Buying the right equipment to play multi-channel SACDs

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They sell HDMI to 5,1 analog converters.

And it is quite easy to wire up a 10K potentiometer as a volume control.

Build your own.
 
Don't most AVRs with multichannel analog inputs and HDMI out do this?
Me thinks the main point being that many new AVR's do not have analog MCH input. And most those that do keep it in the analog domain which by-passes bass management, time delay, tone controls. I'm really not a receiver guy but my Anthem pre/pro falls into that category.

So I don't need it but some people do... an analog 5.1 to HDMI outboard convertor. It would allow the Surround Master or older gear to play nice with newer AVR's.
 
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I have an old AVR I'd be willing to sell that has 7.1 analog inputs and pre-outs. It was a nice receiver for it's time; retired because of lack of newer digital inputs, but would be suitable for your use. You could get any DVD/sacd player that has analog outputs and be ready to go. You wouldn't be doing DSD over hdmi, of course; the dsd would be decoded to analog in the player. But you could get a used Oppo 5 series (95, 105 or 205) with great DACs and you'd have about the best quality DSD you could get short of a very expensive multi-channel DAC.

It's a Denon AVR-2805 if you're interested.
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-Lnuswa1TbFV/p_033AV2805B/Denon-AVR-2805-Black.html
Hi...still looking at options, and considering your Denon AVR-2805. I looked at the back of it, and don't see HDMI inputs. I think whatever AVR-preamp I choose has to process HDMI 1.1 or higher to decode a multi-channel SACD from the Sony UBP-X800M2, right?
 
Hi again everyone....after digesting all the helpful comments and ideas, I have decided that it's not worth the effort to ensure that I retain DSD from end-to-end. So, is anyone wants to sell an older device that can process HDMI 1.1 and provide pre-amp outputs, I'm in the market. Please let me know, and thanks again for the kind attention to my questions. John
 
I think I would be OK with Sony's new Sony UBP-X800M2 4K player. When looking at the Sony's specs, I noticed that it reads Dolby Atmos. Would I need a special MCH pre-amp to play Dolby Atmos?

Thanks again for your attention to my questions. John
 
I think I would be OK with Sony's new Sony UBP-X800M2 4K player. When looking at the Sony's specs, I noticed that it reads Dolby Atmos. Would I need a special MCH pre-amp to play Dolby Atmos?

Thanks again for your attention to my questions. John
Yes. The preamp or AVR would need to be Atmos enabled.
 
No one needs to obsess over direct DSD-to-analog playback.

A conversion to PCM in the interim is not going to affect the sound quality in any way you can hear. (It may affect the overall playback level -- which you can adjust too.)

If you have *any* DSP in your playback chain, it's going to do a PCM conversion anyway.
 
Hi...still looking at options, and considering your Denon AVR-2805. I looked at the back of it, and don't see HDMI inputs. I think whatever AVR-preamp I choose has to process HDMI 1.1 or higher to decode a multi-channel SACD from the Sony UBP-X800M2, right?

You are correct- it does not have HDMI and you'd have to have that if you are going with the 800X M2. Though it gets harder to find AVR's with both HDMI and pre-amp outputs.

I think I would be OK with Sony's new Sony UBP-X800M2 4K player. When looking at the Sony's specs, I noticed that it reads Dolby Atmos. Would I need a special MCH pre-amp to play Dolby Atmos?

Thanks again for your attention to my questions. John

Yes- you'd need a Dolby Atmos preamp-processor or AVR that is not only MCH but also Atmos capable. And you'd need 7 channels of amplification and at least 2 overhead speakers to make Atmos worthwhile. 5.1.2 is the minimum Atmos configuration: FL, FR, C, SR, SL (the 5) and 2 overheads (the .2). I guess a sub (the .1) is optional, though I'd imagine it's highly recommended since at least the overheads would not be full range. Someone with more Atmos knowledge can chime in on that last point.

Unless you have 7 channels of amplification, I'd imagine it best to find an Atmos capable AVR with pre-amp outputs to use your current amps and then use the AVR's amps for overheads. But I think you have to go pretty high-end to find an amp current enough to have Atmos that also has preamp outputs.
 
You are correct- it does not have HDMI and you'd have to have that if you are going with the 800X M2. Though it gets harder to find AVR's with both HDMI and pre-amp outputs.



Yes- you'd need a Dolby Atmos preamp-processor or AVR that is not only MCH but also Atmos capable. And you'd need 7 channels of amplification and at least 2 overhead speakers to make Atmos worthwhile. 5.1.2 is the minimum Atmos configuration: FL, FR, C, SR, SL (the 5) and 2 overheads (the .2). I guess a sub (the .1) is optional, though I'd imagine it's highly recommended since at least the overheads would not be full range. Someone with more Atmos knowledge can chime in on that last point.

Unless you have 7 channels of amplification, I'd imagine it best to find an Atmos capable AVR with pre-amp outputs to use your current amps and then use the AVR's amps for overheads. But I think you have to go pretty high-end to find an amp current enough to have Atmos that also has preamp outputs.
I am probably going to pass on Atmos for now. I noticed that the new King Crimson 1969 box had an Atmos mix, and I thought that I might see more of that coming down the line. This is not my final system - it's a kind of "learner" system, so I really appreciate the sound advice (pun intended).

Interestingly, I can play the Atmos mix through my sonic holography system, and it sounds quite interesting.
 
I am probably going to pass on Atmos for now. I noticed that the new King Crimson 1969 box had an Atmos mix, and I thought that I might see more of that coming down the line. This is not my final system - it's a kind of "learner" system, so I really appreciate the sound advice (pun intended).

Interestingly, I can play the Atmos mix through my sonic holography system, and it sounds quite interesting.

Atmos has the capability for some awesome surround mixes- and from what I've read there are some great ones. But it's mainly for use with movies. There are a few Atmos music mixes- and some promise of more (esp. hopeful is Steven Wilson starting to use it), but with what we've seen so far- and given the history of surround music- it's unlikely there will ever be a lot of music-only Atmos mixes.
 
I think I would be OK with Sony's new Sony UBP-X800M2 4K player. When looking at the Sony's specs, I noticed that it reads Dolby Atmos. Would I need a special MCH pre-amp to play Dolby Atmos?

Thanks again for your attention to my questions. John
You'll need an AVR to go with the Sony, its only relevant output is HDMI. Assuming you want ATMOS an ATMOS-compliant AVR should be enough, although obviously if you want to use outboard amps you'll need one per channel you use them on.

Also, I have a 7.1 system, and Dolby ATMOS has a TrueHD 7.1 "core," so I'm content to just listen to that.
 
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