So what is SA-CD, anyway? - Blu-ray Forum

Blu boy · 01-31-2008, 02:42 AM

so what is an SACD i know it stands for super audio compact disc. but why didnt it replace the CD. what is the main differences. do they still make them. where do you get them. what is an audio dvd or something like that. the main reason i was wondering is because i have the 60 gb ps3 so i was curious. another reason is was there like a format war between SACDs and Audio DVDs and did they fail. because i dont want the same thing to happen to blu ray or is it a completely different story. i really dont know much about them.

JasonR · 01-31-2008, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu boy

so what is an SACD i know it stands for super audio compact disc. but why didnt it replace the CD. what is the main differences. do they still make them. where do you get them. what is an audio dvd or something like that. the main reason i was wondering is because i have the 60 gb ps3 so i was curious. another reason is was there like a format war between SACDs and Audio DVDs and did they fail. because i dont want the same thing to happen to blu ray or is it a completely different story. i really dont know much about them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Audio_CD

Not the same fight as HDM, IMO.

buckshot · 01-31-2008, 02:48 AM

check out this thread for some good titles on sacd

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=25046

also these sites are great

www.sa-cd.net
www.ps3sacd.com

up the multichannel

Blu boy · 01-31-2008, 02:50 AM

so did sacd or dvd-a win and why didnt they replace cd. can the ps3 play dvd-a

buckshot · 01-31-2008, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu boy

so did sacd or dvd-a win and why didn't they replace cd. can the ps3 play dvd-a

no but it can play this odd little format called dualdisc. its a cd on one side and a dvd that plays multichannel surround on the other. but its not the same as dvd-a. also the ps3 allegedly can play dts-cds if you have the audio settings set perfectly.

JasonR · 01-31-2008, 03:03 AM

I think the reason it didn't replace cds is, who needs 5.1 surround audio in a car. I think travel is how most audio is played, while I have some DVD-A's and SACD's I can say say I don't need it in my vehicle...

Also, MP3s...

irfoton · 01-31-2008, 03:19 AM

SACD and DVD-A died for a multitude of reasons. First was the format battle. Second was the cost was higher than CDs. Third, not much content was released to catch the imagination of the masses. Fourth, iPods and transportable music was more important to the current generation than higher resolution surround sound. It's a shame because if you've heard the difference between regular CDs and SACD or DVD-A, you'd want all your music in high resolution. The Elton John series and Pink Floyd DSOTM are killer productions.

Sigh....

Gremal · 01-31-2008, 03:27 AM

SACD didn't replace CD because consumers did not widely adopt it and the electronics manufacturers and record labels did not unite behind it. During this time I was frustrated that the audiophile community and music fans in general did not recognize SACD for what it was--the best shot at a hi def audio format we will have on optical disc.

beavis667 · 01-31-2008, 04:26 AM

Funny, I'm listening to Boston (first album) on SACD as we speak. Good stuff.

I think both SACD and DVD-A were poorly executed and in that poor execution they never caught on. SACD could have used hybrid disk technology to just replace CD's from those studios that used them. The disks would be more, but it would be getting disks out there. Hybrid SACD's are kinda like HD-DVD combo disks in that they have the SACD audio track on them as well as a regular CD one. They differ from HD-DVD combos in that they work

DVD-A requires video playback capibility for the menu system. DTS audio tracks are great for music, but your audio format isn't taking over the world if you have to have a video screen to make it work.

IMO, DVD-A was doomed from the start. I love my DVD-A's...they sound awesome, but people need music to be lightweight and portable. As it is, DVD-A is a treat when I have time to sit in my listening area.

SACD had a chance with hybrids, but that never happened.

MP3's came around too. I often wonder if MP3's would have taken over if they weren't so widely pirated and shared. They had the portability that DVD-A would never have.

Both formats are niche formats at this point. If you are into classical music, SACD/DVD-A are your best friend. There is ALOT of content for classical, also jazz. I suppose that music most benefits from the high fidelity of the formats. There's still a niche for them, but too bad they never caught on.

Clark Kent · 01-31-2008, 04:37 AM

I think lack of content on SACD really hurt its chances with the general consumer even if they had heard of the format. This wasn't like Blu-ray where every popular day and date title gets a release. There are other factors of course which some have mentioned.

SACD is still around but it mostly targets niche genres now.

beavis667 · 01-31-2008, 05:11 AM

If only SACD had Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms 20th aniversary SACD when the format was released. People would have been trading their spleen for it. Boy, this disk is magic. It's as if David Knopfler is standing on my face playing the classic guitar riff in Money for Nothing. You've never heard the nuances of that riff until you've heard this SACD.

aiman04 · 01-31-2008, 06:36 AM

Just one quick question.

Can PS3 play Hybrid SACD? Somehow I think I read somewhere that PS3 can't.

Need to confirm this, planning on buying a Hybrid SACD.

Big Daddy · 01-31-2008, 07:33 AM

A SACD can have a multichannel mix and/or stereo mix. Not all SACD's are multichannel.

A Hybrid SACD contains two separate layers. One layer carries the normal CD information and the other layer contains the high density SACD information.

A Hybrid SACD can be played on any CD compatible player. However, if played on a standard CD player, only the CD layer will play. The SACD layer can only be played on a SACD player.

Some SACD’s are not hybrid and play only in SACD players.

Todd · 01-31-2008, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aiman04

Just one quick question.

Can PS3 play Hybrid SACD? Somehow I think I read somewhere that PS3 can't.

Need to confirm this, planning on buying a Hybrid SACD.

The PS3 will play any sacd when connected via hdmi to a receiver with hdmi input, if the sacd has a cd layer you can rip that to the PS3 hdd you might also try www.acousticsounds.com
I have about 30 sacd's and 30 dvd audios new releases still come out but this is driven by the artist personal desires porcupine tree who continue releasing on dvd audio. sound & vision magazine cover music in surround sound new releases

beavis667 · 01-31-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aiman04

Just one quick question.

Can PS3 play Hybrid SACD? Somehow I think I read somewhere that PS3 can't.

Need to confirm this, planning on buying a Hybrid SACD.

The 40gb PS3 can't play SACD. The 60gb and 80gb versions can.

moviefan · 01-31-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonR

I think the reason it didn't replace cds is, who needs 5.1 surround audio in a car. I think travel is how most audio is played, while I have some DVD-A's and SACD's I can say say I don't need it in my vehicle...

Also, MP3s...

True, but many SACDs are Hybrid, so you can have the CD track in the car, and SACD at home. Anyone who has heard SACD on a good 5.1 system knows how much difference there is.

moviefan · 01-31-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aiman04

Just one quick question.

Can PS3 play Hybrid SACD? Somehow I think I read somewhere that PS3 can't.

Need to confirm this, planning on buying a Hybrid SACD.

I have 3 Telarc Hybrid SACDs. Two play fine on the PS3, The other is not even recognized as a music disc.
Go figure!

I have 2 SACD hybrids on order, so I will find out if it is the one disc or a larger problem.

dobyblue · 01-31-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beavis667

If only SACD had Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms 20th aniversary SACD when the format was released. People would have been trading their spleen for it. Boy, this disk is magic. It's as if David Knopfler is standing on my face playing the classic guitar riff in Money for Nothing. You've never heard the nuances of that riff until you've heard this SACD.

Or Mark Knopfler even!

David Knopfler, Mark's brother, played rhythm guitar with Dire Straits and left the band to persue a solo career during the recording of "Making Movies", which was released a few years before the band started working on "Brothers In Arms"

One other thing of note is that this recording was a full digital recording for CD (DDD), which means the SACD format is not being fully realised on this recording. It is very likely that the digital recording was either 16/44.1, 16/48, 24/44.1 or 24/48. It's still great and a massive improvement over the SACD, but in my opinion that also has a lot to do with the incredible surround mix. They really hit the nail on the head with the surround mix - not one thing sounds gimmicky. However if this recording had been done on reel to reel analog, we would have an even better fidelity release on SACD.

One need only check out any of Elton John's releases to see how incredible a DSD encode of analog tape can be.

WriteSimply · 01-31-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd

The PS3 will play any sacd when connected via hdmi to a receiver with hdmi input, if the sacd has a cd layer you can rip that to the PS3 hdd you might also try www.acousticsounds.com

Correction. The PS3 will play ANY SACD, period. HOWEVER, if you want to hear the album in multichannel, the only way to do it is via a HDMI connection with a receiver. Using optical out, you'll only get stereo sound.

ADDENDUM: Not all Hybrid SACDs have stereo and multichannel layers. Some are only in stereo. Those that have multichannel layers WILL have stereo layers.

fuad

Beta Man · 01-31-2008, 01:12 PM

For audio-enthusiasts like myself, who listen to music in the home, SACD is like crack. Part of the reason this didn't "Replace CDs", is because of cost, and the internet. I'm willing to go out and pay for new discs, most aren't. My SACD dedicated player cost more than my PS3, so that could be part of your answer too..... most won't pay that much for what they percieve as "just music" Likewise, I have an older CD player (4 years now or 5 ?? ) .... just plays CDs, that's it.... and I got it for a steal at about $800..... People who don't appreciate good 2 channel audio will never understand those things, but to each his own...

01-31-2008, 02:42 AM	#1
Blu boy Expert Member Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Illinois, USA PSNetwork ID: bigredsc Blu-ray collection:20	So what is SA-CD, anyway? so what is an SACD i know it stands for super audio compact disc. but why didnt it replace the CD. what is the main differences. do they still make them. where do you get them. what is an audio dvd or something like that. the main reason i was wondering is because i have the 60 gb ps3 so i was curious. another reason is was there like a format war between SACDs and Audio DVDs and did they fail. because i dont want the same thing to happen to blu ray or is it a completely different story. i really dont know much about them.

01-31-2008, 03:03 AM	#6
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	I think the reason it didn't replace cds is, who needs 5.1 surround audio in a car. I think travel is how most audio is played, while I have some DVD-A's and SACD's I can say say I don't need it in my vehicle... Also, MP3s... Last edited by JasonR; 01-31-2008 at 03:21 AM.

01-31-2008, 05:11 AM	#11
beavis667 Active Member Member since:Aug 2007	If only SACD had Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms 20th aniversary SACD when the format was released. People would have been trading their spleen for it. Boy, this disk is magic. It's as if David Knopfler is standing on my face playing the classic guitar riff in Money for Nothing. You've never heard the nuances of that riff until you've heard this SACD. Last edited by beavis667; 01-31-2008 at 05:15 AM.

01-31-2008, 07:33 AM	#13
Big Daddy Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Southern California Home Theater Gallery:79 Blu-ray collection:122 Trading Score:1	FAQ about SACD A SACD can have a multichannel mix and/or stereo mix. Not all SACD's are multichannel. A Hybrid SACD contains two separate layers. One layer carries the normal CD information and the other layer contains the high density SACD information. A Hybrid SACD can be played on any CD compatible player. However, if played on a standard CD player, only the CD layer will play. The SACD layer can only be played on a SACD player. Some SACD’s are not hybrid and play only in SACD players.

01-31-2008, 02:48 AM	#3
buckshot Blu-ray Guru Member since:Feb 2007 Location:san die ego Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:9	check out this thread for some good titles on sacd https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=25046 also these sites are great www.sa-cd.net www.ps3sacd.com up the multichannel

01-31-2008, 02:50 AM	#4
Blu boy Expert Member Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Illinois, USA PSNetwork ID: bigredsc Blu-ray collection:20	so did sacd or dvd-a win and why didnt they replace cd. can the ps3 play dvd-a

01-31-2008, 03:19 AM	#7
irfoton Member Member since:Aug 2007	SACD and DVD-A died for a multitude of reasons. First was the format battle. Second was the cost was higher than CDs. Third, not much content was released to catch the imagination of the masses. Fourth, iPods and transportable music was more important to the current generation than higher resolution surround sound. It's a shame because if you've heard the difference between regular CDs and SACD or DVD-A, you'd want all your music in high resolution. The Elton John series and Pink Floyd DSOTM are killer productions. Sigh....

01-31-2008, 03:27 AM	#8
Gremal Blu-ray Samurai Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Feb 2007 Location:Daddyland Home Theater Gallery:49 Blu-ray collection:184	SACD didn't replace CD because consumers did not widely adopt it and the electronics manufacturers and record labels did not unite behind it. During this time I was frustrated that the audiophile community and music fans in general did not recognize SACD for what it was--the best shot at a hi def audio format we will have on optical disc.

01-31-2008, 04:26 AM	#9
beavis667 Active Member Member since:Aug 2007	Funny, I'm listening to Boston (first album) on SACD as we speak. Good stuff. I think both SACD and DVD-A were poorly executed and in that poor execution they never caught on. SACD could have used hybrid disk technology to just replace CD's from those studios that used them. The disks would be more, but it would be getting disks out there. Hybrid SACD's are kinda like HD-DVD combo disks in that they have the SACD audio track on them as well as a regular CD one. They differ from HD-DVD combos in that they work DVD-A requires video playback capibility for the menu system. DTS audio tracks are great for music, but your audio format isn't taking over the world if you have to have a video screen to make it work. IMO, DVD-A was doomed from the start. I love my DVD-A's...they sound awesome, but people need music to be lightweight and portable. As it is, DVD-A is a treat when I have time to sit in my listening area. SACD had a chance with hybrids, but that never happened. MP3's came around too. I often wonder if MP3's would have taken over if they weren't so widely pirated and shared. They had the portability that DVD-A would never have. Both formats are niche formats at this point. If you are into classical music, SACD/DVD-A are your best friend. There is ALOT of content for classical, also jazz. I suppose that music most benefits from the high fidelity of the formats. There's still a niche for them, but too bad they never caught on.

01-31-2008, 04:37 AM	#10
Clark Kent Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Oct 2007 Location:Metropolis Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:184	I think lack of content on SACD really hurt its chances with the general consumer even if they had heard of the format. This wasn't like Blu-ray where every popular day and date title gets a release. There are other factors of course which some have mentioned. SACD is still around but it mostly targets niche genres now.

01-31-2008, 06:36 AM	#12
aiman04 Blu-ray Champion Member since:Nov 2007 Location:Malaysia Home Theater Gallery:9	Just one quick question. Can PS3 play Hybrid SACD? Somehow I think I read somewhere that PS3 can't. Need to confirm this, planning on buying a Hybrid SACD.

01-31-2008, 01:12 PM	#20
Beta Man Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Juuuuuuuust A Bit Outside.... Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:268 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:25	For audio-enthusiasts like myself, who listen to music in the home, SACD is like crack. Part of the reason this didn't "Replace CDs", is because of cost, and the internet. I'm willing to go out and pay for new discs, most aren't. My SACD dedicated player cost more than my PS3, so that could be part of your answer too..... most won't pay that much for what they percieve as "just music" Likewise, I have an older CD player (4 years now or 5 ?? ) .... just plays CDs, that's it.... and I got it for a steal at about $800..... People who don't appreciate good 2 channel audio will never understand those things, but to each his own...

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