Post by RNorth February 18, 2006 (1 of 27)
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As a recent convert to SACD, I'm puzzled by the offerings that are "stereo only." A few are labeled as such; but most are surprises - I buy a new SACD and play it, and hear no sound from the rear speakers (unless I synthesize it). How can I know this, before buying? Is there a list of true "multichannel" or "surround" SACD's?
I'm using Sony ES equipment, which explicitly supports this format, and has dedicated 5.1 outputs from the SACD player to the preamp inputs; this is unambiguous. SACD sound quality is remarkable, with Magneplanar Tympani IVa front and 2.5R rear speakers; but the soundstage is variable. How do I know what source material I'm buying?
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Post by RNorth February 18, 2006 (2 of 27)
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RNorth said:
As a recent convert to SACD, I'm puzzled by the offerings that are "stereo only." A few are labeled as such; but most are surprises - I buy a new SACD and play it, and hear no sound from the rear speakers (unless I synthesize it). How can I know this, before buying? Is there a list of true "multichannel" or "surround" SACD's?
I'm using Sony ES equipment, which explicitly supports this format, and has dedicated 5.1 outputs from the SACD player to the preamp inputs; this is unambiguous. SACD sound quality is remarkable, with Magneplanar Tympani IVa front and 2.5R rear speakers; but the soundstage is variable. How do I know what source material I'm buying?
Before anyone replies, "Look at this site!." I know about the MultiCh designations here, and they are very helpful . . . but if I'm looking at a label on an SACD, how can I tell? Many say "multichannel" or "surround" but in fact are not. How do the folks on this site tell, short of buying the disc?
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Post by raffells February 18, 2006 (3 of 27)
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RNorth said:
As a recent convert to SACD, I'm puzzled by the offerings that are "stereo only." A few are labeled as such; but most are surprises - I buy a new SACD and play it, and hear no sound from the rear speakers (unless I synthesize it). How can I know this, before buying? Is there a list of true "multichannel" or "surround" SACD's?
I'm using Sony ES equipment, which explicitly supports this format, and has dedicated 5.1 outputs from the SACD player to the preamp inputs; this is unambiguous. SACD sound quality is remarkable, with Magneplanar Tympani IVa front and 2.5R rear speakers; but the soundstage is variable. How do I know what source material I'm buying?
Hi Richard.
Sorry we posted at the same time but THE best way is to check on THIS site..and especially look at the reviews which are clearly marked for stereo or/and surround.This has been an ongoing complaint since the rather haphazzard introduction of sacd..The companies themselves dont always help... Sorry but thats the best you can hope for...Dave
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Post by Scott February 18, 2006 (4 of 27)
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RNorth said:
Before anyone replies, "Look at this site!." I know about the MultiCh designations here, and they are very helpful . . . but if I'm looking at a label on an SACD, how can I tell? Many say "multichannel" or "surround" but in fact are not. How do the folks on this site tell, short of buying the disc?
I've not bought a disc yet that states it is multichannel only to find after playing it that it's only stereo. What discs have you had this experience with?
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RNorth said:
Before anyone replies, "Look at this site!." I know about the MultiCh designations here, and they are very helpful . . . but if I'm looking at a label on an SACD, how can I tell? Many say "multichannel" or "surround" but in fact are not. How do the folks on this site tell, short of buying the disc?
Richard
Can you tell us with what discs you experienced this problem? Issues that are listed as MCH but will have no "surround" sound are the Mercury Living Presence and Living Stereo issues as they have the middle channel on the discs (where recorded in 3 channels), hence they are not just stereo. I am not aware of any other series with a similar labelling policy and the labelling on the discs is usually perfectly accurate if it has a "Surround" or "Multi-ch" tag.
Also, the "Multi-ch" tag does accurately reflect the position as listed on this site...
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Post by RNorth February 18, 2006 (6 of 27)
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raffells said:
Hi Richard.
Sorry we posted at the same time but THE best way is to check on THIS site..and especially look at the reviews which are clearly marked for stereo or/and surround.This has been an ongoing complaint since the rather haphazzard introduction of sacd..The companies themselves dont always help... Sorry but thats the best you can hope for...Dave
Thanks for confirming my impressions, Dave. In particular, I share your impression that this site is invaluable! but I don't always shop on line.
Haphazard is a good choice of words to describe what I suppose is innocent or clueless application of the SACD label.
Best regards,
Rick
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Post by RNorth February 18, 2006 (7 of 27)
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Scott said:
I've not bought a disc yet that states it is multichannel only to find after playing it that it's only stereo. What discs have you had this experience with?
Hi Scott -
I haven't made a list; one that comes to mind is Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition etc. - Reiner. This site shows it as Multi-ch, but in fact it plays through my two front speakers alone. (I use a derived center channel; four Maggies are enough!) The print on the back of the album, and the reviews on this site if one drills down past the label, reveal that it is in fact 3-channel, or front L-R-center only.
There have been others; I'll make special note in the future. Especially before discarding a "Multi-ch" sticker on the outside of the shrink wrap!
Live and learn. Thanks!
Rick
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Post by RNorth February 18, 2006 (8 of 27)
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Polly Nomial said:
Richard
Can you tell us with what discs you experienced this problem? Issues that are listed as MCH but will have no "surround" sound are the Mercury Living Presence and Living Stereo issues as they have the middle channel on the discs (where recorded in 3 channels), hence they are not just stereo. I am not aware of any other series with a similar labelling policy and the labelling on the discs is usually perfectly accurate if it has a "Surround" or "Multi-ch" tag.
Also, the "Multi-ch" tag does accurately reflect the position as listed on this site...
Thanks, Polly. I just posted a reply to Scott, giving an example on "RCA red seal, BMG classics" label which is just as you describe. It reads "Living Stereo" on the front; the 3-channel (front only) reality appears in finer print on the back.
How many channels in a pollynomial?
;)
Rick
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RNorth said:
Thanks, Polly. I just posted a reply to Scott, giving an example on "RCA red seal, BMG classics" label which is just as you describe. It reads "Living Stereo" on the front; the 3-channel (front only) reality appears in finer print on the back.
How many channels in a pollynomial?
;)
Rick
As many as you like!
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Post by zeus February 18, 2006 (10 of 27)
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I flag the disc as "Multichannel" here if any of the tracks have multichannel content, that is more than stereo. "Multichannel" doesn't necessarily mean "Surround".
It's a lot of work but I've thought about refining the classification here to show the actual configuration used (3.0, 4.0, 5.1 etc) but even this isn't conclusive as some labels use the .1 simply for sat/sub systems (you turn the .1 off if you have full range speakers), others use it for height, then there's the 2+2+2 favoured by MDG etc. To make things even more complicated, some discs play some tracks in stereo even though multichannel lights up on your player. Some discs have some tracks in multichannel only. Lastly there's those discs with faux multichannel ... the early titles from Harmonia Mundi spring to mind, some of which show "Stereo" on the back cover despite having multichannel content (faux or otherwise). So it's all a bit of a mess. I don't think this can be addressed by labeling alone, at least simplistic designations like "5.1".
Personally, I buy music on the content first and foremost. I consider any multichannel content a bonus. Certainly there's no multichannel content on CDs and I still buy these (occasionally).
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