options as well. You can do a search.

Ripping SACDs is very easy to do, and you will have the rips to play no matter what your future set-up looks like.  And it can go it directly and without any conversion through USB.
smdb01us OP
14 posts
 
@melm I have thought about doing that several times... I am technology included (SW engineer) but for some reason I have never gone that route. Perhaps I need time to justify buying the HW just for that. Anyways, I have a UDP-203. I will check how expensive the used Oppos go for. Thank you for reminding me that.
smdb01us OP
14 posts
 
@melm, well I am officially an idiot. I just remembered that I never sold the old 103 the 203 replaced, LOL. I am now reading the posts on how to rip SACDs. Good weekend project!
melm
1,057 posts
 
@smdb01us

Bravo!  Now it's a no-brainer.  You will be very happy with the results.  

You might begin by having a look here: https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-93-minidsp-ripping-sacds-page-2

Let the folks here know how it worked out.
elevick
2,636 posts
 
Tell me if I'm reading into this incorrectly but:  If you want to run your Oppo into the Hugo this is for 2 channel listening, correct?  My 105 outputs digital 2 channel to my Hugo.  Most SACDs are hybrid 2 channel discs.  Yes, if you have pure SACDs this won't work.  Is your desire to downmix 5.1 down to 2 channel?
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