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CD/DVD/Bluray/whatever drive for PC that does SACD? Resolved!

merlynski

merlynski

Curmudgeon Electronicist
Is there an optical disc drive that can go into a computer that will correctly play back the SACD layer on an SACD disc, with correct output to a 5.1 audio card? I am not finding one, the internet says no, what does AK say ?
OS is Windows 10 at the moment.
 
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I did the same research, and came up with the same answer . . . NO.

I think it's designed in that they can't be ripped.
 
Even my stand-alone Sony ES SACD player, doesn't allow the SACD signal out of the digital outs.
 
My Sony X-700 plays CD/DVD/SACD/Blu-ray and UHD 4K disks. It has a coax output that doesn't carry the SACD audio signal. However, it has 2 HDMI outputs. One is an audio only output the other is an A/V output. I feed the audio out to my pre/processor. The combined HDMI output goes to my processor also. These connections work for me. It plays SACD's including MC just fine through the regular HDMI output.

I also have a Yamaha DVD S-1800. It plays SACD's. The SACD output is restricted to 5.1 analog channels, There is no option for using an external processor for SACD's.

PS: The analog out from the Yamaha (2 or multichannel) player sounds absolutely superb. Partly because of the four DAC's used. I bought it a few years back for a fire sale price from Amazon.
 
I understand that coax and optical audio does not support SACD. Here is my dilemma:
My HT amp does not have an HDMI input, but it does have a 5.1 analog input.
I have been unable to find a device that can convert an HDMI input to 5.1 analog, or an SACD player that has 5.1 analog outputs.
I cannot afford a multi-thousand dollar audiophile device for this purpose, especially just to play the few available SACD discs.
Any suggestions?

FWIW, I do have a PS3 with an HDMI output . . .
 
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Artie said:
Even my stand-alone Sony ES SACD player, doesn't allow the SACD signal out of the digital outs.
Click to expand...
There is at least one Sony UBP Player out there today which does indeed output stereo SACD via S/PDIF output; however, it is at a resolution of 24/176 as I have been told. I have a Sony UBP-X800II, which may do it but I can not test it since I have ZERO single layer SACDs, just multi-channel and hybrids which include a CD layer. And, now that there are 2.1 channel receivers out there with HDMI inputs and DSD decoding, connection of the Sony to one of those receiver's will get ya all the stereo SACD play you can handle.
 
The disc I am wanting to play on my 5.1 system is the SACD (hybrid) Dark Side of the Moon, 30th Anniversary Edition which was Recorded and Mastered in 4-channel surround. DSOTM is my all time favorite piece of music, so . . . the ultimate version is the SACD version (or DAT tape).
 
merlynski said:
The disc I am wanting to play on my 5.1 system is the SACD (hybrid) Dark Side of the Moon, 30th Anniversary Edition which was Recorded and Mastered in 4-channel surround. DSOTM is my all time favorite piece of music, so . . . the ultimate version is the SACD version (or DAT tape).
Click to expand...
OK, buy a Sony UBP-X800II and simply connect it via HDMI out to an AVR, or Multi-Channel Pre-Pro, which will decode DSD. That's it.
 
Jeesh, this all seems complicated. Why the lack of SACD players for PCs? Is it licensing?
That being said, here's the back of a Sony NS-999ES SACD player. Does that help?
upload_2021-8-8_10-50-59.png
 
I found the device I need thanks to @botrytis pointing me in the right direction. A Pioneer Elite DV-45A has what I need, at a price-point I can handle, especially since I was not looking for an HDMI video player, because my HT amp does not accept HDMI. I ordered one, and a Pioneer Remote from Amazon for under $150.
Thank you all for your responses!!
upload_2021-8-8_10-16-28.gif
 
Dingman said:
Jeesh, this all seems complicated. Why the lack of SACD players for PCs? Is it licensing?
That being said, here's the back of a Sony NS-999ES SACD player. Does that help?
View attachment 2309492
Click to expand...
What's problematic these days is most players don't have internal DACs, meaning HDMI out is needed for SACD play; and, of course the Pre-Pro must have HDMI input, preferably to a DAC which will decode DSD. Now, if you have an older Pre-Pro, which does not have HDMI inputs but RCAs instead you will need a Player which has a DAC, outputting via RCAs. There are plenty of these players out there but these just output stereo SACD, none today output 5.1 SACD. The OPPOs were the last to do that. In my case I output 5.1 from my OPPO to a 21 year old Sony TA-P9000ES Analog Preamplifier. The OPPO first converts DSD to PCM to allow me bass management from the OPPO which suffices. Now you know why used OPPOs are so sought after.
 
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