SA-CD Player VS.BluRay Player
- Thread starter kcblair
- Start date
rushfan
Super Member
The Pioneer is a good starting point. I ran into some compatibility issues with mine but never with SACD - just a few DVD-Audio discs.
For what it's worth, some of the new audio Blu-ray discs are quite involving. The new hi-res audio releases such as Rush's Moving Pictures are quite good.
soundboy
Super Member
I can definitely hear the difference....more analogue and smoother sounding.
My SACDs were played on a (now-recycled) Sony DVP-NS500V DVD/CD/SACD player through Grado SR60 headphones. The Oppo 103 will be my next purchase when I get my refund check from the IRS.
Sanc
I'm Hiding in Honduras
The Oppo 105 has a better DAC than the 103 and is overall better for analog outs, however that does not mean the 103 is bad with using analog outputs by any means. It will get the job done just fine.
A great SACD/DVD-A/DVD/CD player that people overlook very often, when looking for used players, is the Integra DPS 8.3 from the early 2000s. It is a great great sounding player. We've had one here for years and have never had a single issue with it. Was over $1,000 back in the day I believe, you can find them now for under $200. Hell of a player for analog outs.
A great SACD/DVD-A/DVD/CD player that people overlook very often, when looking for used players, is the Integra DPS 8.3 from the early 2000s. It is a great great sounding player. We've had one here for years and have never had a single issue with it. Was over $1,000 back in the day I believe, you can find them now for under $200. Hell of a player for analog outs.
Pio1980
AK Member
Well-done high-rez Blu Ray audiodiscs should be good, I have no experience with them or SACD yet.
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
Thanks. It still gets the job done, though I know it's getting pretty long in the tooth. I know it's internal DAC's can be bettered by newer players.
I'm glad that you mentioned this! Rush is one of my favorite bands. And Moving Pictures is definitely one of my favorite Rush releases. So, it's nice to hear that Blu-ray discs are sounding good! Plus, with Steven Wilson remastering YES & XTC, it's time for me to get serious with Blu-ray discs for audio!
crouse
Poorly known member
There are some who think SACDs sound better because of more care taken in the recording/mastering/production processes. I, however, have no opinion. It is probably more important to note that many can hear a difference, no matter the "why."
PAGS
Super Member
Movies don't do much for me. The main reason I broke down and bought the Oppo 103 (couldn't justify the extra smack for the 105) was for watching BluRay concerts in surround sound. That new Rush Clockwork Angels disk looks pretty excellent.
kcblair
Back to records
Thanks for the tip, I'm eyeing a couple now. I'm fine with older technology. How about standard CD's, how are their performance ?
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
As inexpensive as it was, even originally, its a nice sounding little player. I used mine to audition test press discs, at a CD plant were I used to work, and the discs always sounded great though it. Even the hybrid SA-CD discs! As such, even used, its a great starter player.
Good luck!
rushfan
Super Member
As inexpensive as it was, even originally, its a nice sounding little player. I used mine to audition test press discs, at a CD plant were I used to work, and the discs always sounded great though it. Even the hybrid SA-CD discs! As such, even used, its a great starter player.
Good luck!
I still have mine. I always thought that it was a great sounding player and it does many things well. :thmbsp:
rushfan
Super Member
The Blu-ray audio discs of 2112 and Moving Pictures are great products. The DTS-HD 5.1 mixes are a joy to listen to and really freshen the experience - this coming from somebody who bought a copy of Moving Pictures the day it was released, oh so long ago.
Incidentally, the Moving Pictures tour was the first time that I saw Rush live in concert. My mind has been blown ever since!!
soundboy
Super Member
When Sony/Philips came up with the SACD standards, a 2 channel stereo hi-rez mix was mandated. Multi-channel/surround sound is totally optional, as is the CD layer for a hybrid SACD. Of course, there are exceptions....but those are very few when compared with the over 9,000 SACD titles released.
Everything except the latest sacd's that use dsd. I have the same unit, use it for dvd-a mostly. The sony bluray players play back the dsd ones.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
All SACD's use DSD.
The term DSD is used for newer hi-res downloads because newer DAC's can decode a DSD (bitstream) signal. Conventional SACD players do not output a DSD signal. The digital output (if there) is a PCM signal that comes from RBCD's. DVD players that are SACD capable output the DSD signal only through the HDMI connection
From Wikipedia:
Direct-Stream Digital (DSD) is the trademark name used by Sony and Philips for their system of digitally recreating audible signals for the Super Audio CD (SACD). Practical DSD conversion was pioneered by Andreas Koch and Ed Meitner of EMM Labs. Koch and Jonathan Tinn later founded Playback Designs, who pioneered the transfer of DSD files over USB connections.[1] DSD technology was later developed and commercialized by Sony and Philips. However, Philips later sold its DSD tool division to Sonic Studio, LLC in 2005 for further development.
The term DSD is used for newer hi-res downloads because newer DAC's can decode a DSD (bitstream) signal. Conventional SACD players do not output a DSD signal. The digital output (if there) is a PCM signal that comes from RBCD's. DVD players that are SACD capable output the DSD signal only through the HDMI connection
From Wikipedia:
Direct-Stream Digital (DSD) is the trademark name used by Sony and Philips for their system of digitally recreating audible signals for the Super Audio CD (SACD). Practical DSD conversion was pioneered by Andreas Koch and Ed Meitner of EMM Labs. Koch and Jonathan Tinn later founded Playback Designs, who pioneered the transfer of DSD files over USB connections.[1] DSD technology was later developed and commercialized by Sony and Philips. However, Philips later sold its DSD tool division to Sonic Studio, LLC in 2005 for further development.
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kcblair
Back to records
Hello Guys, I'm looking at the 2 Pioneers that are being discussed here. Sounds like there is a question about newer SACD's. The only use I would being using either unit, is only play back of SACD and CD's into stereo, routed into my Pioneer receiver. Will this be a problem before I click the "Buy Me" button ?
soundboy
Super Member
All we are talking about is where the conversion of DSD to analog is taking place. If you are using the analog outputs of a SACD player (stand alone player or uni player), then the player is doing the conversion. If you are connection the player, via HDMI, to a HT receiver or pre/pro, then you are letting the latter component do the conversion.
soundboy
Super Member
Usually, you can set your player to default to a particular setting when you put in a disc. For example, you can tell the player you prefer 2 channel hi-rez mix and output through analog outputs. Once you have done that, the player will search for such a combination whenever you put in a disc. If you put in a hybrid SACD that contains the option of a multi-channel surround sound mix, the player would still go to the 2 channel hi-rez mix.
So check your owner's manual on whether you can set a preference.