Multichannel SACD,DVD-A on a stereo system.

[jlindsey86]

Thinking about purchasing a universal player to add to my stereo. However I know that the majority of SACD's and DVD-A are multichannel. WOuld I need to have them running in a 5.1 setup to not miss out on anything or is there a stereo version mixed on all of the multichannel releases? Or am I limited to stereo only SACD releases?

[tcdriver]

Thinking about purchasing a universal player to add to my stereo. However I know that the majority of SACD's and DVD-A are multichannel. WOuld I need to have them running in a 5.1 setup to not miss out on anything or is there a stereo version mixed on all of the multichannel releases? Or am I limited to stereo only SACD releases? Almost all, if not all, SACD have a two-channel stereo mix. Almost all, if not all, DVD-A have a 5.1, 5.0 or 4.0 multi-channel mix but many do not have a dedicated two-channel stereo mix. Most if not all DVD-A players will “downmix” a multi-channel mix to two-channel stereo. You will not miss any of the sound by playing back in two-channel stereo, however, you may miss out on the enhanced experience of hearing the music in multi-channel.

[goldear]

SACD is a better format for two channel listening in general due to having a separate studio 2 channel mix, and not simply whatever your player happens to deem appropriate in terms of a "mix-down" from 5.1 to 2 channels.

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, the SACDs have a dedicated 2-channel layer on almost all disks (I've had pointed out to me before that there is at least one exception, but I thought it violated the format, as multichannel was added as an afterthought); all DVD-A disks have mixdown instructions on how to mix the channels to get a 2-channel track, however as has been pointed out, this is not always done in an optimal manner (he says diplomatically). So multichannel is not a requirement for either format -- go for it!

[2DualsNotEnough]

If I remember right,many of the DVD-A's had an option in the onscreen menu for 2 channel playback.On a lot of them,the 2 channel playback was much superior to the 5 channel.
Jimmy

[jlindsey86]

Thanks guys, just what I was wanting to hear. Looks like I will be making an addition to the system soon.

[soundboy]

Yeah, the SACDs have a dedicated 2-channel layer on almost all disks (I've had pointed out to me before that there is at least one exception, but I thought it violated the format, as multichannel was added as an afterthought)

There're anywhere between 5 to 10 SACD titles that featured multi-channel only. I know for sure the "Stockfisch/B&W Demo Disc" and a Ray Charles live SACD are multi-channel only.

Yeah, Sony/Philips mandated that any SACD must have a dedicated hi-rez 2-channel stereo (or mono) mix; the CD layer and the hi-rez multi-channel mix are completely optional. In fact, most of the highest of hi-end SACD players out there are 2 channel stereo only.

[wsjoe]

So, if I want to take advantage of 3 channel recordings such as the RCA Living Stereo labels, what's the best way with SACD? Do I use 3 mono amps and use Left, center and right outputs from the sacd player?

wsjoe

[soundboy]

So, if I want to take advantage of 3 channel recordings such as the RCA Living Stereo labels, what's the best way with SACD? Do I use 3 mono amps and use Left, center and right outputs from the sacd player?

In that case, you can certainly go with 3 mono amps and use the L/C/R channels of the SACD player. There are a number of combinations of hardware you can use for this arrangement.

Don't forget SACD can contain anything from mono to 5.1 channel multi-channel surround. There're a number of quad recording that went straight to SACD, while containing a separate 2 channel stereo mix at the same time.

[ozmoid]

Some SACDs are "hybrid", and also contain a standard CD layer that will play in any Redbook CD Player, no special equipment required.

IME these mixes are an improvement over the regular CD release, as they usually benefit from the SACD remastering that was done to make the multi-channel version. Elton John's Madman Across the Water is particularly nice in the hybrid CD playback.

[soundboy]

Some SACDs are "hybrid", and also contain a standard CD layer that will play in any Redbook CD Player, no special equipment required.

Actually, almost all SACDs released within the last 3 years are hybrids. Single-layer SACDs were released, in the US, by Sony and Universal in the format's early years. One reason was that there was limited hybrid production capability and Sony, in its infinite wisdom, allocated its hybrid SACD production capability at its Terre Haute, Indiana CD/SACD pressing plant to new SACD releases from labels like Telarc. When hybrid SACD production capability finally caught up, Sony and Universal then switched to hybrids. Which is why certain SACD titles, such as those from Peter Gabriel and Dave Brubeck, were issued as hybrid SACD overseas while being only "single-layered" here in the US.

The only single-layer SACD released in recent memory was a "burn-in" SACD released last year by Hong Kong's Top Music. It was pressed by Sony in Japan.

[eljr]

So, if the question is, "Does the Hybrid Multichannel SACD have a two channel SACD layer that is good for two channel SACD setups or does it just play two channel from the redbook layer?"
The answer is that it has a two channel layer?:scratch2:

and any SACD format will play two channel from the two channel SACD layer?

Hence if you just listen to two channel and it say's SACD your ok?
:scratch2:

[Whitehall]

Your SACD machine can be set to just playback the stereo SACD layer.

Almost all SACD disks have a stereo SACD track.

For "universal" machines, ones that playback DVD and SACD, you sometimes need to use your TV to set it up to choice the stereo SACD/DVD tracks preferentially.