SACD?

Mass. Wine Guy · « **on:** 18 Mar 2011, 03:42 pm »

Ok. I know what a CD player does, and I kind of have an idea that an SACD player provides more information from an SACD and makes for a richer sound. But I've never heard one. Are SACDs really worth it? How dramatic is the difference between these and standard CDs?

Thank you.

Phil A · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 04:02 pm »

In general yes - but there is skill in mixing and mastering as well. You're getting sampling at 2.8M vs. 44k. You'll notice with decent equipment highs (i.e. strings will sound less edgy), lows and air around things more.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 05:18 pm »

The resolution capability of SACDs is so great that bad analog recordings as Tubular Bells and Brain Salad Surgery, sound even badest on SACD, than on CD.
So bad recordings are not worth it. But some great analogue recordings are Dark Side of the Moon, Roxy Music, Shaft (Isaac Hayes) etc...

DSD recorded SACDs are great sound as the classical labels Telarc, Channel, IsoMike, Pentatone etc ...
SACDs midrange and treble are even sweeter than vinyl, and the bass has no end, very powerful.

ted_b · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 05:36 pm »

Mass. Wine Guy,
Tell us about your system. A good SACD player will infuse you system with great music, assuming the system is resolving enough. Also, what are you looking at that's got you interested in SACD? Finally, feel free to come over to our HiRez Music Circle to see many recommendations, etc (I created and moderate it). Net/net, I'm a big SACD fan.

By the way, DVD-Audio is a similar (competing) HiRez disc format that has good stuff too.

Players like the Oppos play both.

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 06:29 pm »

I have a simple two channel system for now. Arte Forma I-150 integrated amp, Arcam CD-72 player hooked to a Van Alstine Omega Star DAC. Quad 12L2 speakers.

I just always like having as much detail and information conveyed as I can, though I don't want to start paying $40 for enhanced CDs. Are they expensive?

ted_b · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 06:34 pm »

They've been around long enough that Amazon has used ones for under $15. But they also have several SACD's that are OOP, and those, like any other scarce market, are expensive. The other longer-term advantage of SACD (and DVD-A, Blu-Ray audio) is multichannel.

bacobits1 · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 06:36 pm »

I had a Sony XA777ES it sounded very nice but, I sold it after 6 months.
Why ? Not enough SACD Software that I would listen to. Also I didn't need the multi channel capability. My current player sounds every bit as good.
If you are into Classical you should have a better choice.
Plus you have to look for the SACD's and that is mostly on line.
I just didn't think the whole thing was worth it. Sony really orphaned the format.

I have more HDCD's my Raysonic plays than the SACD's. I maybe have 7 SACD's.

D

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 07:04 pm »

+1 on Phil A & FULLRANGEMAN. While I somewhat agree with bacobits1, I don't have any problem finding stuff I want (Classical, Jazz, and Geezer Rock).

Sam-fi · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 07:29 pm »

I just purchased a Sony XA5400es I will let you know how it is. It's my first SACD.

Sam

roboss38 · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 08:20 pm »

The XA5400 is a great player with SACD, and I was really blown away with the quality on Redbook playback. Enjoy you new player.

Randy · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Mar 2011, 08:23 pm »

Quote from: Sam-fi on 18 Mar 2011, 07:29 pm

I just purchased a Sony XA5400es I will let you know how it is. It's my first SACD.

Sam

I've had my 5400 for about two years now, I guess. Just love it. It has been upgraded by Vacuum State Electronics (Terra Firma clock and new anaog state, all balanced) that brings it to near-reference level. It was excellent before the upgrade, however, much better than the Marantz I had previously.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Mar 2011, 04:37 pm »

The first thing you'll probably notice with SACDs is the extended dynamic range...if you listen to dynamic music like large scale symphonies and such. SACDs deliver an extra 10db of range which really livens things up! You may or may not actually hear and appreciate the increased resolution. I LOVE SACDs...though I hate Sony in general. The bastards.

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Mar 2011, 05:48 pm »

I'll skip it for now. Sounds too complex.

Randy · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Mar 2011, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: Mass. Wine Guy on 19 Mar 2011, 05:48 pm

I'll skip it for now. Sounds too complex.

What? All you do is put the disc in and push the play button. The SACD layer does the rest.

Phil A · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Mar 2011, 06:33 pm »

Quote from: Randy on 19 Mar 2011, 06:29 pm

What? All you do is put the disc in and push the play button. The SACD layer does the rest.

I'd second the above - nothing could be easier. Some players have a button on the remote that lets you choose what you want to hear (CD layer if a hybrid disc, Stereo SACD layer, Multi-channel SACD layer if it is a multi-channel disc) and can set a preference. Others offer the same choice in the set-up menu. If you're going to listen in stereo (that's where my preference is set) you just put the disc in and it plays.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Mar 2011, 07:50 pm »

Quote from: Mass. Wine Guy on 19 Mar 2011, 05:48 pm

I'll skip it for now. Sounds too complex.

Phil A · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Mar 2011, 08:22 pm »

I'd look at what Ted B noted above in conjunction with how you will use it. Software availability and your tastes in music may dictate what is a priority one way or the other for you. At this point, there is no mainstream US label support. Many of the new releases in recent years have been classical as a commercial success for a classical album is a whole other animal vs. rock or even jazz. At this point, I don't buy more than 10-15/year and many of those are more expensive (from audiophile labels here like MoFi, Analogue Productions and Universal Japan) than most music purchases (like $25-$55 per disc). So for your situation you would have to consider the hardware cost and the amount of software you would want. If you are in the market for a new CD player, you can always the route of a CD/SACD player if there is available software of interest to you.

Sam-fi · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 Apr 2011, 10:17 pm »

I have busted into SACD. I am LOVING it! The only thing that erks me is software availability. Things are out of print or back ordered faster than they can be sold.

I ordered some new SACDs from linn and I get an email on the release date that they are sold out and would keep me informed when more come into stock.... I pre-ordered it mind you.

I would also kill to get my hands on a complete set of Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo releases.

Sam

Phil A · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 Apr 2011, 10:49 pm »

Quote from: Sam-fi on 5 Apr 2011, 10:17 pm

I have busted into SACD. I am LOVING it! The only thing that erks me is software availability. Things are out of print or back ordered faster than they can be sold.

I ordered some new SACDs from linn and I get an email on the release date that they are sold out and would keep me informed when more come into stock.... I pre-ordered it mind you.

I would also kill to get my hands on a complete set of Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo releases.

Sam

Sam - if you sign up for Linn's mailing list every now and then they will send you an offer for 10 SACDs for a good price (from memory like around $75-80). I think last time they had selections from two or three groups of 10 SACDs. I tend to listen to Linn Jazz over the internet (sometimes Linn Classical) when I'm surfing the web for a bit (I have a Pioneer 1120 in the office system and a Squeezebox Touch in the main system. Listening to samples and hearing new things on the Linn label is easy that way. Here are the URLs:

Linn Radio http://89.16.185.174:8003/stream
Linn Jazz http://89.16.185.174:8000/stream
Linn Classical http://89.16.185.174:8004/stream

ted_b · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Apr 2011, 10:57 pm »

If you have a chance to get the Linn downloads they are much better than the SACD's (2 channel) as they record in PCM (same as downloads) and then transcribe to DSD later only for the SACD release. Of course, the multichannel is SACD only, at least at Linn.

I love SACD but just sayin.....

Sam, I posted some inexpensive Amazon discs for your search of RCA Living Stereo SACD's. I have several and they are great.