Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners SACD Question

Hello audio gurus, have a question, hope for an answer.

I picked up a Sony NS999ES DVD/SACD player. I have it hooked up as a source to an amplifier, no preamp.

Can I output SACD from the SACD player without a processor/preamp?

If you like listening at "reference" level, sure, you can go without attenuating the signal with a pre-amp, and run the full line into the input of your amp. It's going to be LOUD (i.e. -0 dB, 100% volume all the time).

Uh oh, I was not clear. The wee T-Amp has a volume control, just no processing capability, no function control - inputs for a single source, outputs to a single pair of speakers.

Thank you CN for your quick response. So, I don't need any outboard processing to get SACD output from the player to speakers?

I wouldn't think so--since you're just talking stereo, you don't need to worry about level matching as you would with multichannel. Of course, with SACD, the original design has all that happening in the player in any case. So if you had, say, 6 T-amps all at the same volume level, that might even work.

Funny you should say that, I do have 6, 2 channel T-Amps which I was going to use to put together a Frankenst-amp. Haven't unpacked them yet. If only there were a low price, high value multichannel audio processor/preamp.

There will be variance from device to device, I wouldn't count on the same position on each dial to provide the same output level.

Hopefully the SACD player will generate pink noise (my Pioneer DV-79AVi does) so you can balance the levels of each amp. Perhaps marking a few positions on each where the output levels are equal.

You might find a 2 channel mix on some SACDs, at least I recall that my Eagles DVDA had a 2 channel mix. And when I played that on my ASL WAV25's, wow, that sounded FANTASTIC.

I think every SACD I own has a 2-channel mix. Not saying that every one will, but a good majority. There are also quite a few which only have the CD layer, and 2-channel on the SACD layer, no multi-channel at all. There are also some odd-balls which have 3-channel or quadraphonic mixes. Even a couple with 6-channel mixes, where what would normally be the sub-woofer channel is assigned a full-frequency mix, intended to be played from over-head.

But yeah, the ones I own have the CD layer, a 2-channel mix, and a 5-channel mix (don't know if most have a dedicated .1 or if it just the processor making that from the crossover point).

There are hybrid SACD discs, that is, discs with both redbook and SACD tracks. Some SACD discs are 2 channel, some multi channel but which would play on a 2 channel system.

I played a hybrid SACD disc, Dvorak's New World Symphony - the NS999ES played in CD resolution. I tried to play the SACD Dark Side of the Moon, and no output at all.

Bummed.

I’ve got a lot of SACDs and none of them have both multi-channel 2ch SACD audio. The multi-channels that do have 2ch tracks are as 2x6 says hybrids mostly with redbook standard CD layers.

Most if not all of my DVD-A disks have do have both multi-channel and 2ch.

I've got 800+ SACD and almost all have hybrid CD layer (93%) PLUS a stereo SACD (99.9% of them) PLUS mutli-channel(from 3.0-5.1) (99%). The stats above are the actual stats from my library.

Phil, sure the player will output SACD(after conversion to analog, of course)without needing any downstream help from a processor. The help that is needed for it to be output and played is to have the right track on the disc selected by the user. As we discussed a few years ago, multi-format players have dual lasers that optimally read DVDs and SACDs(650nm wavelength)and CDs(780nm wavelength). For the 650nm laser to focus on and read the SACD rather than CD layer in a hybrid SACD the user has to select SACD(or HD)rather than CD in the menu. On the Dvorak disc(Reiner?), assuming that it's genuine, the only way that the track on the CD layer plays instead is if CD was selected. Check the setting procedure in your manual.

As to the DSOM disc not outputting anything, there's no apparent reason from your description. If the coaxial analog connections were still intact, something should have come out.

Thank you John. I guess I have to read the manual. It's like asking for directions. Not happy about that.

Yup. Fritz from the Windy City.