SACD Audio drop out issues (1 Viewer)

[Dave Moritz]

I am wondering if anyone who has SACD titles has had a disc go bad? Have you had a disc where the audio drops out in one or multiple places? Recently I got around to listening to Michael Jackson Thriller on my SACD disc and in multiple places on the disc the audio briefly drops out. I have scanned back and it drops out in the same place every time, even after inspecting and cleaning the disc it still happens in the same place. Has anyone else had this issue? I am thinking the disc has suffered some kind of laser rot or an issue due to a defect of some sort.

 

[Phil A]

Not had that happen yet and I have lots of SACD discs. Now of course I listen to DSD files. What player? Many moons ago when I played discs I had a player that on rare occasion would not read the disc and I would use my static charge eliminator (which I've used a few times on the PC as well on discs that it had trouble reading). I posted about it here - http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/222295-denon-2900-and-odd-sacd-issue/

 

[David_B_K]

I am wondering if anyone who has SACD titles has had a disc go bad? Have you had a disc where the audio drops out in one or multiple places? Recently I got around to listening to Michael Jackson Thriller on my SACD disc and in multiple places on the disc the audio briefly drops out. I have scanned back and it drops out in the same place every time, even after inspecting and cleaning the disc it still happens in the same place. Has anyone else had this issue? I am thinking the disc has suffered some kind of laser rot or an issue due to a defect of some sort.

You say the you "got around to listening to the SACD disc". Does that mean you have not played it before? If so, it could mean the disc was defective from the get-go and did not develop drop-outs over time. I have only had one SACD that exhibited drop-outs, and it was the first time I played it.

 

[Phil A]

If you have a friend with an SACD player (or have another), I'd try the disc on that before definitively deciding it is the disc or a player laser problem.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I have played it a number of times in the past and never had trouble with it. I have played it in three different players over the years.

1. Sony DVP-S9000 ES Flagship DVD/SACD player
2. Denon DVD-2200 DVD/DVD-A/SACD player
3. Denon DBP-1611 UD Bluray Player

Currently playing all SACD's thru the Denon Bluray since the Sony has developed issues and I have yet to be able to send it to the shop. I put the Denon dvd player back into the rack and need to find the power cable and some rca cables and I will see if that player has audio drop out issues. I just got done watching a bluray on my 1611 and have played other SACD's on that same player with no issues. The Thriller SACD has played flawless every time I have played it till the last time I played it. That disc has been sitting for some time and I finally got around to listening to it again.

 

[Phil A]

Many moons ago I owned a DVP-9000ES.. Beautiful player. I kept it in the main system for the first week (I had a silly expensive Proceed PMDT DVD transport before I learned that expensive digital and video may not be the best way to go) and then moved it to the bedroom system. I had an extensively modded Sony XA777ES CD/SACD player around the same time give or take (don't recall the time frames). I got the player and then had it modded a few months after I had it. I debated about modding the DVP-9000ES, which sat in the old bedroom system after that but since I didn't use the bedroom system tons and did not do critical listening (the old master bedroom fed remote speakers, outdoor, garage, office, dining, etc.), I opted for a cheaper DVD universal player at the time.

 

[Dave Moritz]

View attachment 12075
My Sony DVP-S9000 ES and the Denon DVD-2200 that was used in my previous HT configuration.

[SIZE=14.3999996185303px]Well I finally got one of my previous SACD players reinstalled using the analog multi channel inputs. And while I had an issue getting the subwoofer channel to work I forged on anyway. The player seems to be slower doing anything and maybe that is part of it sitting for so long. But the main thing is that it played Thriller without drop outs even though it sounded very thin utilizing the analog multi channel inputs. Using the Same Denon DVD-2200 to play Fletwood Mac Rumors on DVD-A resulted in a full sound with bass coming from the sub. I wanted to get video via component video to access the SACD set up menues but had issues getting video from the player. So since I did not want to waste time on it I stopped right there since I have no plans to use this player as a regular part of my ht configuration. The end result is the Denon DVD-2200 did not have any audible drop outs on the Thriller disc but putting it back in the Denon DBP-1611UD I [/SIZE]experience[SIZE=14.3999996185303px] the drop outs at the exact same time as before looking at the time display.[/SIZE]

 

[Phil A]

Nice looking rack!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Nice looking rack!

Must...restrain...myself. Too...easy.



I just wish I had Thriller on SACD.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I do not remember the manufacturer but the model I believe was the Elite rack and I purchased two of them from The Good Guys here in California.

Yes that would have been to easy, rofl!

I have Thriller on SACD and a CBS Half Speed Master on vinyl that I love to listen to as well.

http://store.acousticsounds.com/ These are one of the online sites that carry SACD and vinyl

 

[Mike Frezon]

I think I'd be hard-pressed to find an affordable SACD of Thriller anywhere these days, Dave!

 

[Phil A]

I left the rack comment for others to chime in

The redbook of 'Thriller' is really good. Don't know if this link will work (as I'm logged into HDTracks) but you can buy Thriller (via download) for $17.98 for the 24/88.2kHz or 24/176,4 for $24.98. I bought 4 Simon & Garfunkel download albums last week from HDtracks in 24/192. By the sampling frequency for Thriller, it is quite possible it is sourced from what was the source of the SACD (did not do a search on the web to check). Once you have the music, you likely can have a DVD player play it (at least in 24/88.2 as I'd guess the higher resolution won't fit on a DVD but of course will fit on a Blu-Ray).

Unfortunately due to the DVD-A/SACD war (which I never cared about as long as I could get hi-rez), they required special players to decode them (we were dealing with Sony/Phillips expiring patents on the CD format at around the turn of the century). They could have kept most everyone happy by just doing a standard DVD (of course due to copy protection they did not and we all knew eventually that would be a moot point due to software) with either a stereo 24/96 or 24/88.2 mix and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The music/record industry has continually shot themselves in the foot. Years back Blockbuster had a plan ready to go to have stations for music listening in the store where you could buy individual tracks (and not suffer through most of a horrible album), have the music and artwork downloaded onto a disc and off you would go. To protect their standard distribution, the record companies squelched it. We all know how well they have done since then.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Phil:

How would that work? To download the high-rez files (and I think you forgot to add the link!) and then have a DVD player/BD player "play" them? Wouldn't you have to burn the files to a BD then?

My new receiver is coming with "Air Play." Which I think will allow me to play audio files from my laptop through my HT. Is that right?

Forgive me, but I'm the old guy that people point at and talk about under their breath patrolling the CD aisles at the local media store.

It would just be a lot easier for Sony to issue a Blu-ray Audio of Thriller...just for me!

 

[Mike Frezon]

And I just realized we are totally side-tracking Dave's original premise. Let me at least add that I have never had an SACD display the kind of behavior you're talking about, Dave.

In fact, I've never had an SACD display any kinds of problems during playback. I've been lucky, I guess.

 

[Phil A]

Mike - What players (or receiver) do you have? Some players (or receivers) have a USB input which allow the playing of certain formats. So you can stick in a USB thumb drive (some will take a regular USB hard drive) and play files. 'Thriller' is available in AIFF, ALAC, FLAC or WAV formats on HDTracks. It is also possible (although obviously an additional step or steps) to make a playable disc which can be read by various players. It is much simpler if you can download a file and play it. Thumb drives are cheap. The manuals to your players or receiver will have specifications. Just trying to give a cheaper alternative than buying an out-of-print SACD.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I have a Pioneer Elite BDP-62FD.

I got it to give me an all-in-one player for DVD/Blu/SACD/DVD-A. And it sends it all over HDMI.

Here's the spec sheet. It DOES have a USB jack on the front... I really need to learn more about my gear so that I can get the most out of it.

This sounds promising.

Buy an expensive out-of-print SACD? Oh yeah. I've done that. Once or twice...

 

[Phil A]

Mike - the thing about HDTracks is that sometimes you don't know the source something started from (and the same can be said of an actual disc). There was a big scandal with the Norah Jones initial SACD (here's one discussion - http://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/107441.html). So the bottom line is that with a download you can do some home work to look at the sound quality such as:

http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=21387
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=michael+jackson&album=thriller

 

[Phil A]

Mike the spec sheet shows it supports FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec). It also has 192kHz DACs. The manual probably (or at least should) gives more detail as to supported sampling rates over USB. One would think that it could handle 192kHz as a sampling rate via USB. Many times they don't specify it. Even my non-audiophile Denon AVR-X1000 receiver in my bonus room (basically a guest bedroom and my only room upstairs) does 192kHz via its USB input

 

[Mike Frezon]

Ooooh. I'm giving myself a Denon AVR-X2000 for Christmas!

So I just download the high-rez tracks from HDTracks and play them through the USB ports of either the player or the receiver?

That easy?

 

[Phil A]

Yes - I did look at your Pioneer Manual online. It has some more info on page 20 and 34 but does not specify sampling rates but as noted it has the DACs so I do not see why they would limit it. I have played back hi-rez files on the Denon AVR-X1000 via a thumb drive no problem. It can take a powered hard drive as well. I have one with 320MP3s (for my Ipod) and I tried it. I remember reading on Crutchfield's site that it is limited to 500 folders (albums) and 5,000 tracks.