Thread: SACD Players Do You Have One?

I apologize for posting yet another thread I'm not trying to hog the forum, I just have so many questions.

May I ask do you have a SACD player and do you think they as good as "they" say?

As you may know I listen to my music via my computer and it annoys me slighty that I have some Hybrid-SACDs and I can't get the Super Audio part. I may buy myself an SACD player - preferably with Blu-ray playback - could you recommend one please? The cost doesn't matter however the cheaper I can get one for the more money I will have for CDs

Sorry about my spelling in option 3 it should read "No but I'd like one..."

Yes, I have an Arcam (made in Britain). SACD discs tend to be very spaciously recorded (for example the new Gergiev Shostakovich cycle) and sometimes feature dynamics to make your ears scream for mercy and your stomach overturn. So only when you have no neighbours to be enjoyed. Overall I'm not so convinced with the invention. I think the real reason was to make a disc that cannot be easily copied.....

Thank you TxllxT for your reply. I'd still like one or at least to try one first before I buy but if I could get one with Blu-ray play back it would be worth the extra cost. I do think it's a tad odd that CDs are still around many years after SACDs launched, maybe your right about the copy protection.

I don't know if the Oppo brand is available where you are. Their current blu-ray/SACD/DVD-Audio/DVD-video/CD/MP3... and most of the other formats, is, I think, the 95. I have a 93. According to 'them that's in the know', you can't find a better deck for 3X the money. Previous to the Oppo i bought a Yamaha that handled about all the formats except blu-ray (it was inexpensive - ~$100). It started skipping in a few short months. Will I ever learn?

Originally Posted by Hilltroll72

I don't know if the Oppo brand is available where you are. Their current blu-ray/SACD/DVD-Audio/DVD-video/CD/MP3... and most of the other formats, is, I think, the 95. I have a 93. According to 'them that's in the know', you can't find a better deck for 3X the money. Previous to the Oppo i bought a Yamaha that handled about all the formats except blu-ray (it was inexpensive - ~$100). It started skipping in a few short months. Will I ever learn?

Dear Hilltroll72, I will have to find an Oppo and have a look. I don't know much about audio equipment but Blu-ray is a must for me as I love cinema. Thank you for suggesting Oppo the Yamahas are quite costly in the UK goes to show you need to know your stuff before parting with the money. I'll let you know how I get on thanks again.

Edit: Oppo do region free Blu-ray players! I want one of them badly. -_-

Personally, I've never been at all bothered my sound quality, so I stick with cheap, easy, portable, always-available MP3s on my phone and laptop.

Originally Posted by Polednice

Personally, I've never been at all bothered my sound quality, so I stick with cheap, easy, portable, always-available MP3s on my phone and laptop.

Okay,...so THIS is a perfect example of why we don't only need a 'dislike' option but a 'whachu talkin' 'bout?' one too!!!

Thanks for your comment Polednice , I very quickly decided that lossless was the way to go depending on your brand of MP3 player/phone Flac or Aapple Lossless would be an easy way to upgrade your sound and it wouldn't cost you a penny. I'm not an audiophile or anything like that I would be but there too much tech know how required.

I have one of these:



... it is a Playback Designs MPS-5 SACD player. The difference between standard CD and SACD are immediately noticable on my system. I have been an SACD supporter since the format was released.

With SACD players, you have to be careful that it is supplied with a DSD DAC. Most cheaper players which have SACD capability will read the SACD layer, but convert the data into PCM for use in a PCM DAC. The Oppo BDP-95 does this, as does every universal player I am aware of. If you listen to SACD on an Oppo, and if you are underwhelmed - this is the reason why. Using the same DAC as standard CD will homogenize the sound downwards so that it sounds similar to standard CD. You lose the hi-res advantage of SACD.

The most affordable dedicated SACD players were made by Marantz and Sony. If your budget does not stretch to exotica such as DCS, Esoteric, Accuphase, EMM, or Playback ... you should look for a secondhand Marantz or Sony SACD player. Secondhand Musical Fidelity is also a good choice. Avoid all universal players.

I thought it would be nice to have one, but I don't particularly care about them anymore. I find that sound quality doesn't make much difference to my listening experience, and there are music-related things I'd rather spend money on/get as presents.

So I voted "No, and I'd rather not have one" purely because there wasn't a "No, and I'm indifferent" option.

I have a Sony 5400ES SACD player. The difference is astonishing. It's much warmer, has more detail, depth, better imaging, and the spaciousness and sense of realism when played on a good multi-channel system is staggering. It makes two-channel stereo sound flat and sterile. I used to be a recording engineer, so good sound is important to me. Of course, I'm not willing to sacrifice musical performance for better sound--I want both!

I have both a good multi channel system as well as a very good two-channel stereo (Von Schweikert). In the long run it is not this (multi vs. two-channel) what is decisive, but the quality of the recording itself. Many SACDs suffer from a too distant recording technique (listen to Gergiev on his Shostakovich cycle: disastrous), which causes me not to get involved. Warmth, detail, imagining: my Von Schweikerts present it already with good CD recordings. The SACD is then not such a big step ahead. The merchandising talk of multi being better than two: get to listen to really good two-channel and you'll be healed from these bugs.

Originally Posted by Amfibius

I have one of these:



... it is a Playback Designs MPS-5 SACD player. The difference between standard CD and SACD are immediately noticable on my system. I have been an SACD supporter since the format was released.

With SACD players, you have to be careful that it is supplied with a DSD DAC. Most cheaper players which have SACD capability will read the SACD layer, but convert the data into PCM for use in a PCM DAC. The Oppo BDP-95 does this, as does every universal player I am aware of. If you listen to SACD on an Oppo, and if you are underwhelmed - this is the reason why. Using the same DAC as standard CD will homogenize the sound downwards so that it sounds similar to standard CD. You lose the hi-res advantage of SACD.

The most affordable dedicated SACD players were made by Marantz and Sony. If your budget does not stretch to exotica such as DCS, Esoteric, Accuphase, EMM, or Playback ... you should look for a secondhand Marantz or Sony SACD player. Secondhand Musical Fidelity is also a good choice. Avoid all universal players.

Dear, Amfibius thanks for taking the time to answer in such detail. I could afford to get a new one, the SACD player I have seen are only about £600 - £1000 but of course I'd like to get one as cheaply as possible. I didn't know about DSD DAC I've heard of DAC before I'm painfully ignorant of this sort of thing. I'll make sure it has a DSD DAC, I may as well buy one new from a shop so I know what I'm getting. Thanks again this was a big help.

Dear Txllxt thank you for your comment. You make a very valid point, i have never had a good stereo system as I prefer listening to my music via computer. Even if I was to upgrade my sound card I am unsure if I'd ever get the same level of sound perhaps I'd need to invest in a good stereo system as well? Shame as I like not needing to switch disks on the computer.

Originally Posted by Lenfer

Dear, Amfibius thanks for taking the time to answer in such detail. I could afford to get a new one, the SACD player I have seen are only about £600 - £1000 but of course I'd like to get one as cheaply as possible. I didn't know about DSD DAC I've heard of DAC before I'm painfully ignorant of this sort of thing. I'll make sure it has a DSD DAC, I may as well buy one new from a shop so I know what I'm getting. Thanks again this was a big help.

Your young ears would probably appreciate the DSD DAC - provided that the rest of your hi-fi system is up to snuff. Chances are real good that your computer ain't cutting it. I'm guessing that you can hear no difference between 256kb mp3 and flac using that beastie.