Really dumb questions about DVD-A and SACD

Y'all might call me retarded after the questions coming up later, but here goes...

So, a couple of weeks ago, my 5disc DVD changer craps out on me after shocking the ****e out of me when i went to turn it on with some staticky socks on my feet. "Bummer" i say to myself before realizing that i can now go out and buy some new equipment. So i end up getting the Denon 1903CI DVD player. Bonus is it plays DVD-A and SACD. I've never had experience with either so i was kinda psyched to see what the fuss was about. Today i went out and bought Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" on DVD-A and Jorma Kaukonen's "Blue Country Heart" on SACD (along with Chris Botti's "Live" DVD).

Now the dumb questions part: I put in Elton's album and it only comes out in Dolby Pro Logic. Shouldn't this be coming out in Dolby Digital or something else for true surround sound, much like a regular DVD? Second, is analog the only way to get sound on SACD? If so, are there special cords made for the 5.1 analog connections or will regular old RCA's work?

For background, i have the DVD player hooked up with the audio running through an optical output into a Denon 1807AVR. I also tried hooking up the 5.1 analog into the ext. in's on the receiver using regular RCA's, but i still can't get multi-channel out of the SACD.

Now that i've completely exposed my audio insophistication, could you folks with more fluency in these audion formats throw me a bone? I feel like i'm missing something here, but just can't figure out what.

Thanks in advance.

Tug

Excellent questions since I am waiting for my first SACD/DVD-a player to arrive I would probably have the same Q's...this is your curtain call PS

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Now the dumb questions part: I put in Elton's album and it only comes out in Dolby Pro Logic. Shouldn't this be coming out in Dolby Digital or something else for true surround sound, much like a regular DVD? Second, is analog the only way to get sound on SACD? If so, are there special cords made for the 5.1 analog connections or will regular old RCA's work?

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Depends. That particular DVD-Audio if I remember correctly has Dolby Digital Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1, plus Advanced Resolution stereo and 5.1. You need 5.1 analog connections to play the Advanced Resolution portion of this disc from your DVD player to your receiver, you also need these in order to play SACD's (DSD portion) You can always play the CD layer on SACD's if there is one with your digital connections.

RCA's are what you need for SACD and Advanced Resolution on DVD-Audio (make sure the cables are of equal length).

The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix should have come through on your receiver, but you might have to go under the menu on the DVD-A and select the DD 5.1 mix instead of the stereo. Also make sure your DVD player settings are set up for 5.1 as well.

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For background, i have the DVD player hooked up with the audio running through an optical output into a Denon 1807AVR. I also tried hooking up the 5.1 analog into the ext. in's on the receiver using regular RCA's, but i still can't get multi-channel out of the SACD.

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I am not familar with that Denon receiver, but it needs to have '5.1 inputs' in order to play SACD or DVD-A (advanced resolution). Sounds like that is what it does have, but you will also have to change the receiver from digital to analog...sometimes this can be done on the remote by choosing something like "signal select" perhaps. On my Pioneer I have to change it to "Multichannel In" when playing SACD's or DVD-A (Adv. Res).

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Now that i've completely exposed my audio insophistication, could you folks with more fluency in these audion formats throw me a bone? I feel like i'm missing something here, but just can't figure out what.

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Ok, here's a bone. I think you are on the right path,but just need to change a few settings. We can work it out.

The DVD-Audio of this does have a few nice extras, but there is a 3-disc SACD Deluxe Set out there that contains all the extras of the DVD-A, plus the superior sound of the SACD spread across 2-discs. This is an excellent SACD that is much better than the Advanced Resolution the DVD-A can offer. In fact, any of the Elton John's are good SACD's to pick up...my favorites are:

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC and TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION.

P-skies...

Thanks for the info. I just got the 5.1 analog working on the sacd. Turns out there was an extra line on one of the menus on the dvd player setup that i was missing by not scrolling down enough. Ooops. Had to switch analog output from 2 channels to multi. Simple enough.

Is analog the preferred way to listen to dvd-a as well? Or would the PCM digital processing of that format predicate listening to that through digital channels? Since its been all normal CDs for me til now, i've never really thought much about this stuff before. Bad thing about getting a newer dvd player is now i want to get a new TV that i can't afford.

Thanks again for the help.

tug

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Originally Posted by tugmcmartin

P-skies...

Thanks for the info. I just got the 5.1 analog working on the sacd. Turns out there was an extra line on one of the menus on the dvd player setup that i was missing by not scrolling down enough. Ooops. Had to switch analog output from 2 channels to multi. Simple enough.

Is analog the preferred way to listen to dvd-a as well? Or would the PCM digital processing of that format predicate listening to that through digital channels? Since its been all normal CDs for me til now, i've never really thought much about this stuff before. Bad thing about getting a newer dvd player is now i want to get a new TV that i can't afford.

Thanks again for the help.

tug

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Glad you were able to figure that problem out, yes quite a few players you need to select your audio and on mine, you need to select CD layer, 2-channel SACD, or 5.1 SACD. It's a bit of a pain, but oh well.

Is analog the preffered way to listen to a DVD-A? Well, you missed a really great fight/debate on this that I had with anothe rmember not too long ago. Personally I prefer SACD over DVD-A, but for the 20+ DVD-A's that I do own I typically prefer to listen to the DTS 5.1 mix that they have (unless they are non-DTS titles) in which case I sometimes go with the DD 5.1 mix, although I prefer the Advanced Resolution 5.1 over DD 5.1. My order of preference goes: DTS, Adv. Res. 5.1, DD 5.1. To me, I enjoy the lower-end presence that DTS seems to offer over the Adv. Res. 5.1. That's just me. Others swear by the Adv. Res (also known as MLP).

Welcome to the new formats!

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Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies

Welcome to the new (but unfortunately already dying) formats!

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