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Are You Happy With 2 Channel SACD?

Fellow Audio Lovers,
For those of you who own SACD equipment "specifically, two channel" machines do you wish you had purchased a multichannel unit instead.? I am looking at purchasing possibly a Marantz SA12... however I have recieved comments from "friends" that, I should buy a multi channel unit because they say 2 channel SACD "is just plain blah... and I shouldn't bother with it unless I go the multi route.... any thoughts?
wmwman
mikesinger
572 posts
 
yes and #$$^&**@# yes.

it is a very good 'Revealing' format and better when recorded well even in the 2 channel mode.

i use a marantz sa-8260 and i like it alot... you use to have to spend big $$$$$$$ to get this level of sound quality.

the drawback to the format is lack of software.

mike

mike
surfgod
229 posts
 
If you look in general, most of our systems are set up in two channel mode.In the surround sound mode, you are not going to see 5 SET amps all feeding into I don't know what kind of processor. If I set up surround sound, It would be through a SS state multichannel amp or a good reciever. One does not set up multi channel systems to do real critical listening. I am more impressed with two channel SACD than with multichannel SACD. This may seem very old fashioned, but so are tube amps.
wmwman OP
26 posts
 
Mikesinger and Surfgod THANK YOU !!!! BTW ironically today I ran into the saleman from the local "high end shop" and he is still trying to get me to purchase a SA12 over the SA14.. but it seems to me by way of the responses I've gotten that maybe he "the salesman" may be in the minority as far as choice of unit... You don't thing commission might have something to do with his choice??? NEVER.......
boldstrummer
21 posts
 
I am having a VERY hard time hearing the difference between the CD and the stereo SACD layers of my classical Hybrid discs played on my Philips 963sa. My hearing is fine (I am a professional musician), but my pre-amp is admittedly lower-mid-fi, a Yamaha dsp-e492.
If there really is a huge difference between the two, shouldn't I be able to detect it even on modest equipment?
rar1's avatar
rar1
1,769 posts
 
Boldstrummer:

In all candor, in this hobby, just about every "huge difference" that someone claims that they can hear is typically nothing more than something that is casually discernable and a function of how much they let it bother them. With that said, I find that the difference between the redbook and hybrid levels may be discernable, but is not "huge" on first listen. With hybrids/SACD, I find that the overall sound is less fatiguing over time and I can listen to my system for longer.

Regards, Rich
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