SACD, Dual-Disks, DVD-A, DVD-V - what's the difference?

crazy
crazy Posts: 443
edited January 2006 in Music & Movies
What is the difference between all these formats?

I know that a DVD-Audio (DVD-A) will play on a DVD player only and usually has surround sound. So can I play a dual-disc or SACD in a DVD-Player hooked to a surround sound system?

What about dual-discs?
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2006
    DualDisc is a double-sided optical disc with an audio layer similar to a CD (but not following the redbook specs) on one side and a standard DVD layer on the other. It will "supposedly" play on any CDP or DVD player. However, many companies have come out with warnings that DualDiscs may not work on their machines.
    A number of electronics companies such as Lexicon, Marantz, Mark Levinson, Onkyo, Panasonic, Pioneer, and (ironically) Sony have issued statements warning consumers about possible problems with playing DualDisc titles on their equipment. These warnings range in severity from DualDiscs just not working with the equipment to actual damage to the disc and/or equipment.
    SACD and DVD-A are high resolution (hi-rez) formats.

    SACD only discs (or the SACD layer of a "hybrid" disc) can only be played in a CDP or DVD player that has the capablity of reading the SACD layer. A hybrid SACD disc also has a redbook layer (non hi-rez) that can be played in any CDP or DVD player.

    DVD-A can be played on any DVD player but must have DVD-A capabilities to read and play the hi-rez DVD-A layer. If not DVD-A capable, a DVD player will simply play a low-rez layer.

    The CD side of a DualDisc is not hi-rez like SACD or DVD-A. The DVD side of "some" of the DualDiscs may be at a higher resolution similar to DVD-A. The CD side of a DualDisc is not in multi-channel although the DVD side may be.

    Above is just a brief overview of the differences between formats. There's tons of information on the net. Articles describing the technical issues as well as pondering SACD vs DVD-A vs DualDisc. It's all just a keystroke away.
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  • thehaens@cox.net
    thehaens@cox.net Posts: 1,012
    edited January 2006
    DVD-A - There are many flavors of this, ranging from 24bit 96k stereo to the recent and most accepted 24bit 96k multichannel, (you must have a capable DVD-A player w/ receiver/pre that is capable as well), or DTS/DD track which is 24bit 48k (may be wrong on this one). I have also heard that there is some out there with a Hi-res stereo track w/ 24bit 192k, I have yet to see one, much less own one.

    You can play a SACD-Dual disk in a DVD player, however you will not get the Hi-res track. You can also listen to a Dual disk in a regular CD player. The format is backward compatible with regular ol' CD players.

    You can not listen to a SACD only disk in a DVD player, that is unless it plays SACD's as well. There is a pioneer unit out there that plays both, SACD and DVD-A. But I don't have one, nor have I heard it.

    Like I mentioned you can listen to a dual disc through w/ your DVD player. If your player is capable of decoding the SACD format then you can play it in surround if there is a surround track on it.

    Now, if you just want to go surround, then you can play your dual disc in your CD/DVD player and go Pro Logic, (that will put sound to all your speakers if you are just looking to get sound from them)

    Scott

    I rambled a bit, and didn't go back to proof read....hopefully it makes sense to you....good luck..
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  • thehaens@cox.net
    thehaens@cox.net Posts: 1,012
    edited January 2006
    Shack - Looks like you hit reply before me........................
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited January 2006
    Aah ... I just realized that my DVD-Player doesn't play DVD-Audios but the Dolby Digital mix of the songs. All this while I was happy thinking that I'm listening to true DVD-Audio quality...

    Even though it does give me amazing quality and the 5.1, I've heard that true DVD-Audio quality is much much better than Dolby Digital! Is this true?

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/170790/ref=ed_cp_9_1_m/002-1165859-3563228

    How does DVD-Audio quality compare with the Dolby mix and how does DOlby Digital compare with regular CD quality?
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2006
    DVD-A is all but dead as a format. SACD "may" hold on as a niche format. I would not spend any money at this time to get into DVD-A. I would have to think long and hard about SACD if I didn't already have a decent collection...that and the fact that most new SACDs are hybrids and the redbook layer can be played on any CDP.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • thehaens@cox.net
    thehaens@cox.net Posts: 1,012
    edited January 2006
    Crazy - Yep just like there is a lot of people out there that buy HD Televisions and aren't really watching in HD. Amazing how many times I go to someones house and they think they are watching HD without an HD tuner...

    DVD-Audio quality is better in terms of the numbers. I say this because there is so many other variables that come into play. I would say if you are happy with the 5.1 DD/DTS track you are listening to, then keep it as that. You will not miss what you don't know.

    On some of the DVD-A's I have I actually prefer the DD track. The metallica black album comes to mind. The bass is better defined at least to my ears w/ the DD track Vs. the DVD-A Hi-Res track. But on the flip side of that my Tesla DVD-A, it sounds better to me w/ the DVD-A track.

    I think this can be attributed to the authoring of the DVD.

    Scott
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  • thehaens@cox.net
    thehaens@cox.net Posts: 1,012
    edited January 2006
    shack wrote:
    DVD-A is all but dead as a format. .

    Sad-But-True - Unfortunately there isn't to many titles of interest to me in the DVD-A format.

    SACD titles aren't much better unless you are a Bob Dylan fan..

    Scott
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  • sickicw
    sickicw Posts: 456
    edited January 2006
    so is there any big quality advantage of dvd-a over just dolby?
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    Stick with music DVD-V's that offer DTS soundtracks.
    Not to mention SACD's.. if you can find them.
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    sickicw wrote:
    so is there any big quality advantage of dvd-a over just dolby?

    depends. But I'm of the opine' that DTS 5.1 tracks on DVD-V are everybit as good as the DVD-A version- and sometimes are recorded at higher bit rates (96khz 5channels vs. 48khz 5channels) -not to mention DTS bitstreams can be passed digitally on all receivers, which almost always guarantees better quality bass-management.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,722
    edited January 2006
    Andrew, there are over 3500 SACD's available, all online if your local stores don't have many.
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    F1nut wrote:
    Andrew, there are over 3500 SACD's available, all online if your local stores don't have many.
    so very true and for all you noobs out there who would like to get into high rez music, if you are a classical and or jazz nut then you should have no problem in finding discs to your liking. :)
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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