Thread: 2-channel SACD worse than redbook?

Posts: 4
Post by polksda December 20, 2004 (1 of 4)
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.
Post by Claude December 20, 2004 (2 of 4)
This is not a SACD issue, but a problem with your multichannel setup, which should be configured to reproduce a stereo signal correctly.

What if you connect the front L-R channels of the player to a stereo input of the receiver? You could buy splitters to connect the SACD player to stereo inputs and analogue 5.1 inputs at the same time.
Post by mandel December 20, 2004 (3 of 4)
My Sony SACD player has separate 2 channel and 6 channel phono outs (as well as optical for RBCD only). So you need to connect up the 2 channel to one of your amps stereo inputs.
Post by polksda December 20, 2004 (4 of 4)
My bad. I hadn't bothered to read the CE595 manual all the way through. I had to change the 2-channel setting from its default of "direct" to "2Ch + SW". Now I've got bass out the ying-yang.

One aspect of the player that is a bit confusing is when you can change certain settings and when you cannot. For example, with a 2-channel SACD in the player, the "LVL ADJ" option in the menu is never available. However, when I eject that disc and go to the menu, I can get that option to come up, BUT regardless of whether I have the 2-channel mode set to "direct" or "2Ch + SW", I am never permitted to adjust the subwoofer level. When I attempt to do so, I get "NOT IN USE". I can, however, adjust the subwoofer level in 5-channel, if I change the 5-channel mode from "direct" to "5 L + SW".

Not intuitive at all (to me at least).

Instead, I'm using the receiver setting to adjust subwoofer level; I just need to remember to check it before/after movies....

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