Manufacturers forced to stop SACD players production

[Bruce B]

Maybe I will get my favourite SACDs re-ripped by you for a fee doing it the right way someday. I don't have that many I listen to a whole lot so may be worth it .......

Be glad to do it!

 

[Drikus]

And how easy is it to do a rip, is it straightforward? How long does an SACD roughly take

Also, do you know if the quality of the rips is better than the PS3 rips, closer to dsd downloads?

Like Bruce said, sacd-player's analog out to Tascam's analog in. It's dead easy, it's just like taping a record in the old day's.

 

[rbbert]

I've tested this hundreds of times. There is also missing data in rips since it relies on someone creating the TOC correctly. Just came across a Groove Note with a bad TOC.

I'm not sure where the data is missing? I think it can only occur when the music is continuous over track breaks, and then it's only one sample on each side of the track break, i.e. 1/44,100 of a second total.

 

[bmoura]

A bit more information on the SACD player chips.

I'm told that SACD players since 2013 use other SACD decoding chips including some made by company named MediaTek. This is under the SACD license issued by Sony and Philips. SACD players live on.

 

[Bruce B]

I'm not sure where the data is missing? I think it can only occur when the music is continuous over track breaks, and then it's only one sample on each side of the track break, i.e. 1/44,100 of a second total.

The PS3 depends on the TOC and where the PQ (start/stop) markers are. Many times the mastering will cut out silences between tracks, the artist talking or in worst case, come in too late or end too early. I've had several rips with missing tracks!
Then you have the problem of ticks/pops between tracks.

 

[amirm]

A bit more information on the SACD player chips.

I'm told that SACD players since 2013 use other SACD decoding chips including some made by company nmed MediaTek. This is under the SACD license issued by Sony and Philips. SACD players live on.

Good info. MediaTek indeed continues to list the MT1389 which is an all-in-one optical drive and player hardware. It dates back to 2003 though so very long in the tooth. I can't find any other parts on their site. Did a search for parts and found one Chinese distributor with 1,500 parts in stock.

I suspect the format on its last leg, this latest data notwithstanding . If you value your SACD hardware playback, my recommendation is to be on the look out for a back up player.

 

[jeromelang]

I do a direct digital transfer using a Playback Designs MPS-5 and a Sonoma workstation.

This method IS the same as downloads.

Is the transfer done in real time?

Aka - you hit play on the MPS5 and capture the dsd stream in real time on the Sonoma?

Can you capture the dsd stream on a particular track on the sacd disc?

How do you select the track? Via the remote control of the player?

 

[Alpinist]

A bit more information on the SACD player chips.

I'm told that SACD players since 2013 use other SACD decoding chips including some made by company named MediaTek. This is under the SACD license issued by Sony and Philips. SACD players live on.

It sounds like SACD players will live on despite the discontinuation of the Sony conversion chip. However, my question is, has the superiority of the Lampizator DSD conversion process rendered all the Sony or Sony licensed conversion chips obsolete? It seems that Lukasz has designed a process that may have entirely superior sound quality. Any thoughts on this??

Thanks,
Ken

 

[Bruce B]

Is the transfer done in real time?

Aka - you hit play on the MPS5 and capture the dsd stream in real time on the Sonoma?

Can you capture the dsd stream on a particular track on the sacd disc?

How do you select the track? Via the remote control of the player?

Yes, the DSD data stream is captured in real time. If I just want to capture certain tracks, I just the remote of the player and select the track to play.

 

[jeromelang]

Can the Meitner TSDX with st optical output, also do the same as the MPS5?

 

[Bruce B]

Can the Meitner TSDX with st optical output, also do the same as the MPS5?

Yes, as well as the CDSD and CDSDse

 

[jeromelang]

Yes, as well as the CDSD and CDSDse

Thanks Bruce.

So now Gus Skinner is the only one selling the Sonoma system?

Are there any alternatives to the Sonoma?

 

[Elberoth]

A bit more information on the SACD player chips.

I'm told that SACD players since 2013 use other SACD decoding chips including some made by company named MediaTek. This is under the SACD license issued by Sony and Philips. SACD players live on.

After double checking with Martin Reynolds from dCS, it seems to be the case. Here is what he had written to me:


"There are other CD/SACD solutions, but we have been unable to find one of suitable quality that is available to a small company as an OEM CD/SACD mechanism.

For this reason, after searching for 12 months, we have reluctantly used a CD-only mechanism for the Rossini Player."

Something must be lost in translation during my conversation in Munich with the person I was talking to.

 

[bmoura]

Thanks Bruce.

So now Gus Skinner is the only one selling the Sonoma system?

Are there any alternatives to the Sonoma?

Gus Skinas, right?

 

[jeromelang]

Gus Skinas, right?

You're right, haha!

Sorry, Gus...

 

[Hiro]

After double checking with Martin Reynolds from dCS, it seems to be the case. Here is what he had written to me:


"There are other CD/SACD solutions, but we have been unable to find one of suitable quality that is available to a small company as an OEM CD/SACD mechanism.

For this reason, after searching for 12 months, we have reluctantly used a CD-only mechanism for the Rossini Player."

Something must be lost in translation during my conversation in Munich with the person I was talking to.

It looked like a fatal miscommunication to me from the beginning.

BTW, I'm curious if T+A are using an off-the-shelf OEM transport in their new SACD/CD player PDP-3000HV, or is it their own design...

 

[Bruce B]

Thanks Bruce.

So now Gus Skinner is the only one selling the Sonoma system?

Are there any alternatives to the Sonoma?

I believe Gus has been the only one who sold the Sonoma. They finally updated the driver so I no longer need to use XP. I can now use Win 7 Pro, though on 32-bit and still only single rate DSD.

The alternative, I also use Pyramix, which is a more advanced workstation that is capable of DSD256fs and can run on a 64-bit system.

 

[Elberoth]

It looked like a fatal miscommunication to me from the beginning.

BTW, I'm curious if T+A are using an off-the-shelf OEM transport in their new SACD/CD player PDP-3000HV, or is it their own design...

View attachment 20481

Thay are way to small to design their own.

 

[Hiro]

Thay are way to small to design their own.

It's a quite fancy solution though, I don't think I've seen anything like it on any other SACD/CD player...

"The PDP 3000 HV’s high-grade SACD mechanism is fully shielded and housed in a machined solid aluminum case in order to prevent any trace of interaction between the moving parts of the mechanism and the rest of the player. The transport mechanism is mounted on just two close-tolerance pushrods, which completely de-couple it from the massive outer case. This in turn prevents the transmission of external pressure waves, vibration or structural sound from the mounting surface to the electronics and disc mechanism. A high-torque synchronous motor moves the disc carrier block smoothly and quietly by means of a precision-made de-coupled spindle. The loading mechanism makes it easy to insert discs without damaging them; they are held in securely in place by an anti-resonance puck."

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/ta-elektroakustik-releases-pdp-3000-hv-sacdcd-playerdac/

 

[Elberoth]

It's a quite fancy solution though, I don't think I've seen anything like it on any other SACD/CD player...

"The PDP 3000 HV’s high-grade SACD mechanism is fully shielded and housed in a machined solid aluminum case in order to prevent any trace of interaction between the moving parts of the mechanism and the rest of the player. The transport mechanism is mounted on just two close-tolerance pushrods, which completely de-couple it from the massive outer case. This in turn prevents the transmission of external pressure waves, vibration or structural sound from the mounting surface to the electronics and disc mechanism. A high-torque synchronous motor moves the disc carrier block smoothly and quietly by means of a precision-made de-coupled spindle. The loading mechanism makes it easy to insert discs without damaging them; they are held in securely in place by an anti-resonance puck."

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/ta-elektroakustik-releases-pdp-3000-hv-sacdcd-playerdac/

Hard to tell from this brief description. It could be just a regular SACD drive housed in an aluminum case.