best sacd /dvd audio albums?

F1nut

XRCD does not need anything special for playback, it is basically a high quality 2 channel only redbook CD. Also, you don't need a multi-channel anything to enjoy SACD, it sounds glorious in 2 channel using the analog outs and you will hear the "full range." Some DVD-A's are hi-rez in multi-channel only, the 2 channel layer (if they have one) is basically the same as redbook.

jakelm

Thanks F1nut.

The Oppo sells for $149, but I found Pioneer DV-563A for $75, if thats a good buy for that player. I've read good and bad for both, but the price on the Pioneer is interesting.

Jake

shack

fbwinners wrote:

I'm also wondering if I'm getting the full effect as Jake is asking, I'm using a yamaha SACD/DVDAudio player hooked up the correct way with optical cables and so forth.

If you are using optical cables or digital cables you ARE NOT getting the high rez playback through your system. The receiver has NOTHING to do with the capablitlty of playing the high rez formats other than the capability of accepting 5.1 (6 analog interconnects) inputs and passing it through the system. The high rez signal is decoded by the source (CD Player or DVD player) and passed on to the receiver ONLY via analog interconnects. The manual of the Yamaha player should be very specific as to how this should be set up. If you are using a digital or optical cable you are simply listening to the redbook layer of a SACD hybrid disc (has a SACD layer and a redbook layer) or the DD or DTS layer of a DVD-A disc.

F1nut

Snow,

Other sources,
http://www.musicdirect.com/Default.asp
http://www.cduniverse.com/
http://store.acousticsounds.com/store.cfm
http://www.audiofidelity.net/
http://www.mofi.com/
and eBay.

danger boy

jakelm wrote:

You know I never accually new that any player said specifically if it played DVD-A or SACD. I assumed they all played it at the high res quality, just some players had 5/6 channel outputs and some you just had to use coax or optical. But all played it the same...I was wrong


LOL...and I thought my sub was my last upgrade. I will keep the Denon for the great PQ upconvert it has, but now I need something that played high res DVD-A, SACD and XRCD.

Jake

Jake, this is exactly both neither format was embraced by consumers.. they needed to buy a player just to listen to SACD's or DVD-Audio discs.. when people already had that CD.. why go out and purchase another copy of the same music for more money and then have to upgrade their DVD player?

While there are alot of people who like hi rez audio.. me being one of them.. you are quickly finding out why it's not all that to the general public.

Anyway. it's fun to listen to..

I like Fleetwood Mac Rumors and Say You Will
Eagles - Hotel California
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Roxy Music
Foreigner 4
BareNaked Ladies - Maroon ( I wish they would release Stunt on DVD-A now)
Crowded House - (excellent stuff)
The Fixx - 1011 Woodland ( music is so so. surround sound mix is great).

snow

no worries jake about the thread we can share lol. as far as the oppos go the 971 actually beat out the denon 5910 for pq in a shootout. but it doesnt do sacd. the 970 does sacd and dvd audio both with a whole host of other formats. but the pq is slightly less good on large displays 55' or larger because it doesnt have the faroudja chip the 971 does. the 981 does sacd and dvd audio both but it doesnt have component or dvi outputs only s video or hdmi. it sounds like your happy with the pq on your 1910, so if i was you i would probally go with the 970 because it does all the formats and the sound quality is excellent as far as im concerned through its digital outs and its analog outs. i have the 970 myself. there is a couple more threads here in the electronics section about the various oppos if you want to see what others are saying about them. REGARDS SNOW

jakelm

I always thought a digital signal via coax or optics was the purest and best signal you could get. Now I'm hearing analog over plain ol' RCA jacks is better in some ways. I guess I was wrong again.

shack

jakelm wrote:

I always thought a digital signal via coax or optics was the purest and best signal you could get. Now I'm hearing analog over plain ol' RCA jacks is better in some ways. I guess I was wrong again.

It's all about copy protection.

As far as the digital vs analog path from source to pre/receiver....it has more to do with where do you want the digital signal converted to analog (which must occur in order to be sent to the speakers which will only accept an analog signal). A DAC handles this (Digital to Analog Converter). Your source has a DAC, your receiver/pre-amp has a DAC and some actually use an outboard DAC. Wherever the conversion takes place the path must be analog after that conversion. If you prefer the DACs in the source, you must use analog interconnects from the player to the receiver. You have NO CHOICE but to use the player's DAC with SACD or DVD-A since the player cannot send the high rez signal digitally (They do not want the high rez data copied digitally).

There is a lot to learn if you want to understand the current A/V technology. It's readily available from many sources on the intenet and in print. Time to do some research.

snow

jakelm wrote:

I always thought a digital signal via coax or optics was the purest and best signal you could get. Now I'm hearing analog over plain ol' RCA jacks is better in some ways. I guess I was wrong again.

yes only because the powers that be are afraid to use a digital cable because of pirating issues. the best available sound now is through analog outs with sacd or in the case of the oppo 970 you can use a digital out for dvd audio also.personall what i would as mentioned earlier in a thread is use the oppo for sacd and dvd audio purposes. and use your 1910 for dvds. also ask some of the other people that have recently bought the various oppos how they like the sound and pq. there is a few threads on the electronics section to ask in if you want. here is one here. http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47311 WOW AS MUCH AS I HAVE SAID THE WORD OPPO IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS I SHOULD BE AN OPPO REP LMAOOOOOOO. REGARDS SNOW

jakelm

Shack, you have just explained it in a nutshell...Thanks

And again Snow..I'm sorry for stretching this thread out with off topic issues. I have moved to my other thread.

Jake

reeltrouble1

Oh boy!!!!!!!!!! incoming

danger boy

all i gotta say.. is cables DO make a difference.

Danny Tse

Scanned thru this thread, but I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet....the Oppo 970 downconverts the DSD bitstream to 88.2/24 PCM using either the analog outputs or the HDMI outputs. This was confirmed by e-mail from Oppo's ultra honest customer service dept.

Certain purists may get hung up on this....and I will admit I prefer the "better" DSD >>> analog conversion myself. However, given the positive responses, both professionally and from its owners, this universal player has me interested (gotta have my Britney Spear DVD-A in hi-rez!! -- just kidding). Perhaps the DSD >>> PCM conversion is transparent enough that it's not really an issue.

With Denon, a big-time SACD supporter, announcing it will go HDMI 1.3 with its receivers in 2007, I'm sure the company will produce universal players with the corresponding HDMI 1.3 inputs for transmitting the DSD bitstream digitally without any conversion.

Edit: Oops, left out SACD recommendations....

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (SACD or DVD-A)
Dolly Pardon - Little Sparrow (direct to DSD bluegrass recording on SACD)
John Denver - Best of "Live" (SACD - featuring Elvis guitarist James Burton)

F1nut

the Oppo 970 downconverts the DSD bitstream to 88.2/24 PCM

Really! Looks like another case of trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

snow

F1nut wrote:

Really! Looks like another case of trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

YES THE 970 DOES DOWNCONVERT DSD TO PCM. SO YOU CAN USE THE HDMI CABLE FOR SACD AND DVD AUDIO PLAYBACK. NO ITS NOT AS GOOD OF QUALITY SOUND THIS WAY FOR SACD BUT I FEEL FOR $149.00 ITS STILL QUITE A DEAL. HAPPY NEW YEARS. SNOW

reeltrouble1

There are op amps and integrated circuits in these woods, audio signals beware.

RT1