Cheap DVD-Audio/SACD player?

[Mike Anderson]

I'm looking for an inexpensive DVD-Audio/SACD player. It doesn't need a super-high quality DAC, but it does need digital out because I'll be using an off-board Benchmark DAC1.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Mike

[Mike Anderson]

BTW, I'm looking for 2-channel sound through digital out, either 24/96 or 24/192, something that can go right into my DAC1. A player that does both DVD-A and SACD is preferable.

[noddin0ff]

My ignorance...Can you get a digital output for SACD? I though SACD players would only output SACD in analog form.

[Mike Anderson]

My ignorance...Can you get a digital output for SACD? I though SACD players would only output SACD in analog form.

I don't know, this is my first foray into this area. I read the other long thread about this topic, and there was something to this effect, but I couldn't tell exactly what they were talking about.

But I really know next to nothing about any of this; if someone can confirm, that'd be great, then I can focus solely on DVD-A.

All I know is I don't want to sink a lot of money into this technology if it isn't going to go anywhere. I'm looking to spend a couple hundred bucks (used is OK) and getting a handful of titles just to see what it sounds like on my new rig.

[kexodusc]

I have 2 players, one's a $300 ish Yamaha that I like a lot, the other is a Toshiba SD-4960 that plays SACD and DVD-A, that I paid about $90 for. The video performance is average on it, but sonically it sounds as good to me as the units I demoed when before buying the Yamaha. Can't beat it for the price.
Ugly silver though.

[noddin0ff]

I don't know, this is my first foray into this area. I read the other long thread about this topic, and there was something to this effect, but I couldn't tell exactly what they were talking about.

But I really know next to nothing about any of this; if someone can confirm, that'd be great, then I can focus solely on DVD-A.

I think its more or less a copy protection issue that would also apply to DVD-A. I don't think the players allow digital output of either SACD or DVD-A so you can't make digital copies. If you can find any Receivers that accept these formats that might hint at the answer.

[shokhead]

Yamaha DVD-S657 200 bucks

[Mike Anderson]

I think its more or less a copy protection issue that would also apply to DVD-A. I don't think the players allow digital output of either SACD or DVD-A so you can't make digital copies. If you can find any Receivers that accept these formats that might hint at the answer.

So I can only use the analog outs to my regular (non-DVD-A/SACD equipped) amp?

Wow, that sucks. I have to buy a whole new amp/receiver if I want to use the digital signal; what crap. No wonder the technology never caught on.

Suppose one (hypothetically speaking of course) had software to decrypt/decode an SACD or DVD-A disc on one's computer, would one then be able to burn a new disc and send it to the DAC somehow?

[Woochifer]

I have 2 players, one's a $300 ish Yamaha that I like a lot, the other is a Toshiba SD-4960 that plays SACD and DVD-A, that I paid about $90 for. The video performance is average on it, but sonically it sounds as good to me as the units I demoed when before buying the Yamaha. Can't beat it for the price.
Ugly silver though.

Wow, you got yourself quite a cult favorite with that Toshiba unit, because it's a very popular model with modders. My understanding is that Toshiba inexplicably included Burr-Brown DACs with that budget universal player, and modders have talked incessantly about what's possible with that unit after upgrading the analog circuits and the power supply. BTW, get used to the silver color -- it's clearly on its way back after more than two decades of black dominating the market.

http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Me...oduct_Count=22
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/v...2a19723d27f21c

I think its more or less a copy protection issue that would also apply to DVD-A. I don't think the players allow digital output of either SACD or DVD-A so you can't make digital copies. If you can find any Receivers that accept these formats that might hint at the answer.

Actually, HDMI 1.1 now allows for DVD-A signals to be passed through using the HDMI connection, provided that both the processor/receiver and DVD player are compliant with the 1.1 standard. HDMI 1.1 also allows for both video and audio signals to be carried on one cable, and for now the audio signals that HDMI carries are DD, DTS, and PCM (including CD audio, the MLP-encoded two-channel 192/24 and 5.1 96/24 PCM signals used in DVD-A, and other high res PCM tracks now available through other sources such as DualDisc and video DVDs). HDMI is a copy-protected digital connection, so it addresses the copy protection issues. The upcoming HDMI 1.2 revision will accommodate one-bit audio formats such as SACD, while version 1.3 is supposed to include the upcoming lossless DD+ and DTS-HD formats that will be included with HD-DVD and Blu-ray.

I think that with HDMI now allowing for DVD-A and SACD to use a digital output, it solves a lot of the idiotic restrictions that impeded the formats' growth, but it might be a case of too little too late. DVD-A and SACD are destined for niche status, which is too bad because I think multichannel music has a huge upside, but is just looking for an appropriate carrier format. IMO, high res digital audio's future very well might be tied to what happens with the new lossless audio formats that will accompany HD-DVD and Blu-ray.

So I can only use the analog outs to my regular (non-DVD-A/SACD equipped) amp?

Wow, that sucks. I have to buy a whole new amp/receiver if I want to use the digital signal; what crap. No wonder the technology never caught on.

There were many reasons why DVD-A and SACD never caught on, but a lot of the discs in these formats sound absolute astounding, especially the multichannel mixes. Any opportunity to revisit an album that might not have received a decent CD transfer is worthwhile in my view.

Keep in mind that DVD-A and SACD only require a six-channel analog input on your receiver, and almost any 5.1 receiver made within the last eight years will have this input on board.

If you're looking for unprotected high res PCM audio streams, some audiophile labels put out two-channel 96/24 PCM tracks onto video DVDs, and used all of the data for audio. These discs can output a 96/24 PCM bitstream using just a normal DVD video player. Classic Records, and Chesky put out several titles in this format. I bought The Alan Parsons Project's I, Robot and several classic Blue Note reissues in this format, and the sound quality of these discs is astounding. Keep in mind though that a lot of this might also have to do with the attention to detail and expert mastering engineers that outfits like Classic Records use when creating these discs.

http://www.classicrecords.com/frames...g_frameset.htm
(go to the "Classic D.A.D. 24/96 kHz digital format" search)

In addition, some DVD-A discs also include PCM tracks on the video-compatible layer in 96/24, 48/24, or other high resolutions combinations. DTS Entertainment's DVD-A discs in particular are excellent discs for people who don't own DVD-A players because they include high res PCM tracks and full bitrate DTS 5.1 tracks on the video-compatible layer (most DVD movies with DTS tracks only include a half-bitrate DTS track).

Suppose one (hypothetically speaking of course) had software to decrypt/decode an SACD or DVD-A disc on one's computer, would one then be able to burn a new disc and send it to the DAC somehow?

Don't know how that would be accomplished because the individual DVD-A and SACD discs are watermarked. SACD in particular would be difficult because there aren't any PC drives out there that can currently read SACDs in the first place. But, anything's possible, I suppose.

[Feanor]

I don't know, this is my first foray into this area. I read the other long thread about this topic, and there was something to this effect, but I couldn't tell exactly what they were talking about.
....

Of the likes of Yamaha DVC-6760 ($200) or 6770 ($300) that plays SACD, DVD-A, CD, and about anything else you can think of. You're no worse of with a changer than a single disc player.

Granted, for ideal CD sound, you can use a superb DAC like the Benchmark. As discussed, that won't work for SACD or DVD-A; for them, use changer's analog outputs.