At least on my system.
Denon AVR-3803 Sony CE595 SACD player
5.1 SACDs are just fine. Pink Floyd's DSOTM is breathtaking.
2-channel SACDs, which unfortunately are where some of my favorite artists reside (Toto - Hydra, the 3 Journey releases) sound like garbage because of the complete lack of bass. Absolutely no LFE information ever makes it to the subwoofer.
Playing redbook material on a CD player to analog L/R inputs on the Denon gets me what I want - based on crossover settings chosen in the Denon, the appropriate bass information routes to the sub or mains or sub+mains, depending on what I choose. on 2-channel SACD, nothing, regardless of settings.
If I'm understanding SACD correctly, stereo SACDs are 2.0 not 2.1, so in theory they should act like redbook CDs. However, since the connection is 5.1, the receiver/crossover/whatever is expecting the .1 to containg the LFE, which in this case it does not, so rather then sending the bass "portion" of the 2.0 to the speakers/sub the way it does for redbook, it all just disappears?
Majorly disappointing.
Any fix other than to never buy any stereo SACDs?
Oh, and the SACD multichannel mix of Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell is the most abysmal abomination on the planet. I can't believe they actually released it. I would have had more enjoyment burning 16 $1 bills.
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