SACD and all that

[per-Sony-fied]

Ressurecting this old but rather interesting thread found via google while researching SACD players.

I was rather wondering and hoping an update on Nic Rhodes findings, whether one is further down the line and done anymore extensive demo's.... caught my eye after the mention of the Sony XB770 and XA777ES.

[Nic Rhodes]

What sort of update do you want?

[per-Sony-fied]

Originally Posted by Nic Rhodes

What sort of update do you want?

Well it was some years ago Nic that you spoke of the virtues of SACD and decided to settle for the rather basic Sony XB770 over more expensive brethren for your own reasons. Did you ever get round to hot rodding it and if so were the results worth while?

I have particular interest here as owning the same item myself.

As years have past more SACD machines and (in particular) media have come to market to make it worthwhile to dig deeper into those pockets so I was wondering if you stuck to the XB770 or found another journey into SACD players out of which moved you on to a newer player.

[Nic Rhodes]

The quick summary of several years!

Well I tried modding the 770 but the raw quality wasn't really good enough to warrant it. It was a product built down to price.

I next tried a series of cheap universals, you know the £100 upscalers. Well they make the 770 look classy.

I finally settled on the Onkyo 1000 universal as a decent SACD spinner and came to the view that more than most products you get from SACD what you pay for from a player.

The 'lonely' exception to all this was a Philips 963 SACD / DVD layer which was a good modder. It was brilliantly designed but then filled with cheap parts to keep the costs down. With a hot soldering iron, this could sping 'into life' for both DVD and SACD where it could compete with the big boys.

But in general, if you want top quality, you will have to buy a big heavy SACD player!!

[CJROSS]

Originally Posted by Nic Rhodes

But in general, if you want top quality, you will have to buy a big heavy SACD player!!

Nic, ever had any dealings with the Sony 900V ? I bought one for main use CD wise, but with SACD in the second system (currently running the Diapasons off the Sony 30-ES), I am pleasantly surprised with what the £100 second hand spinner can do.

FWIW always good readin one of your threads from a few years back

[Nic Rhodes]

It was a bit of shock, this thread comng back!! Re 900 I was looking at one today in Tysons! I had tried video a while ago and was quite impressed but not CD / SACD. I would have bought the one today if it hadn't had a scratch on the front

[per-Sony-fied]

Originally Posted by Nic Rhodes

It was a bit of shock, this thread comng back!! Re 900 I was looking at one today in Tysons! I had tried video a while ago and was quite impressed but not CD / SACD. I would have bought the one today if it hadn't had a scratch on the front

Have I missed something re the 900?

Yea after all these years the post still here. WOW somethings just don't go away.

Re: The XB770 was there anything that you thought was a a worthwhile step forward during modification or just to costly (and difficult) for people to contemplate.

The Onkyo to me seems an interesting choice given it's lesser regards/fame in the Hi-Fi industry in general.

[Nic Rhodes]

The 770 I wouldn't recommend as a modder, the 963 yes.

The Onkyo has quite a following, with non UK markets much more in favour of it's serious qualities. On this forum few if any have heard it unfortunately. It is good competition to the top Denon in everything other than deinterlacing but mine is SDI modded anyway

[Cable Monkey]

To support what Nic has said, Onkyo is one of those brands that has plenty of Kudos in markets outside the UK. To be brutally honest we are a nation that know what we like and like what we know! In our relatively small market there is not too much room and subsequently the Pioneers, Sonys and Denons flourish while many others are ignored despite their qualities.

[per-Sony-fied]

Having done some research on it last night it does sound like a very promising and versatile beast. The down side to it all is the price! Given the competition tho' in that area it does seem to have a few features that others lack.

I remember them being renowned back in time for a few cassette decks they made.

[Nic Rhodes]

Onkyo is a very interesting company, producing mass market cheap stuff but have an enviable reputation for high end 'Esoteric' stuff as well.

[CJROSS]

Originally Posted by Nic Rhodes

Onkyo is a very interesting company, producing mass market cheap stuff but have an enviable reputation for high end 'Esoteric' stuff as well.

There are some astonishing deals that go on their Integra range of kit in the UK (ie their high end branch) akin to the Sony ES range albeit even more lofty IMHO. I recall Oxford Audio, selling their Integra Universal, 5.1 Pre-amp & 5Ch PA for a very nice £2995. Anyone with an idea of the design of this kit, would know what a bargain that was. I also recall a review of the JVC 30 Watter Class A, and a £2000 Onkyo Universal, into Eclipse speakers, dare I say it a hifi mag actually pushing a DVD based player as good enough for CD !!!

Onkyo, not to be ignored IMHO.

[ollie501]

Originally Posted by Nic Rhodes

Now Pioneer entered the UK market with the 747 players. As well as doing it better than Sony they have realised that a substantial part of the market (not me) wants an all in integrated player. It still doesn’t do many of the flavours of DTS or HDCD but it puts DVD, DVD A, SACD and CD all in one player for UK market for the first time. I have a play with it. CD performance is the equivalent of a £200 model. DVD A is easily matched by current £400 DVD A models. DVD performance is good but SACD is not good, or not as good as it could be. However I recognise that this is not what it was all about and just accept that. Others however make great claims for this player that are not justified by it’s performance. At the end of the day it is not about performance with the 747 but about everything all in one box. Unfortunately this is not what I want so I move on from this diversion.

Resurrecting this bit of the post, just for clarification. When you discuss the Pioneer 747 players, you say they don't do HDCD or DTS.. Isn't the 747 a DVD player, with DTS processing capability, much like any other, or did you mean a variant of DTS that is doesn't do?

Excellent article incidentally, from a big SACD enthusiast

[Nic Rhodes]

Christ this was a long time ago now! The 747 was a universal player (CD, DVD, DVD A, SACD). I can't remember it having DTS decoding on board, just sent a digital output. Similarly I can't remember HDCD either but I am getting old!

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/revi...eerDV-747A.php

might help

[CJROSS]

Originally Posted by CJROSS

There are some astonishing deals that go on their Integra range of kit in the UK (ie their high end branch) akin to the Sony ES range albeit even more lofty IMHO. I recall Oxford Audio, selling their Integra Universal, 5.1 Pre-amp & 5Ch PA for a very nice £2995. Anyone with an idea of the design of this kit, would know what a bargain that was. I also recall a review of the JVC 30 Watter Class A, and a £2000 Onkyo Universal, into Eclipse speakers, dare I say it a hifi mag actually pushing a DVD based player as good enough for CD !!!

Onkyo, not to be ignored IMHO.

http://www.badaweb.co.uk/show.php?si...&vehicleid=407

Ooooooooohhhh !!!