What kind of nutter buys an SACD player in 2014 ?
- Thread starter estreeter
- Start date
Valveglow
Super Member
I am 99% a two channel guy, but please forgive the ignorance...what is the point of a 2 ch SACD player?
I have some 2 ch SACDs...they sound amazing.
soundboy
Super Member
SACD is first, and foremost, a 2 channel format. The format is possibly enjoying its biggest year in 2014 in terms of new releases.
I will be getting a Oppo 103 later this year.
It sure is pretty. How does it sound with SACD's and regular cd's?
And yeah, hard to imagine that it doesn't have multiple outputs for 5.1. I don't need the headache of 5.1, just curious to me.
And yeah, hard to imagine that it doesn't have multiple outputs for 5.1. I don't need the headache of 5.1, just curious to me.
estreeter
Super Member
Given that I own just 5 SACDs, I'm very much hoping that it's abilities as a USB DAC and Redbook CD player are every bit as good as I've been led to believe. The SA11 and NA11 continue to get solid reviews but both are above my pay grade, sadly - I'm particularly interested in the network player.
It all comes down to whether you see the 14S1 as a disc spinner that also functions as a DAC or a DAC that has the added functionality of spinning discs - for me its the latter. The PM8005 and other players offer similar functionality for less, and there's no shortage of 2-channel DACs in the 2-3K range, but I'm keen to find out what all the marketing speak about HDAM-2 and rigid casework adds up to in the real world.
It all comes down to whether you see the 14S1 as a disc spinner that also functions as a DAC or a DAC that has the added functionality of spinning discs - for me its the latter. The PM8005 and other players offer similar functionality for less, and there's no shortage of 2-channel DACs in the 2-3K range, but I'm keen to find out what all the marketing speak about HDAM-2 and rigid casework adds up to in the real world.
That would be my desire as well, to use the DAC for my sad computer library, which is going thru a Dragonfly 1.1, and I'm very unhappy with the sound.
And use for the redbook/hdcd/cd options.
Just curious, where did you get yours, and if you don't mind sharing, what did it end up costing you?
And use for the redbook/hdcd/cd options.
Just curious, where did you get yours, and if you don't mind sharing, what did it end up costing you?
I'd be all over that. Those Marantz's (sp?) are killer sacd players.
BTW, I've gotten some of the new Steve Hoffman or Kevin Grey mastered SACD's put out by Audio Fidelity, and the sound is simply superb. Those right there make it worthwhile to own an SACD player.
BTW, I've gotten some of the new Steve Hoffman or Kevin Grey mastered SACD's put out by Audio Fidelity, and the sound is simply superb. Those right there make it worthwhile to own an SACD player.
Valveglow
Super Member
I thought that was what the Oppo was all about, plus the 5.1 option for those interested.
Art K.
The Voodoo You Do!
Ditto.
soundboy
Super Member
But there are only a handful of surround-only SACD titles....probably less than 50 out of over 9,600 titles released so far. A dedicated 2 channel stereo (or mono) DSD mix is mandated by Sony and Philips for SACD.
sKiZo
Hates received: 92644 43.20°N 85.50°W
ALL sacd's have a two channel mix - multi channel optional.
(Or so I'm told - although I do have a couple that are multichannel only) <G>
I've got quite a few SACDs here and am real satisfied with the Oppo 980H I picked up a few years back. That's sort of an interesting player in that it was built specifically for audio. It'll do video too, but that was more of an afterthought and doesn't have the uber wOw video processing you get with most of their lineup. No complaints in that regard in that the player is on a dedicated audio system.
Lot depends on your genre too ... pop/rock/prog titles are few and far between, but jazz and orchestral releases are common.
PS ... I see a copy of Oldfield's Tubular Bells on sale for $1200 at Amazon ... any takers? Point of that is, if you see something you like, grab it quick. You may have a sweet spot of a couple months at most on popular titles before the price skyrockets.
(Or so I'm told - although I do have a couple that are multichannel only) <G>
I've got quite a few SACDs here and am real satisfied with the Oppo 980H I picked up a few years back. That's sort of an interesting player in that it was built specifically for audio. It'll do video too, but that was more of an afterthought and doesn't have the uber wOw video processing you get with most of their lineup. No complaints in that regard in that the player is on a dedicated audio system.
Lot depends on your genre too ... pop/rock/prog titles are few and far between, but jazz and orchestral releases are common.
PS ... I see a copy of Oldfield's Tubular Bells on sale for $1200 at Amazon ... any takers? Point of that is, if you see something you like, grab it quick. You may have a sweet spot of a couple months at most on popular titles before the price skyrockets.
Ths364
Super Member
The Marantz SACD players are no joke. A friend loaned me the top of the line Marantz SACD player for a few months while he was out of the country (along with the top of the line pre-amp and a pair of the 300w monoblocks). After hearing just a couple of the SACD's I started looking for other titles; BUYING SACD's to hear on a player I didn't even own, and would have to give back in just a few months. Torture, I tell you 
pure torture
pure torture
soundboy
Super Member
I meant surround-only, with no stereo 2 channel content.
