On 3 Oct 2003 13:36:30 -0700, (jlkd) wrote:

I thought I was reading the instructions pretty carefully. Not once
did it mention that optical is for CD/DVD and analog for the SACD
except for that one small blurb aobut the "digital outputs." I guess
I should have been able to surmise that I needed the analog connection
but the fact remains the "UP" SACD Peter Gabriel dics was playing with
the digital output and the menu was "SACD". It was only released as
SACD while the rest of his collection is Hybrid SACD. I am sure of
that fact. I have the original CD release and then I bought the SACD
version.

I would be quite surprised. But Amazon
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...14212?v=glance)
says it's a hybrid as does every other site I googled on it.

I used both my normal CD player (playing the regular CD) and the
Pioneer SACD player (SACD disc). I switched back and forth; comparing
and contrasting the two versions. The SACD was very different with
sounds emerging from the different speakers and traveling around the
room. The normal CD did nothing of the sort. I only had the
digital output connected. I guess that was why I was confused. It
was working for the SACD version.

You were comparing the CD with the redbook CD layer of the hybrid.

I might have appeared rather naive about the various nature of the
analog and digital output and their proper connections. The Pioneer
played the the SACD and it is not a Hybrid because it neither says it
is a Hybrid nor was released as such.

See above or Google.

It still makes sense to me that I should be able to play the Hybrid
when I direct the Pioneer menu to "CD" output through the optical
cable. It should then at least play the normal CD layer through that
optical output. At least that is what I reasoned should have
happened. I guess not.

It should. Many do like the Sony XA777ES and the Linn Unidisk I have
now.

I think I understand now. I will connect via the analog cables. SACD
and Hybrids will only play through those analog connections. The
Hybrid won't play thorugh the digital cable even though I use the "CD
area" as referenced below...at least not on this player:

OK.

Kal