SACD Hybrid CDs*

Other than the people on this site, I’ve never run into anybody who had any interest in high performance audio.

 

Yeah, digital gapless is a killer feature. Without it music such as The Firebird would be problematic.

 

It is easy especially if you already have the Oppo which can play those files from wherever they are stored over your home network and which can also be a network multichannel DAC for an external music server. I do not see this as an issue.

What may be an issue for many is the ripping of SACDs to files which is easy but tedious. But I have nothing against anyone playing SACDs although I find that task tedious.

 

As usual, the heart of the matter is the master, not things that even if they make a different it probably won't be audible by humans - the thing is the master.

Single layer SACDs are very often Japanese, are normally mastered over there. Rest of the world get Hybrid SACDs and they are mastered/remastered by the issuing company be it the major or the reissuing company. So there is really no way to compare to decide differences between Hybrid and Single Layer (assuming they are audible to humans - think not). Any differences will come from the master, given the above.

v

 

Yes you assumption is right.

As I wrote before there in the data information on the disc. There are incorporated checksums and also after that in the SACD player there are error corrections.

So in a other way to say it is. That the information/data that are in the disc is the same regardless if it are in a full reflecting single layer or like in a hybrid disc, semi transparent layer. See my previous post there I explaining the difference.

The error correction that are inbuilt in the format itself was there already in the CD format..

Its job are twofold that is not really apparent at a glance.

With error correction algorithms in the player/reader that can correct a wrong reading from the disc and mathematical compute and restore the wrong data with the right one. (Up to a point of course, then if it is beyond that it is considered as uncorrectable)
The wrong reading of the disc could be because of scratches on the disc.
So we can also see that the error correction also make the optical format ability to withstand some scratches and helping it to be more robust as a format in handling it.

(Think about it. That is also the explanation of why we could burn data information into discs (CD, DVD and so on) that are much more sensitive to data errors than audio. There are no room for uncorrectable information!)

That is why I listen to vinyl records. Nothing is corrected to perfection. And more clicks and pops develops with each play because of wear.
So it is so exciting to hear playback because it doesn't sound the same as the first time that is exciting. I do not know what I get the next time I play it. But I know that I don't get the same as before. That is poetic and relaxing in this digital world.

 

If it were so easy you would not be paid to write about it. And the while the OPPO can play multi-channel from where ever they might be stored, gapless is only available at front port from a thumb drive. And, yes that's easy. Steps to get useful data to thumb drive is not so fast or easy.

 

Most of what I write about is simple but, because it is unfamiliar, it is worth saying.

Too true. A limitation of DLNA, in most cases.

Rip, copy, paste.

 

Yes, folks out there without a map of how to enjoy multi-channel downloads benefit from explorers like you who are indulging in it. For me, the OPPO is a godsend. I particularly like the Seattle Symphony's multi-channel works from Acoustic Sounds, which are not too difficult to download and get onto my thumb drive.

 

On a side note, there is only one SACD pressing plant left, or so it seems, and that is in Austria.

 

That’s not true. Sony DADC operates one plant each in Japan and Austria. Arvato operates another plant in Germany. All of these plants are capable of pressing both hybrid and single-layer SACDs.

 

Yes, indeed, they are marvelous.

 

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The regular CD player will play the regular CD tracks/recording. The SACD tracks will not, CAN NOT play on an regular CD player. Buy regular CD discs.
Hybrid does not mean there is an special data mix creating a 'new' type of recording - stop allowing your imagination running wild!.
Hybrid SACD - are two albums on one disc: an SACD recording and an regular CD recording.
There are people 'out there' selling items saying "and it can also play SACD discs" they are bending the truth - it can play Hybrid discs but ONLY the regular CD recording.