Thread: Asia (first album) SACD issues

Posts: 5

Post by memphian March 13, 2012 (1 of 5)
Hello all,

I recently ordered the SACD version on Asia'a first CD. I received it yesterday and went to play it, and noticed that I was not getting the surround sound I was expecting. I adjusted some of my settings and was still not able to get the 5.1 sound. I played another SACD (Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms) and noticed something. When playing the DS SACD, my TV displayed that it is "DSD - multi channel" while the Asia SACD shows as "DSD - 2 channel". Was the Asia SACD only recorded as a two channel disc? Some additional information:

SACD Asia is from Universal Japan.
SACD player - Sony BDP-S580 Blu ray player
A/V receiver - Denon AVR-1712

Other SACD discs I own that play in 5.1 surround sound

Moody Blues - Days of Future Past, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

Thanks for any input,

Don

Post by Claude March 13, 2012 (2 of 5)
The Asia SACD is stereo only

Asia: Asia

Post by memphian March 13, 2012 (3 of 5)
Claude,

Thanks.. As Johnny Carson used to say... "I did not know that". I was under the (mistaken) impression that SACD discs were all 5.1 surround sound. I guess it's true.. you learn something new every day.

Don

Post by DSD March 13, 2012 (4 of 5)
memphian said:

I was under the (mistaken) impression that SACD discs were all 5.1 surround sound...

SACD was a high resolution stereo format for the first two years of its existence, multichannel capability was added in 2001. So all SACDs released in the beginning are stereo as well as many audiophile reissues and most SACDs from Japan. Also generally if the original master was stereo it is released as a stereo SACD, although there are some artificially created multichannel from stereo masters. For example on Round-Up - Kunzel Michael Bishop recorded ambiance in an empty Cincinnati hall for the rear channels and mixed it with the original stereo program.

There are also mono SACDs, sa-cd.net lists the type under "Content" Mono, Stereo, Multichannel or Stereo/Multichannel. Also Multichannel can be 3.0, 3.1, 4.0, 4.1 and 5.0 as well as 5.1.

Post by memphian March 14, 2012 (5 of 5)
DSD,

Thanks for the short history lesson. I will just have to check more carefully on the type of SACD a disc is when looking at it online.

I appreciate the help!

Don

Closed