Sacd

[AJJ]

I have just spotted this and will probably buy it - but elements of its content can only be played on a SACD machine. Can anyone advise as to whether this is the way things are going now - is it worth buying a SACD player to connect up to my system to replace my fairly cheap CD player or do I need a completely new system? Also - can they be played on a PC and what about iTunes etc.? Judging by the music, instrument and player there might possibly be one or two others on here in the same predicament.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

AJJ

[nachthorn]

I have just spotted this and will probably buy it - but elements of its content can only be played on a SACD machine. Can anyone advise as to whether this is the way things are going now - is it worth buying a SACD player to connect up to my system to replace my fairly cheap CD player or do I need a completely new system? Also - can they be played on a PC and what about iTunes etc.? Judging by the music, instrument and player there might possibly be one or two others on here in the same predicament.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

AJJ

There's no easy answer at the moment. There is an ongoing 'format war' between SACD and DVD-Audio, with neither format getting anywhere fast. Relatively few players will play SACDs, and they're not at the cheap end of the market. SACD is further crippled by allowing audio output in analogue format only, so any transfer to another medium (eg. iTunes) will need to involve recording onto a PC via an audio interface with six analogue inputs to get the full surround. You could conceivably just connect and record Front Left and Front Right for normal stereo playback - the effectiveness will depend on the recorded material.

 

In theory, SACD offers an easy way of playing surround audio at a high quality. In practice, very little material is produced to use these features (some SACDs are just remixed stereo CD recordings) and few people have the means to play them back. If you see a good quality CD/SACD player for a reasonable price, there is no harm in upgrading from your existing player. I wouldn't, however, advise anyone to splash out on a new player unless there are other benefits besides SACD playback. Eventually, one format or the other (and SACD may just have the upper hand at the moment) will win and may therefore start to supplant CDs in the medium term. Right now, it's just a niche. Watch this space...

[Jim Treloar]

Some CDs are being sold as SACD Hybrid and these WILL play on normal CD players, I have a few. But it looks as though your Roth is pure SACD which is unfortunate. Maybe I haven't looked far enough but I have yet to find a SACD player advertised. anyone any links, please?

[nachthorn]

Some CDs are being sold as SACD Hybrid and these WILL play on normal CD players, I have a few. But it looks as though your Roth is pure SACD which is unfortunate.

The JAV details that Alastair links to says "This disc will play on a standard CD player, but an SACD player is needed to hear it in Surround Sound and Daniel Roth’s narrated tour." i.e. most of the content is also available as a stereo downmix as well as surround, but the narrated tour is surround only.

 

Richer Sounds have a good range of audio equipment at reasonable prices - here's one example of an SACD player.

[pwhodges]

Relatively few players will play SACDs, and they're not at the cheap end of the market.

Depends what you call cheap, I guess. Many mid-range DVD players (e.g. Pioneer DV-600AV - I have the earlier DV-696AV) will play both DVD-A and SACD; also CDs of MP3 files and DVDs of video files as well as "real" CDs and DVD-Vs - so, everything, for just £120.

 

The SACD layer cannot ever be played on computer drives; DVD-A can be, or not, according to the protection employed and the software available.

 

Paul