SACD playback

[concealer404]

Alright, so HB27 gave me DSOTM on SACD last night since he no longer has an SACD player. It's the 5.1 mix.

I don't have a 5.1 setup. What exactly am i missing in playing this in my 2 channel setup? I seem to be getting all the bass for one, and there's nothing jumping out at me that i'm missing.

But on the other hand, this isn't wowing me, either. Don't get me wrong, it sounds GOOD, but not really any better than a lot of the standard CDs i listen to either.

Do i just have too high of an expectation for this, or is the fact that i've got the 5.1 mix on a stereo setup killing me?

[Face]

Alright, so HB27 gave me DSOTM on SACD last night since he no longer has an SACD player. It's the 5.1 mix.

I don't have a 5.1 setup. What exactly am i missing in playing this in my 2 channel setup?

A cacophony of sound.

[concealer404]

A cacophony of sound.

Right. :p I have no interest in a multi-channel stereo setup for music. I guess what i was more asking is the reason i'm not wowed because it's the 5.1 mix, and i WOULD be wowed with the true stereo mix on SACD?

-Another Ben

[Face]

Maybe, depends on your rig.

[concealer404]

Maybe, depends on your rig.

What aspect of it? The source i would imagine...


I guess my question should have been: Will the 5.1 sacd played on a 2-channel setup sound the same as the 2.0 SACD?

[vc69]

Does that disc not have a 2.0 mix?

[concealer404]

Does that disc not have a 2.0 mix?

Not that i can see, but i'm not sure what i should be looking for, either. It says 5.1 on the jacket.

I think the 5.1 and the 2.0 discs were two separate discs, sold separately?

[vc69]

I have the 30th anniversary edition and it does not in fact have a 2ch mix. But I must say that the 5.1 downmix to stereo out on my BDP-83 sounds sublime. :D

[concealer404]

I have the 30th anniversary edition and it does not in fact have a 2ch mix. But I must say that the 5.1 downmix to stereo out on my BDP-83 sounds sublime. :D

I guess my source just sucks worse than i thought. Bummer. But like i said, it sounds good, and i'm enjoying it immensely, it's just not the huge difference i was expecting. I have a couple standard cds that sound better, but i guess i also have to take into consideration that they were recorded decades more recently. :p

[tcrossma]

You're not actually missing any sounds, since they would be re-routed to the fronts. But I've listened to DSOTM SACD in both 5.1 and 2.0, and while the sound *quality* was equally good with both, that disc just sounds really good with the 5.1 surround sound effects. The panning of the voices and instruments, etc. So yes, you are missing something with that disc. But I'm a 2.0 person myself; I wouldn't let it bother you.

[F1nut]

The SACD of DSOTM is a hybrid containing a 2 channel hi-rez SACD layer, a 5.1 hi-rez layer and a 2 channel Redbook layer. I've never heard of a 5.1 SACD only version.

[vc69]

The SACD of DSOTM is a hybrid containing a 2 channel hi-rez SACD layer, a 5.1 hi-rez layer and a 2 channel Redbook layer. I've never heard of a 5.1 SACD only version.

Holy **** I'm an idiot. I selected the 2ch layer (via front panel display) and did not restart the disc and got no output. I just did it again and it's playing fine. Color me stupid :o

In my defense, this is only the second time I have played this disc. Eesh. Sounds awesome though :)

[hearingimpared]

I've heard both and the 5.1 is just fancy smancy bursts of sound effects just like any movie on a 5.1 mix. I think the 2 mix is awesome. I don't know if it's because my gear is up to snuff or what but it definitly has WOW factor.

[concealer404]

Holy **** I'm an idiot. I selected the 2ch layer (via front panel display) and did not restart the disc and got no output. I just did it again and it's playing fine. Color me stupid :o

I don't even know WHERE to select the 2ch layer... :o Guess i'll fart around with it more when i get home. Time to dig out the manual to the player again.

[F1nut]

The hybrid is the only version.

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/771

[vc69]

I don't even know WHERE to select the 2ch layer... :o Guess i'll fart around with it more when i get home. Time to dig out the manual to the player again.

Mine has a button on the remote. There should be something similar on your player. Sometimes a layer change requires a restart of the disc.

Thanks for prompting me to throw this in the rig. I love this disc but almost never reach for it. I just got the SACD since I acquired the Oppo and this is the first time I have played since I did the SE upgrade. It's amazing.

[vc69]

The hybrid is the only version.

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/771

Yeah, thanks for yanking my head outta my ass. I thought it was a hybrid with redbook/2.0/5.1 but I got confused when I got no output in 2ch SACD. :o

As an aside, and having listened to both 2ch DSD and 5.1 downmixed, I believe the downmix sounds remarkably better. Any thoughts?

[louhamilton]

On the menu, look under Optional Settings. There may be an SACD section where you can select what layer to play.

[F1nut]

As an aside, and having listened to both 2ch DSD and 5.1 downmixed, I believe the downmix sounds remarkably better. Any thoughts?

I don't know, maybe something wrong with the player?

[Danny Tse]

As an aside, and having listened to both 2ch DSD and 5.1 downmixed, I believe the downmix sounds remarkably better. Any thoughts?

There's no downmixing with SACD. Each of the CD/2.0 SACD/5.1 SACD mix are self-contained in their respective section of the disc.

I don't have a multi-channel system, but the 2.0 SACD mix sounds great to my ears.

[Erik Tracy]

Mine has a button on the remote. There should be something similar on your player. Sometimes a layer change requires a restart of the disc.

Thanks for prompting me to throw this in the rig. I love this disc but almost never reach for it. I just got the SACD since I acquired the Oppo and this is the first time I have played since I did the SE upgrade. It's amazing.

I am incredibly slow sometimes....I have the 83 standard, have DSTOM SACD - how *exactly* can I choose what layer to play?

When I put the disk in my player all I see is "SACD" on the Oppo display.


Thanks!

[concealer404]

I am incredibly slow sometimes....I have the 83 standard, have DSTOM SACD - how *exactly* can I choose what layer to play?

When I put the disk in my player all I see is "SACD" on the Oppo display.


Thanks!

I'm with you, that's all i see, too, i get no onscreen anything, and i don't see anything in my manual about it. Thanks for reminding me. :p

[WilliamM2]

With all the SACD players I have had, you can go into the menus and select the default SACD layer to be 2 channel. After that it will play two channel by default.

I'm not all that impressed with the DSOTM SACD. The sound quality is very good, but I don't care for the mix. Probably just used to the vinyl and CD versions that I have heard for the last 30 years.

[Erik Tracy]

I've only got 3 SACDs:
1 - DSTOM
2- Allman Bros - Eat a Peach
3 - Doobie Bros - Captain & Me

All three must have a standard "Redbook" mix cuz they all play in my Cambridge Audio 640c v2.

But I can't figure out how to play the 2.0 SACD layer in my Oppo....I guess I'll go read the manual...sheez....:p

[vc69]

There's no downmixing with SACD. Each of the CD/2.0 SACD/5.1 SACD mix are self-contained in their respective section of the disc.

I don't have a multi-channel system, but the 2.0 SACD mix sounds great to my ears.

There is with the Oppo. I can select either the 2.0 layer or the 5.1 layer. If I select the 5.1 layer and only use the stereo out of the player, the player internally downmixes the 5.1 layer to the stereo output.

My comment about the 5.1 (downmixed to stereo) sounding better to my ears than the 2.0 mix is based on my own listening. However I don't seem to be the only one that thinks so.This reviewer seems to agree.

"Comparing the multi-channel versions, I started with the DSD multi-channel version on the new SACD. This easily turns out to be the best sounding version of the bunch. Remixing from the original multi-track tapes seem to have removed an entire layer or "veil" and bring us closer to the music. The instruments are much better defined as they have been separated across more speakers, and I heard additional detail and instruments compared to the other versions. This also has the most "balanced" sounding equalisation, with tight bass, plus clean and clear cymbals."

That is pretty much exactly my impression of the difference.

Erik,

The Oppo has a button on the remote towards the bottom labeled "audio". With the SACD inserted in the player, push that button to select the desired layer. You can see which layer is selected by looking at the left side of the FP display.

[F1nut]

My comment about the 5.1 (downmixed to stereo) sounding better to my ears than the 2.0 mix is based on my own listening. However I don't seem to be the only one that thinks so.This reviewer seems to agree.

"Comparing the multi-channel versions, I started with the DSD multi-channel version on the new SACD. This easily turns out to be the best sounding version of the bunch. Remixing from the original multi-track tapes seem to have removed an entire layer or "veil" and bring us closer to the music. The instruments are much better defined as they have been separated across more speakers, and I heard additional detail and instruments compared to the other versions. This also has the most "balanced" sounding equalisation, with tight bass, plus clean and clear cymbals."

He's not talking about a downmix, he's strictly talking about the various 5.1 mixes. He also says, "However, vocals are somewhat disembodied and sibilant." No thanks.

[vc69]

He's not talking about a downmix, he's strictly talking about the various 5.1 mixes. He also says, "However, vocals are somewhat disembodied and sibilant." No thanks.

Jesse,

I posted that excerpt for the part where he talks a bout a "veil being lifted". The 5.1 was remixed (obviously) resulting in a different overall sound. IIRC the bottom end was tighter and fuller, the cymbals are noticeably cleaner and less distorted. Of course, these are just my impressions. Nice to have choices. A man needs variety...