| Author |
Message |
Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 9:52 pm Post subject: SACD question |
|
|
I purchased a Sony SACD player when they were being phased out, and now that I'm setting up the HT, I will connect it to the system. It has 5.1 outputs, optical out, and 2 channel out.
Will the optical out give me the full 5.1, or do I need to use the RCA outputs?
thanks!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 10:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This kinda falls under the same situation as video when it comes to digital to analog conversion.
The signal starts out as digital. You can then have either the player or receiver convert it to analog.
Using the 5.1 outs on the player means the player is doing the conversion. The receiver would just amplify the signal without any processing.
Using the optical means the receiver is doing the conversion and various processing can be applied.
I guess you would have to try both and see which you like better.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 10:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| macgyver655 wrote: | The signal starts out as digital. You can then have either the player or receiver convert it to analog.
Using the 5.1 outs on the player means the player is doing the conversion. The receiver would just amplify the signal without any processing. |
True.
| macgyver655 wrote: | Using the optical means the receiver is doing the conversion and various processing can be applied.
|
Also, true, but then in this case, you've lost some of the benefit of the high-res source format.
| Nashou66 wrote: | | Some receivers don't decode SACD tho right? What receiver do you have? |
Correct. The vast majority do not.
It's been awhile Curt, but IIRC, the SPDIF will be either 44.1khz or 48khz stereo, or in some players, the high-res audio from the SACD and real-time encode it to a DTS stream.
From my recollection, you'll need to use the 5.1 analog outputs if you want to listen to high-res surround SACD.
The only other way to get full high-res audio off an SACD is play back on a newer player with HDMI like an Oppo 103, which can send the DSD stream bit-streamed to the DSD decoder in a (relatively) newer AVR or preamp. It isn't just new AVR's and preamps that will decode DSD, but generally higher-end. My 4-5 year old Integra DHC-9.9 could decode DSD. That's how I did it. Used my old "fat" PS3 before that. Both could bitstream DSD to the DSD-capable decoder in the Integra.
Cheers,
SC
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 10:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Nashou66 wrote: | | I also thought that SACD can be decoded by a compatible receiver if it is passed thru HDMI. The optical and coax if IRRC do not carry the full uncompressed SACD signal. |
Correct. Again this is from the dusty corner of my brain, but as I recall, a single SPDIF output can be either A) compressed surround (i.e. DTS or Dolby Digital), or B) high-res stereo PCM - maybe up to 24-bit/96khz. SPDIF will NOT handle high-res multi-channel PCM. If you want to move high-res surround PCM from source to a decoder, you need HDMI.
SC
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
I've got the Pioneer SC-35
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jeremy112
Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2649
Location: Fond du Lac, WI
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
Hmmm, interesting thread.
Not to steal your thread Curt, but as long as this is about SACD - I have a Denon DVD-5910CI with Denon Link, and my AVR 5805 has Denon Link - would that be the best way for me personally to listen to SACD?
I really have no idea, but I can make SACDs so it would be something to mess with
_________________
When I'm asking for a Model number, that doesn't mean I'm asking for a nude photo with your number on it 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Curt Palme wrote: | | I've got the Pioneer SC-35 |
Well I agree with Crabb on the optical not having the true SACD signal. So you would have to use the analog multichannel.
Of course you would only have the 5.1 speakers.
You could also connect the optical and set the receiver to full 9.1 output and all you speakers would work, full signal, but not true SACD.
So it all depends on what you like better.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HogPilot
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
Posts: 2383
TV/Projector: Vizio P702ui-B3, Pioneer Elite Pro-151FD & 111FD
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Curt Palme wrote: | | I've got the Pioneer SC-35 |
The SC-35 is capable of receiving the original DSD signal via HDMI (v1.2 or later is required on the player) to decode in full resolution and send to the amp (my much older SC-05 and SC-07 also do this). However, because your player doesn't sound like it has an HDMI output, your options are as ecrabb described. I'd highly recommend the 5.1 analog outs from your player if you plan on listening to more than 2.0.
As a totally irrelevant aside, IIRC the SPDIF limitations (2ch full resolution or 5.1 compressed) for SACD are imposed because that's the way that Sony wrote the format spec, not because SPDIF isn't capable of carrying a full uncompressed 5.1 PCM signal. This is based on my memory of some discussions on AVS many years ago when lossless audio on HD DVD and BD were new, and the same restrictions existed (and still do exist) for those formats when many didn't have an end-to-end HDMI chain yet. I do know that one of the super-high end manufacturers (Meridian?) came up with a proprietary 3-cable SPDIF connection that allowed all 5.1 channels of uncompressed audio to be passed form the player to the processor, but it was a 1-off solution that was nullified by the quick and wide-spread acceptance of HDMI.
_________________
| ecrabb wrote: | | Curt Palme wrote: | | Interesting, Mac isn't returning my emails. Go figure. |
He's mad at us for making Hog a moderator. He took his ball and went home.
SC |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yes, I was gonna add, no HDMI output on my player, so I`ll be soldering cables tonight.
Laserdisc and VHS machine are now also in the rack. 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
