SACD / DVD-A - Talk me into it (or out of it)
 

Okay, with the decently priced Pioneer player that plays both SACD and DVD-A, and some better titles now available, I am now tempted to get into this.

I have an Onkyo reciever, and JBL speakers. I have a couple of those DTS audio disks, but am only slightly impressed with them; yeah, it sounds a bit better than a regular cd, but not miles better, to my ears.

So, my question is... How big of an improvement is SACD and DVD-A over regular cds and DTS cds?

With SACD/DVD-A, will I sit back and say "Wow! this is amazing!" when I listen ?

In a word. YES!

Re: SACD / DVD-A - Talk me into it (or out of it)
 

I do!

Are there many albums out on either of these formats that you really want? That's what it really comes down to I'd say. What's holding a lot of people back is a lack of selection that interests them, no reason to buy now if you aren't going to use it. I only own one strictly for Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon hehe.

DVD-A is amazing. I only wish there were a bigger selection out there than there is now. Oh well, time will tell.

For me, once I buy a nice high end player, the choice will be SACD in the end. The only downfall of DVD-A that I don't like at all is you have to have the display device/TV on to navigate through the disc. SACD you don't need a display device on, and they come with a 2 channel track so you can play it in a regular CD player as well. Both sound really good, and will be the future of home/car music. Just my $0.02.

the myth about having to use your display for DVD-A is just that, a myth.

use your audio button on your remote to switch audio tracks (either 2ch or multi), and 99% of the time, you just need to hit play when the disc reads.

I don't listen to music at home enough to justify buying very many SACS/DVD-A's. But the ones that I have picked up are truly amazing.

One thing that I'll mention, just to make sure you don't get caught off guard - all SACD's are not surround sound. Somewhere on the back of the case, it will mention something to the effect of "multi-channel" or "stereo" for the non multi-channel. I've read a lot of people post trying to figure out what's wrong with their setup when they simply bought a stereo SACD. Now ya know! (if you didn't already) :D

Re: SACD / DVD-A - Talk me into it (or out of it)
 

I'll agree with everyone who has given props to the format. When done right, it can be pretty mindblowing. One good example (well, only if you're familiar with the music) is Emerson Lake & Palmer Brain Salad Surgery. The original stereo recording ends with synthesizer "dinks" moving from left to right to left to right... etc. Now, with a new 5.1 remix, those "dinks" spin around you. Very cool effect :)

Oh, and check out the Music Forum for recommendations and other threads about DVD-A and SACD.

I got the Pio 563A before Xmas and I was blown away with the quality. Listening to DVD-A of Linkin Park, Disturbed and Phish and they all sounded amazing.. I highly recommend ti.

SACD receiver question
 

I am considering a purchase of a pioneer player - primarily because it allows sacd playback, and just the stereo remasters on these suckers are exciting (dylan primarily) - can't wait to hear them in their full sacd glory.

My question- do i need a special receiver (and/or speakers) to really get this thing going - or will any good surround receiver work?

Can anyone recommend good - yet inexpensive receiver for surround and sacd playback?

gracias.
eddie

Just make sure the receiver you get has 5.1 analog input channels as you can't pass DVD-A or SACD over a digital connection.

I have yet to hear any DVD-A or SACD. I was in a couple of high end audio shops today, and would you believe none had a DVD-A, or a SACD I could listen to?! I'm thinking of purchasing the Denon 2200. I've read only good reviews about it so far (some people would say it is too costly), but I would regard it as an investment if it performs as well as people are saying in both sound and picture quality. Regarding SACD sound, some people are complaining about some being recorded only for 2 channels. I would regard this as a possible plus in some cases, and as I am generally more interested in the sound than the picture I don't think it would matter much if I were listening to multi versus 2 channel playback. I would expect even a 2 channel SACD, to sound richer/better than a regular CD recording. Is this technology a preference thing (primarily)? Is there really a big difference between reguler CD and DVD-A/SACD (like a night and day kind of thing?). I am thinking of buying "Dark Side of the Moon" (SACD version) and head out to these shops again to give this technology a try. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Yours truly,
the dude

I have the 2200 and have been more than happy both from audio and video standpoints.

I've been wanting to get into DVD-Audio and SACD for awhile now (hence the thread resurrection :D), but I still need talked into it, too. Specifically, what's the most versatile player at the best price right now?

Pioneer 588A. Assuming you meant inexpensive. Best all-around DVDp is still the Denon 2900, no longer made. Could possibly find one in the $500 range open box or something.

If you don't have the processor-amp-speakers to benefit, well, there's not much benefit. But the wonderful, full-range surround sound of either of these is just engulfing when it's good.

About a month ago the local BB was clearing out some DVD-A/SACD capable players for $100 to make room for new models... I thought about it and passed. Why? Well, after a bit of research I discovered that for all practical purposes both formats are dead.

Dead format or not, there are a few SACD/DVD-Audio compatible discs in my collection that I'd love to hear---and having a backup DVD player wouldn't hurt either.

I'm a fan of early Elton John. I've been listening to the SACD reissues of "Elton John," "Tumbleweed Connection," and "Madman Across the Water," which are available from Yourmusic.com for $5.99 each.

The sound is stunning. It's not just the surround, although opening up the sometimes dense mixes of these songs reveals an awful lot that used to be buried. It's the detail -- the reproduction of the original sound just as it sounded in the studio, exactly as it was captured on the master tape -- that removes the patina of decades and makes it all sound brand new.

And the dynamic range. My God, you'd never have known just how compressed even the remastered CDs were until you hear mixes designed for a medium that has almost no limitations on headroom. These are intricately layered arrangements, and Paul Buckmaster's orchestrations have a weight and density that has never been appreciable before, because they always had to be pushed back into the mix.

No more. If things need to get louder, they can get louder. If they need to be so soft as to be almost inaudible, they can be.

The clarity, dynamics, immersiveness, detail and drama of these recordings are miraculous. And it's really too bad that more people will never get to hear it.

RichC

Those $99 players at BB were probably the Samsung 8xx... I bought one and it was awful. Returned it and got the Pioneer 5xx from Circuit City, also $99 range. GREAT player.

And I don't think either format is dead, but could be a niche player. Hell, the new Beck CD just came out in SACD. How dead is that?

I've only got a few compatible discs so far, but the difference is incredible, and if you have the receiver, etc., you should definitely do it. All I've got so far are:

Flaming Lips : Yoshimi vs. the Pink Robots (DVD-A)
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (SACD) (remember, this was originally recorded in quadraphonic)
Bjork : Verpertine (DVD-A)

That Flaming Lips disc is wild. There's one track where the entire 5-channel soundfield slowly rotates around the room. They also included the original CD as a separate disc, mostly because the Dualdisc format wasn't ready. I wonder if they'll re-release it on DD?

RichC

Yeah, they were. After a firmware upgrade available on the Samsung site they are better than the Pioneer as an audio player... or so I read.

Dead as a doorknob. Don't get me wrong, I wanted one format or both to succeed but they are DEAD. Face it, if there were even a small viable market there would be dozens of releases per month. Even Sony has given up producing SACD. Check their site.
SACD and DVD-A have been abandoned and the new darling of the music industry is dual-disc. They love dual-disc because there is no content standard for the dvd side and the cd side doesn't meet CD specifications and cannot be labeled a CD. -rolleyes- What a horseshit deal that is!