Help!......... Opinions NEEDED from the resident Experts

[par4ken]

Just a correction, I dont own an Oppo, I found a used one for $800, was wondering if thats a good price......is the reason I mentioned it
I bought a new Sony UBP X800M2 thats suppose to play SACDs, but couldn't get it to play the Rhino's as it wasn't hooked up to a TV to see the menu settings

Everything is back on hold again, as this 4 tier rack I bought to house my equipment, has these spiked legs, that makes it impossible to slide around on the carpet. Had to order some M8 stainless button head bolts. This is just a temporany solution anyway
Whats a couple more days anyway.........

The Sony looks like a good player but it has no analogue outputs. It would have to connect to a modern AV Receiver via HDMI. The price mentioned for the Oppo sounds reasonable.

As someone already mentioned the Rhino discs are Blu-rays not SACDs.

 

[barfle]

Just a correction, I dont own an Oppo, I found a used one for $800, was wondering if thats a good price......is the reason I mentioned it

It’s a hell of a good price. Grab it. Now.

 

[hi-res_edition]

Rhino might have helped to muddy the waters by using "Super Jewel Cases" with the recent batch of Blu-ray Audio discs. But that is OK by me, it makes them look more special and they stand out from regular CDs.

Others place Blu-ray Audio discs in video type cases which are a bit of a waste of space. They can get misplaced amongst your video collection.

On the other hand Dutton Vocalion uses regular jewel cases for their SACD releases. Lower cost for them I suppose, but are easily misplaced amongst your regular CDs!

Also DVD-Audio was once a popular format and were usually issued in their own special jewel case. Some recent releases say DVD-Audio on the label but are in fact DVD-Video discs, they use DTS and Dolby Digital to get surround albeit in "lossy" format.

I find it fascinating how we each organize our collections. I have all of the CD's in a cabinet and shelving. All of the immersive discs, no matter the format (DTS-CD, SACD, DVD, Blu-ray) on another set of shelves, and this includes any concert videos too. On the other hand, I downsized my movie collection dramatically, and have no VHS's anymore, and only a couple dozen favorite movies, which mostly are DVD and a few Blu-rays. Again they are in a segmented area of shelving. I have placed all of those massive box sets in the same area as the vinyl, as the format size is similar.

I mention all of this, as I don't mind all of the different sized cases, except when it is part of a series like the initial Jethro Tull "Benefit Anniversary" release. On the other hand, I do get miffed when a CD is issued in an odd case, such as the Bruce Springsteen "The Rising."

 

[Doug G.]

Heck, I have no problem playing almost all the quad formats, old and new. I have had an old quad system for years and recently bought a bit older Sony BDP-S550 that plays Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD and has analogue outputs to my CD-4 demodulator which then feeds my Heathkit quad amplifiers. It was easy to set up.

The only formats I can't do are SACD but I can easily add that at any time. Streaming - don't care. Atmos - don't care.

Dpug

 

[par4ken]

Heck, I have no problem playing almost all the quad formats, old and new. I have had an old quad system for years and recently bought a bit older Sony BDP-S550 that plays Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD and has analogue outputs to my CD-4 demodulator which then feeds my Heathkit quad amplifiers. It was easy to set up.

The only formats I can't do are SACD but I can easily add that at any time. Streaming - don't care. Atmos - don't care.

Dpug

A Sony that doesn't do SACD?!

 

[Doug G.]

I think it will play the CD layer (I have no SACDs) but not multi channel. Hmm, maybe I'll dig deeper and buy an SACD disc and see. It would be great (not for my wallet) if it worked.

Doug

 

[DuncanS]

I think it will play the CD layer (I have no SACDs) but not multi channel. Hmm, maybe I'll dig deeper and buy an SACD disc and see. It would be great (not for my wallet) if it worked.

Doug

I got curious and looked and you'll be richer!

 

[Horbus]

Yep, consider it burst.......LOL.
I'll be the first to admit, I know nothing about todays audio world. Trying to learn, but todays terminology has me more confused than ever

Well let's say digital physical formats! Actually there are two common formats for multichannel music on the market, these are SACD and BluRay. DVD-A is another format and afaik some few CD formats but these are not produced anymore! But for all these formats up to date and extinct you have the right multiformat player which is most important!

 

[Horbus]

Just a correction, I dont own an Oppo, I found a used one for $800, was wondering if thats a good price......is the reason I mentioned it
I bought a new Sony UBP X800M2 thats suppose to play SACDs, but couldn't get it to play the Rhino's as it wasn't hooked up to a TV to see the menu settings

Everything is back on hold again, as this 4 tier rack I bought to house my equipment, has these spiked legs, that makes it impossible to slide around on the carpet. Had to order some M8 stainless button head bolts. This is just a temporany solution anyway
Whats a couple more days anyway.........

I now tried out the Quadios on my Sony X800M2 in the bed room and they started playing without selecting anything on the main menu. But it could be that you have to select this in the menu of the player first. For this you have to hook it up to a screen.

 

[madscot]

A Sony that doesn't do SACD?!

Cheaper blu ray players from Sony wont do SACD, you have to go above a certain price point

 

[par4ken]

Cheaper blu ray players from Sony wont do SACD, you have to go above a certain price point

Yes, I missed the fact that the player mentioned was just a basic unit. I have to say what is the point of even making these (ultra) cheap units. Before I got my Oppo, I picked up a Sony BDP-55100 just to rip SCADs and it only cost $50 used!

 

[madscot]

Yes, I missed the fact that the player mentioned was just a basic unit. I have to say what is the point of even making these (ultra) cheap units. Before I got my Oppo, I picked up a Sony BDP-55100 just to rip SCADs and it only cost $50 used!

Some people just want a cheap blu ray player, we people who play SACD’s and dvd-audios are in the minority and buy the more expensive players. As a hobby I buy, repair and sell blu ray and dvd players and can say from experience nobody has ever asked me for an SACD player

 

[par4ken]

Some people just want a cheap blu ray player, we people who play SACD’s and dvd-audios are in the minority and buy the more expensive players. As a hobby I buy, repair and sell blu ray and dvd players and can say from experience nobody has ever asked me for an SACD player

Agree but the players are so cheap already, not much extra cost involved in adding a few more features. I recall purchasing a Sony DVD player years ago that also played SACDs, that is why I bought it. It only cost about $100!

 

[kfbkfb]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sony-4K-Upscaling-3D-Streaming-Blu-ray-Disc-Player-BDPS6700/50013156
(I bought 2 of these a year or so ago for my DV MultiCHannel SACDs and to have newer Blu-ray players, my Magnavox/Funai Blu-ray players date from 2009/10)

https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/
(a good source for MCH SACDs, taken from the 1970s quadraphonic master tapes of RCA and CBS/Columbia acts, among others)


In my basement home theater system, I have set my Sony player to downmix the MCH SACD audio to Dolby Surround for my old receiver [decodes Dolby Digital and DTS bitstreams], I use Dolby Pro-Logic to listen to the MCH SACD downmix.


Kirk Bayne

 

[barfle]

I find it fascinating how we each organize our collections. I have all of the CD's in a cabinet and shelving. All of the immersive discs, no matter the format (DTS-CD, SACD, DVD, Blu-ray) on another set of shelves, and this includes any concert videos too. On the other hand, I downsized my movie collection dramatically, and have no VHS's anymore, and only a couple dozen favorite movies, which mostly are DVD and a few Blu-rays. Again they are in a segmented area of shelving. I have placed all of those massive box sets in the same area as the vinyl, as the format size is similar.

I mention all of this, as I don't mind all of the different sized cases, except when it is part of a series like the initial Jethro Tull "Benefit Anniversary" release. On the other hand, I do get miffed when a CD is issued in an odd case, such as the Bruce Springsteen "The Rising."

My “organization” is mostly based on packaging, although I also separate by genre. Because DVD cases are so freakin’ big, I had to cut down the thickness of the sides of the drawers I keep them in. DVDs and Blu-ray movies are all together, as are DVD and blu-ray music. Records were a bit of an issue, seeing how the collection is as large as it is, and the Franklin Mint classical collection is in bigger packaging than regular LPs.

I digitized all my tapes, or replaced them with DVD or Blu-rays. I still have a decent collection of music Laser discs, that might get digitized if I ever get around to it.

 

[Doug G.]

It's not so much the Sony S550 was a cheap player (it was about 500 bucks, new. It's just that it dates from 2008.

Now, I got it cheap. I think I paid about 50 bucks for it. Like new.

Doug

 

[The Quadfather]

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my million dollar, well $2000 dollar question. I was hoping you would respond as every one of your post, that Ive read, seem well thought out and informative to me.
I know time has past by my old Sansui, but I dearly love it. (The reason I've held on to it) .... BUT, I don't want to make a $2000 dollar mistake.

I purchased a preamp box to plug my turntable in, so Ive got that much covered

I have seen that the quad format has shifted to disc's, but Iam still an old school vinyl guy. I don't want to get in a CD vs Vinyl discussion, but dropping the stylus on vinyl gives this 70yr old a sense of satisfaction. LOL
I will say this, after spending approx 10 hrs listening to vinyl now, those ablums sure seem to go by quickly vs sliding a disc into a player

Once you have sampled Quad, there is no going back to stereo. Atleast for me

What Iam trying to say is your telling me what, deep down I know. As Ive spent a few hours thinking this over on my motorcycle,.... The best place to clear your head, when cell phone addicts aren't trying to kill you

Thank you again for your input Kirk

Dear Bruce 00: My system is a mix of Vintage and modern equipments. I use Sansui AU717's, three of them for amplification. I do have to service them from time to time, but since I'm a retired broadcast engineer, that's not much of a challenge. I have the Oppo universal Blu Ray player, and it plays all the modern surround discs (I haven't delved into Atmos yet) I also have the Surround Master V2, which handles QS, SQ, and stereo. Your receiver has the Variomatrix decoder, which I hear is pretty good for QS. I also understand it has a CD-4 demodulator which is in a different league. I suggest you use some Deoxit on the speed adjustment pots on that Marantz table, and for that matter, all the pots in the whole system. I have a Marantz table and it's one fine piece of gear. Restoring the Sansui would not be a mistake. It will be a fine sounding piece of eqipment. Probably already is, if it still works. If it does work, another option would be to fix what's broke and just use it the way it is. The old capacitors tend to dry out over time, but they are more durable than the new ROHS compliant ones they make now. ROHS is all about environmentalism and not component quality. if you're concerned about that, what better way to protect the environment than to keep non ROHS compliant parts out of waste bins. But I digress. I have many old capacitors still operating and i replace them as needed. If it has been in storage, you might lose a few at first when you start using your gear, but the rest will be OK. Well, Good luck, and remember, Ebay is a good source for recordings and vintage (and modern) gear.
The Quadfather

 

[Bruce00]

Dear Bruce 00: My system is a mix of Vintage and modern equipments. I use Sansui AU717's, three of them for amplification. I do have to service them from time to time, but since I'm a retired broadcast engineer, that's not much of a challenge. I have the Oppo universal Blu Ray player, and it plays all the modern surround discs (I haven't delved into Atmos yet) I also have the Surround Master V2, which handles QS, SQ, and stereo. Your receiver has the Variomatrix decoder, which I hear is pretty good for QS. I also understand it has a CD-4 demodulator which is in a different league. I suggest you use some Deoxit on the speed adjustment pots on that Marantz table, and for that matter, all the pots in the whole system. I have a Marantz table and it's one fine piece of gear. Restoring the Sansui would not be a mistake. It will be a fine sounding piece of eqipment. Probably already is, if it still works. If it does work, another option would be to fix what's broke and just use it the way it is. The old capacitors tend to dry out over time, but they are more durable than the new ROHS compliant ones they make now. ROHS is all about environmentalism and not component quality. if you're concerned about that, what better way to protect the environment than to keep non ROHS compliant parts out of waste bins. But I digress. I have many old capacitors still operating and i replace them as needed. If it has been in storage, you might lose a few at first when you start using your gear, but the rest will be OK. Well, Good luck, and remember, Ebay is a good source for recordings and vintage (and modern) gear.
The Quadfather

Thank you sir, while going into a [piece of audio equipment is above my pay grade.
I decided since Ive carted my Sansui 9001 half way across the US, and kept it all these years, not restoring it would have been a complete waste of time, so I'll bite the bullet, so to speak, and spend the coins at QSR Restore. Iam on the waiting list, so Iam sitting tight. Its kind of funny, but I thought I had over 50 Quad Albums, but going thru my cases of albums, I have less than 15. I guess it just shows how good the 9001 was, in synthesizing stereo into quad.

I have noticed how flat my speakers sound now after using them for a couple months. Don't know a thing or two about speakers, but Iam going to try an open one up. Worse thing that can happen is, I'll have to buy new........