SACD player?

[Matthew]

Well, to be a thread-pooper: back on topic... I have a stereo system (mostly NAD componets, intergrated amp, cd player, Dynaudio speakers) and I've noticed that the SACD & DVD-A cds are all multi-channel mixes, so, does that effect the sound for just plain stereo? or is there a stereo mix also?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

  Matthew said:

Well, to be a thread-pooper: back on topic...  I have a stereo system (mostly NAD componets, intergrated amp, cd player, Dynaudio speakers) and I've noticed that the SACD & DVD-A cds are all multi-channel mixes, so, does that effect the sound for just plain stereo?  or is there a stereo mix also?

←

This is weird... this question has come up a few times recently. There may be some confusion that can be easily cleaned up: ALL SACDs have stereo playback. Some only have stereo. Multi-channel playback was added later on due to DVD-Audio's success using this feature. All of the first SACD players were stereo-only.

DVD-Audio is also pretty much guaranteed to have stereo tracks. I've never heard of one that doesn't. However, most DVD-Audio discs require some kind of video monitor to make it play back correctly. Not all do, but some automatically default to multi-channel.

Having a stereo-only playback system shouldn't dissuade you from considering SACD. SACD sounds very nice in stereo. Multi-channel adds that extra dimension, but many find it "gimmicky" or not natural because it throws the listener into the middle of the band. I happen to like multi-channel rock SACDs. Jazz not so much.

Later,

Kevin

PS. Sorry about derailing your original question. I should have re-read the entire thread before adding what I did about the Hoffman forums. If you check out the Fantasy SACD thread, you'll see that I put those comments were they belonged.

[Matthew]

I enjoyed the Hoffman comments since I read the forums there on a regular basis. I really enjoyed the one about screaming Steve's name like a 12 year-old!

[Matthew]

Anyone here have the Sony DVP - NC555ES sacd player? or know how it is, it seems like a good possibilty.

[Matthew]

Anyone buy stereo equipment off ebay? Looking at the prices their, I could get a very good deal, but is it safe?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I've bought a lot of gear off of sellers on Audiogon. However, in two of the purchases, I found an Audiogon seller who was local so I could see the items first.

In looking around there today, I see a SONY DVP-555ES in silver for $300 in San Anotonio and another that just went for $230(!).

Kevin

[GregK]

  Matthew said:

Anyone buy stereo equipment off ebay?  Looking at the prices their, I could get a very good deal, but is it safe?

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I bought my SACD player off ebay. It's a Sony DVD/SACD/CD player, bought in 2003 with one of those buy it now options from a shop in NJ. Paid $200, new in the box, shipped to me FedEx within 2-3 days. no problems at all

[Matthew]

Looks like some great buys on ebay, have to get my courage up to pull the trigger.

[Matthew]

Well, heaven help me, I finally pulled the trigger after two years of back-and-forth and bought a Denon DVD-2910 Universal. I hope it turns out good.

[Matthew]

  Matthew said:

Well, heaven help me, I finally pulled the trigger after two years of back-and-forth and bought a Denon DVD-2910 Universal.  I hope it turns out good.

←

Ordered this while on vacation, finally come home Thursday and have been playing SACD's since, and the sound, really and truly, is amazing. Plays the DVD-A very good also. Happy with my purchase and looking forward to more SACD & DVD-A to listen to.

[vibes]

  Matthew said:

  Matthew said:

Well, heaven help me, I finally pulled the trigger after two years of back-and-forth and bought a Denon DVD-2910 Universal.  I hope it turns out good.

←

Ordered this while on vacation, finally come home Thursday and have been playing SACD's since, and the sound, really and truly, is amazing. Plays the DVD-A very good also. Happy with my purchase and looking forward to more SACD & DVD-A to listen to.

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Do you have any DualDiscs? If so, does the 2910 play them? I've had my eye on this player for a while, and am curious about this, since I have a few DualDiscs now.

[mikeweil]

  Matthew said:

Well, heaven help me, I finally pulled the trigger after two years of back-and-forth and bought a Denon DVD-2910 Universal.  I hope it turns out good.

←

Does this model need a tv screen as a display for the adjustments etc.?

[Matthew]

Vibes: I don't have duel disk at the moment, though I plan on buying the dd of Kind of Blue, since I hear the sound is outstanding. I'll let you know in a couple of days.

Mike: I'm finding the led on the unit is telling what I need to know. I'm using this solely for sacd/dvd-a, and not hooking it up to my tv. So far (crossing my fingers hoping it doesn't flame-out in a month) it's producing spectacular sound for my system. Been playing the Fantasy cd/sacd hybrids, and some Sony single layers -- Darkside of the Moon was major cool

[GregK]

  Matthew said:

Vibes: I don't have duel disk at the moment, though I plan on buying the dd of Kind of Blue, since I hear the sound is outstanding.  I'll let you know in a couple of days.

←

The SACD of Kind of Blue sounds very good. I'm not sure how the dual disc can be better. It's the regular CD on one side and the DVD side PCM stereo isn't any better than the SACD

[Matthew]

  vibes said:

Do you have any DualDiscs?  If so, does the 2910 play them?  I've had my eye on this player for a while, and am curious about this, since I have a few DualDiscs now.

←

It does play DuelDisks, I've played Brothers in Arms & American Beauty today.

[vibes]

  Matthew said:

  vibes said:

Do you have any DualDiscs?  If so, does the 2910 play them?  I've had my eye on this player for a while, and am curious about this, since I have a few DualDiscs now.

←

It does play DuelDisks, I've played Brothers in Arms & American Beauty today.

←

Thanks. Good to know.

[Matthew]

  mikeweil said:

  Matthew said:

Well, heaven help me, I finally pulled the trigger after two years of back-and-forth and bought a Denon DVD-2910 Universal. I hope it turns out good.

←

Does this model need a tv screen as a display for the adjustments etc.?

After playing around with the Denon for a week or so, it does look like you have to hook it up to a tv if you want anything other than default settings. I'm using straight stereo right now, though I might think of getting surround sound later on if the mood strikes me.

[Bluerein]

Well Kevin B. I think I need to corredt you before any harm is done. Not ALL SACD's have SACD stereo playback as well. THere's a Universal Classics (Eloquence) series for the German market only (god bless) which has SACD multichannel only so no stereo SACD (besides on the CD layer of course). I didn't know this and bought some to learn the hard way there was no use for me to have them. Sold them on ebay for more so it's OK!!!!! I agree that all other SACD's (that I know of) do have a stereo SACD layer.

[tatifan]

Does anyone know whether the Pioneer DV 588 plays Dual Discs or not? I seem to hear that it has trouble, which seems odd, given the whole firmware problem with the DV 563a regarding DVD-Audio (it had to be sent back in order for them to play correctly, after the firmware was updated).

Thanks.

[mikeweil]

After living a year with a SONY SCD-XE670 bought used from a fellow boarder I decided to upgrade and went for the Marantz SA-7001 ki. It sounds considerably better than the comparable Denons which are not much better than the old SONY or my Pioneer CD player. But this one coaxes details out of my old CDs I never noticed.

This one is stereo only, there has to be a stereo track on the SACD layer. No surround stuff, but better sound in stereo is the philosophy of this unit.

[porcy62]

  mikeweil said:

After living a year with a SONY SCD-XE670 bought used from a fellow boarder I decided to upgrade and went for the Marantz SA-7001 ki. It sounds considerably better than the comparable Denons which are not much better than the old SONY or my Pioneer CD player. But this one coaxes details out of my old CDs I never noticed.

This one is stereo only, there has to be a stereo track on the SACD layer. No surround stuff, but better sound in stereo is the philosophy of this unit.

That should be THE PHILOSOPHY of every SACD/DVD/CD player, considering that even ORGANISSIMO is still recording in stereo.

[mikeweil]

That reminds to test the unit with their CD .....

[Chalupa]

  Matthew said:

  mikeweil said:

  Matthew said:

Well, heaven help me, I finally pulled the trigger after two years of back-and-forth and bought a Denon DVD-2910 Universal. I hope it turns out good.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does this model need a tv screen as a display for the adjustments etc.?

After playing around with the Denon for a week or so, it does look like you have to hook it up to a tv if you want anything other than default settings. I'm using straight stereo right now, though I might think of getting surround sound later on if the mood strikes me.

Matthew-

My cd player crapped out on me this weekend. I've been looking at the Denon DVD-2910. Just wondering how you feel about your purchase 2 years later. I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on one of those "B stock" players offered on ebay.

[mikeweil]

After living with the Marantz for half a year, I really can recommend it.

Only one very minor disadvantage - you don't hear any sound when using the scan function, and it is very slow - otoh it may be for technical reasons, and it is very precise.

It displays the CD text only for SACDs, not on red books CDs even if they contain some. Well, I can live without that.

It sounds great, that's what counts!

[Late]

Any new recommendations for an SACD player in 2012? I'm saving to ultimately take the plunge.