SACD for autos

But a) does that also work on aftermarket systems?
And b) does that work properly on a 5.1 program?

 

Ya know, this just occurred to me...I often felt the ability to rip SACD, and with another program rip a DVD-A or DVD-V, and save them all on a multichannel FLAC file. I'm mostly focused on the 5.1 aspect obviously; and I wanted to be able to play these together, perhaps consolidate my Elton or Queen multi files onto a single disc. But, now I'm thinking along the lines of this ability being the, "killer app".

What's to keep the user from ignoring the elusive SACD auto deck or DVD (-A or -V) player for the minivan, burn whichever files you can rip onto a flash drive...then all you need to look for, is a car deck that will play FLAC in 5.1! No fretting about the format-specific proprietary system, or endangering your fragile original discs!

Surely there are decks out there capable of playing a FLAC source in 5.1...from either a home-brewed disc, or a flash drive...?

 

Ditto the previous comments about DVD-A in Acuras. System is designed by Edward L. Shiner. My DVD-As I play in it sound great. The sampler you get when you buy an Acura sells for good prices over at Discogs.

 

That's Elliot Scheiner, I believe.

 

And I do believe you're right

 

This exchange reads like iOS autocorrect at its finest!

 

A) No idea
B) Yes, with Audi at least. Owners of other makes will need to chime in.

 

Yes, IF Sony, who incompetently didn't. Thanks for giving me another opportunity to rant about how they did not have the financial guts to back their own technology.

From an automotive industry insiders' perspective at the time, SACD was hopeless. Aftermarket and OEMs had already seen that DVD-Audio was simply wildly expensive due to small production quantities (plus more specialized mechanisms and royalties etc) and was not adding anything to their bottom line, plus consumers were 99% ignorant or apathetic.

SACD was even MORE problematic, for instance how do you pipe that around a MOST fiber optic bus? I sat in a meeting at BMW discussing this, and they didn't think there was much demand nor advantage, because their system was piping all the audio at 44 (48?) kHz and in multibit, there was no way the system architecture would be rejiggered to handle native DSD, so the supposed/possible extended response of SACD would be truncated and the supposedly purse sound transcoded to boot.

Plus, DSD does not lend itself to time delay, which is an absolute MUST for the best sound in a car (well, unless you are lucky enough to own a McLaren F1 ). Nor can you do any kind of time-based equalization. For me, those way more than negate any possible advantages of SACD in a car.

By the way, sound in a car can be really enjoyable, and some cars-not necessarily insanely expensive, either-can be quite quiet. So anyone stating that "it's a waste" or similar sentiments, sorry, I think you are simply ignorant about this area (or maybe you need to buy a better car to enjoy your music in)

 

Single Layer SACDs|Acoustic Sounds
Found 276 product(s) in the
Single Layer SACDs
category
...but then again your posts 1st and 2nd sentences seem to contradict each other, I'm confued

 

Justin Beiber on SACD? Haven't we suffered enough?
What next, 'Keeping up with the Carcrashians' and 'mTV Teen Mom' Programs on 4K Ultra TV? Oh wait, nevermind.

 

IIRC for a short time there were firms selling dedicated after market sound processors. I remember Pioneer selling such a unit able to process 2CH into Dolby PL to recreate a multi channel audio experience and offer an improved audio calibration. I think it was dropped from their line due to lack of sales volume and/or interest. Their head units still offer automatic calibration with an external microphone but user controlled DSP is strictly limited to the equalizer. It's a pity because I spend a lot of time in my car and could use a better sound experience.

Anyway, the largest market for new cars has always been rental and leasing companies. They must have done some research into the subject and probably came to the conclusion that decent car audio sound, including SACD or DVD-A is something that customers don't ask for and has no benefit to lure in new accounts. Since they have the volume they pretty much dictate what kind of trim and features automobile manufacturers will put in their models.

 

Scheiner's name is still connected to the ELS surround sound option available to most Acura models, but in recent years the system changed from one built by Pioneer with added DVD-Audio capability to one from Alpine that can only play DTS (and regular) CDs. Not too surprising given how little used the format is now.

 

Why?

 

Multichannel in a car is extremely fun.

I used to have a Sony MEX-DV2200 CD/SACD/DVD-Video player in my 2004 Subaru Legacy and it was set up to have a phantom center. It played multichannel SACDs in quadraphonic as well as DTS CDs and the compatibility tracks for most DVD-Audios. I had the HD Radio accessory. I have a healthy amount of multichannel DTS CDs, SACDs, and DVD-Audios. I also collected a great number of "hobbyist" transfers of old quadraphonic stuff to DTS CD-R, DVD-Audio and DVD-Video. I commuted two hours + per day when I had this in the car and it was super nice to be jamming multichannel music in both directions on my commutes.

It sounded incredibly great - I had a set of nice Sony component speakers in the front and half decent Pioneer coaxials in the rear. ​

The multichannel Genesis SACDs (and DVDs in DTS 96/24) were among my favorite driving music. Queen's "A Night At The Opera" at DTS 96/24 was super fun road trip music. I once played Yes' "Close To The Edge" in Dolby ProLogic II Music mode and it responded very well, but I never used the modes again. I absolutely loved it. (Though I didn't love it enough to move into the Outback that I got in 2014. I came close to moving it, but decided that the convenience of Bluetooth and USB, as well as the great overall integrated look, also Satellite Radio integration, was worth more to me in the new car. The 2014 Outback Premium came with a very nice stereo actually and once I upgraded the door speakers it actually sounds pretty excellent.) I sold the MEX-DV2200 to someone on the quadraphonic quad board so that I could be sure it went to someone who would appreciate it for what it was.

 

Yes, with Mercedes. (Year 2013 in my experience.)