Thiel Owners

@tomthiel

Playback of SACD disks via a disk player using an external DAC is a special use case. To my knowledge, there are essentially 2 ways to turn this trick aside from the PS Audio solution, both require that the disk player have an HDMI output (such as a SACD capable Blu Ray player like the Oppo’s).

To use the HDMI output directly requires a DAC with an HDMI input, such as a Bryston BDA3 or a NAD M51 (which like the Oppo is discontinued).

The second is to use something like the Geerfab D.BOB (digital breakout box), which is a $1000 item, and sits between your SACD player with HDMI output and a DSD capable DAC which supports DOP (DSD over PCM). There are modestly priced SACD capable Blu Ray players which can serve as your transport.

A totally different approach, and the one I utilize myself, is to rip the DSD layer from the SACD, and then stream to a DSD capable DAC. If interested in this later approach, PM me, and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

tomthiel

Excellent advice as above. Oppo, PS Audio or separate Transport  / DAC are the choices per your System requirements.  Oppo and PS Audio offer excellent customer service (repair) as well.

Happy Listening!

tomthiel

2nd Note;

what became of your Sony ES SCD-1 ?

Happy Listening!

Thanks, guys. I suppose I hoped that I had missed a simple, digital-only spinner that cost less due to absence of D-A conversion. Semi-portable would be nice to pair with a PS Sprout 100, etc. But, I guess optical discs diminished before separate DATS got rolling.

jafant - That SCD-1 in on the shelf awaiting the right opportunity to set it up.

That was Thiel's unit that I took to Bill Thalmann two years ago. He failed to salvage the SACD side, and he said the CD side had been well hot-rodded. I picked it up last Thanksgiving, which is after I lost my studio space. I'll put it in service this fall.

But that doesn't address my desire to have something to tickle the ears of musicians and other non-audiophiles for better than expected playback at an affordable price. An old skinflint can't be cured, I guess.