using receiver DAC for SACD (1 Viewer)

[Peter Luna]

I have a Sony SCD-CE775 SACD player hooked up to an Onkyo TXDS797 receiver via the 5.1 inputs and the analog two channel inputs for the CD player and also digitally with an optical input. My receiver has 192/24 DAC for all channels. What happens to the signal if I listen to an SACD in Pro Logic II. When I listen to an SACD in this manner the sound does not seem to be degraded to my ears.

 

[KeithH]

SACD players do not allow you to transmit a DSD bitstream through the digital outputs, so if you are playing SACDs, you must be listening through the analog outputs. Besides, the PCM DACs in your receiver are not capable of processing the DSD bitstream. Thus, the digital outputs on your 'CE775 only work for CDs.

 

[Peter Luna]

Thanks for the quick response to my question. I understand that DSD stream can not be processed by my receiver. What I should have asked; what happens to the DSD bitstream when I use Pro Logic II using the L & R analog outputs of the SACD player?

By the way, I appreciate your unbiased posts from AA. Its good to have you and Michael on this board. I have been particiapting over at AA for about a year under the moniker Louie. It was your post about the radio shack swithes that has made listening to both DVD-A and SACD so much easier.

 

[KeithH]

Peter, I'm glad my opinions and advice have helped you. Thanks for the kind words. When you transfer the analog SACD signals (left and right channels) from your SACD player and engage the Pro Logic II mode, the signals are processed through your receiver's A/D converter, Pro Logic II decoder, and D/A converter. SACDs should absolutely sound much better with the analog bypass mode engaged than in Pro Logic II. Analog bypass prevents processing of the analog signals through the receivers A/D and D/A converters. Thus, the high-resolution analog signals are unaltered as they go to the amp section, so you are hearing SACD's true sound with the analog bypass mode engaged. Any other processing of the SACD signals is going to lead to degradation. You should notice the difference. If you don't, then the resolution of your system may be lacking. I'm not saying outright that your system is not up to snuff. It's just a consideration.