Buying the right equipment to play multi-channel SACDs

[ubertrout]

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.

This is really good advice. Unless you have 8 or more of your vintage amps, use them for the 2, 4, or 5 channels that have 95% of the audio data and use the AVR's amp section for the surround and height speakers.

 

[newslane]

I want to take a moment to thank everyone for their helpful comments about question of how to play multi-channel SACDs using my vintage amps. Many, many thanks - you got me on the right track. But as Will Rogers said, you can be on the right track but you will get run over if you just sit there, so I bought a Sony UPP-X800M2 Blu-ray and a 7.1 Marantz SR-5015 AVR, which has the pre-amp outs and Dolby ATMOS. The system allows me to connect to the vintage amps for the front, surround, and center speakers, and to use the Marantz's internal amp for the Dolby and other surround speakers. It works great, and I am hearing things in the mixes of the 5.1 music I have that I never heard before. Wonderful - thanks again.

John