SACD and 5.1 future, with Marantz and Oppo opting out?

For all the discussion of Sony’s supporting SACD in their hardware, I recall seeing a post that they are no longer licensing music titles to Mofi and others for SACD production. Seems like the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.

 

Not the first instance when the hardware side does not talk to the software side ...

 

There are many but most are not prominent so it is not a big deal.

 

For stereo I'm quite happy with CD.

However for multichannel music, I maintain the capability to play DVD-Audio, SACD, and Blu-ray. There's a pretty big selection of multichannel DVD-Audio out there that's not (yet) available on other formats. I'd have SACD for Elton John's alone! On my score sheet, Blu-ray is the underperformer of the group, as far as titles go, but there's still the occasional one that gets my attention.

Oh, and while I have the floor...

I'm still waiting for remixed and remastered multichannel versions of Boston's first, and Supertramp's Crime of the Century - on any of those three formats. Please!

Jeff

 

I have never set up a surround sound system. It is just too much work.

 

Training for an Ironman is too much work - at least it is for me.

Cultivating my own grapes to use to make my own wine is also too much work for me.

Doing an appendectomy on myself would be too much work.

Setting up a surround system?

 

Sounds like an idea for a new thread.

 

The Sony XA-5400ES SACD player was intended as their hardware division's final statement on DSD sound quality. Sony had to go back and manufacture more because of unexpected demand.

 

Anyone have experience with the Arcam? I'm wondering if it sounds better than an Oppo 205.

 

They may even be made in the same factory ...

 

Which model Arcam?

 

If anyone is looking for comparisons between the Oppo 205 and Arcam CDS50 check out the thread linked below. I believe there is at least one member in the thread that owns the 205 and CDs50.

Arcam CDS50 CD / SACD Player And Streamer

 

Not after the first dozen or so.

 

How would you know it's too much work if you've never setup a surround sound system? I've set up several surround sound systems and it wasn't that much trouble. Once setup and calibrated the work is over. It's all well worth it when one can sit down in the MLP and thoroughly enjoy listening to ones favorite surround music titles .

 

Wow the Arcam looks like a great player albeit pricey. I seeing used OPPOs are selling for crazy prices...

 

Here's how much work it is: connect HDMI output of Universal Player, like Sony UBP-X800, to HDMI input of an AVR. Connect front, center, surround, and active subwoofer. That's it.

 

A couple of these have seen their way to SACD but there are some good titles here that are DVD-A only
DVD AUDIO REVIEWS

 

Yes, the unit was discontinued and put back into production after about an 18 month absence. I still did not have the income to buy one. Later, I purchased an OPPO-205. I've heard the 5400 delivered better sound than anything else out there at any price, in all manner that better can be discerned.

 

What's funny (good funny) though is that it's 2019 and we are still talking about the SACD format here on forum. Then again. Looking @ the first page of hardware forum you'd think it was 1977 again. Life is good.

 

The surround market has to have grown somewhat in the last five years with so many good releases that have come out to add to the last 15 or so years of the modern surround disc.

So many AVRs with all those speaker outputs on the back panel begging for the connection of just anything old one might have around the house as rear channels. It’s gotten really easy and less costly in recent years.

I recall asking in a thread if “a stereo mainly listener ever looks at those extra outputs on the back of their SACD player, and wonders just what it’s all about?”

God I got some hate replies from that post. Like “certainly NOT” and what’s it to you anyway?

Lolol!!!! How can one see six RCA outputs on the backs of their players and see that Multichannel logo on their disc cases, and it not connect a dot or two in their frontal lobes of experience and perception?

I personally just like to know what the Pepper or Imagine multitracks sound like even if I might not like it played that way.

But anyway, but back to what I was saying - when you get new stuff coming like the two I mentioned plus White Album, Electric Ladyland, and others then you know it’s not even close to being over.

 

My SACD/CD players have two RCA outs, just like my TT......wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Marantz still produces SACD/CD players, they haven’t opted out yet as the thread title would indicate. All you have to do to acquire one is shell out $4 grand for an SA-KI-Ruby player, or $7 grand for their top of the line SA-10S1 player.

 

So sorry you have no choice in the matter even if you had the curiosity.

But if it had those outputs and it was the model you liked - I really doubt you’d turn your nose up at it and walk away because of unused RCA jacks on rear panel.

 

I'm not sorry as there are no players with more than 2 RCA outs that I'd be interested in.