SACD Rabbit Hole...

[motleypixel]

To enjoy SACD sound on a stereo system, here's what you need to do. I have this setup with a Sony Blu-ray/SACD player and it works great.

At Long Last! Listen To Your (Physical) SACDs Through an Outboard DAC

At Long Last! Listen To Your SACDs Through an Outboard DAC George Graves When Sony/Phillips Announced their new Super Audio CD format (SACD) in 1999/2000, Sony opened a marketing office in NYC to advertise and promote the new format. They reached out to a number of audio writers (including, yours...

audiophilestyle.com

Well, I'm reading your article and this is what begs answering IMHO. Oppo designed a quality multi DVD player with the ability to read SADC DSD layers. As it is, it's my understanding that IF I had an AVR with 5.1 or 7.1 surround that I could connect the Oppo to it via HDMI and it would play the SACD DSD bit stream RAW from the Oppo, the analog conversion would be done at the AVR. But I'm not doing that and I feel I should have do do that.

Right now I want to know that the signal looks like coming out of the L/R white/red stereo RCA output jacks on the back of the Oppo when an SACD is played vs a standard audio CD. One might think if they are of the same signal properties, then they would sound the same (if they were of the same source recording material) but even then I'm not entirely convinced. Meaning an SACD DSD converted down to analog via it's internal processing could be different than a PCM read converted down to analog.

One thing is for sure, I'm not throwing more boxes in my setup, it's not required nor desired for my needs.

Thank you.

 

[dtc]

Me replying to Oppo Support:
Also, after posting your reply about digital copyright to the WiiM Forum:

"I think Oppo support is referring to the DSD audio bits and that is certainly copy protected. The question is what it does with that layer when you convert it to PCM. The same restriction may apply, but it is not clear. Maybe Oppo support can answer that question directly. Just ask them if my workaround will work. Hopefully they will know."

So, I'm just trying to justify a use-case here. If I have an SACD and insert it play, and the player reads the DSD layer and the "digital output" is set from "raw" to "pcm" then i connect the RCA L/R output from the player to an amp w/o any DAC it should play music right? Will it be of higher quality than say if I just play a normal audio CD?

Thank you

OPPO Service
7:14 PM (1 hour ago)
Hi Motley, Yes, you will have audio when using the RCA connection with SACDs. Regardless of the setting for DSD or PCM, there will be no audio when playing the DSD

Me Replying back
8:04 PM (35 minutes ago)
to OPPO

Wow, thank you again, I wanted to share some positive feedback with a forum member, please see attached.

This being said, and please pardon my ignorance and lack of knowledge/experience with SACD and this player. In simple terms, will I benefit from higher quality listening playing an SACD (even if it's hybrid, it should default to read the DSD layer) if I connect the Oppo RCA L/R stereo analog output to my audio amplifier? This is my bench test setup, in my listening room I would connect the Oppo L/R RCA output to my WiiM Ultra L/R RCA stereo input, which I believe is sent to the WiiM Ultra's DAC, then passed out the WiiM Ultra's L/R stereo RCA output to the L/R RCA stereo input of my listening room amp (no DAC here) and then onto my stereo speaker system.

I'm just trying to make 100% certain, I WILL benefit from spinning an SACD in the Oppo player compared to, say, just spinning an audio CD red book PCM. Otherwise, why would I start buying SACDs, it would be a complete waste of money.

Thank you.

I am a little confused by Oppo's reply. The first sentence seems to say that SACD to RCA should work, but the second seems to say that there will be no audio for DSD. The first sentence may mean that a DSD to PCM conversion is happening but I am not sure.

EDIT: Rereading - I guess the first sentence says that DSD will be converted to analog by the internal DAC, which you already know. The second sentence may refer to any SACD over coax (or optical) not working but I cannot be sure.

The real issue is can the Oppo convert DSD to PCM and output it over coax or optical. Maybe ask them that directly.

 

[motleypixel]

I am a little confused by Oppo's reply. The first sentence seems to say that SACD to RCA should work, but the second seems to say that there will be no audio for DSD. The first sentence may mean that a DSD to PCM conversion is happening but I am not sure.

I read it as there will be no audio coming out of digital optical or coax regardless of any setting.

 

[dtc]

I read it as there will be no audio coming out of digital optical or coax regardless of any setting.

I think that is what they are implying although they do not specify optical or coax.

I think you are probably right that they say it is not going to work. As I have said, it was a long-shot.

 

[motleypixel]

I think that is what they are implying although they do not specify optical or coax.

I think you are probably right that they say it is not going to work. As I have said, it was a long-shot.

So, coming all the way back around, I have a stereo system that can accept RCA input. can I play and reap the benefits of SACD from this Oppo player? If not,then what was their vision of a customer playing SACD?

 

[jetson]

Right now I want to know that the signal looks like coming out of the L/R white/red stereo RCA output jacks on the back of the Oppo when an SACD is played vs a standard audio CD. One might think if they are of the same signal properties, then they would sound the same (if they were of the same source recording material) but even then I'm not entirely convinced. Meaning an SACD DSD converted down to analog via it's internal processing could be different than a PCM read converted down to analog.

One thing is for sure, I'm not throwing more boxes in my setup, it's not required nor desired for my needs.

Thank you.

It's PCM coming out of the RCA, you will never enjoy DSD in this case. All players like the Oppo are the same. If you want to enjoy DSD you must use a 5.1 or 7.1 amp that supports DSD via HDMI. Otherwise you must do as described in the link, no choice.

 

[Mr Ee]

can I play and reap the benefits of SACD from this Oppo player?

The question is, what are the benefits?

Surround / multi channel sound - into a stereo setup...
Higher bit rate - says nothing about audio quality.
Longer playing time - but not as long as streaming!
Are sacds even being produced anymore?
Rca out into the wiim rca in means additional ADC and DAC. (Not necessarily detrimental, just a statement.)

 

[slartibartfast]

@dtc

Thoughts?

First thought is it is very difficult to read the screenshot on my phone

 

[slartibartfast]

It's PCM coming out of the RCA, you will never enjoy DSD in this case. All players like the Oppo are the same. If you want to enjoy DSD you must use a 5.1 or 7.1 amp that supports DSD via HDMI. Otherwise you must do as described in the link, no choice.

SACDs have stereo mixes as well as 5.1. Surely the Oppo is reading the stereo SACD layer.