Peter Gabriel Shakin The Tree SACD

[Paperboy]

I've just started buying sacds to play on my Pioneer 575A through my Yamaha surround sound amp. I've only listed to a couple, but they sound great. However, I just received the above SACD which is labelled SACD Hybrid Stereo SACD. It appears this plays only through the left and right speakers. So what is the point of it being in SACD? And because the sacd player has to be connected through the 6-chn input with audio cables, I can't even switch the sound to six channel stereo to get it out of all channels. Can anyone explain the point of these discs?

[Floodedstatue]

http://www.hometheatertalk.com/Gloss...glossary3.html

"Unlike standard PCM-based CDs, SACDs use Direct Stream Digital (DSD) to encode audio. DSD digitally encodes the audio information as 1-bit data words sampled at 2,822,400 times per second. SACD can support high-resolution stereo recordings as well as high-resolution multi-channel (up to 6) discrete audio channels. SACD discs can be played back on dedicated SACD players or combination SACD/DVD-Video players"

What you have there is a stereo SACD (Shakin The Tree). Gabriel's whole SACD catalogue is stereo except 'Up' which is 5.1 and sounds superb so I'd get that and Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon' to see what SACD/your system can do.

[mjcairney]

Hybrid SACD discs feature a high-density layer which can provide high-resolution, multichannel surround sound, as well as a two-channel stereo SACD version in addition to a layer with a CD version of the recording.

Therefore, you should be able to get all channels through your 6 channel audio input, or use your coax input and get the 6 channel stereo no bother.

Cheers,

Martin.

[Paperboy]

Now I'm really confused. The previous post seemed to indicate that this SACD is only in two-channel stereo, but now, there is the opinion, one which I orginally shared, that it should be all channel. I have the player cabled up hrough 6-channel input, so can do no more, I guess!

[Floodedstatue]

My understanding is that the SACD in question is a single-layer, non-hybrid, stereo SACD that can only be played in the 2 channels it was designed for.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[Floodedstatue]

Found this at www.superaudio-cd.com :

Not all SA-CD’s contain a multi-channel mix.

"The decision to mix or remix recordings for 5.1 surround is based on the choice of the artist/ record label and the kind of original source material that is available. In some cases, for instance with the Rolling Stones Remastered series, the music will benefit from the higher resolution in Stereo DSD, but not allow for the creation of the full Surround Sound reproduction."

[Paperboy]

Thanks chaps. I knew I could rely on the Forum.