Fairly new to SACD have a dozen discs-half multi ch half stereo--Here's
the question(s)--Is there a difference in playing stereo SACD's through
multi channel and stereo sacd channel-should I be switching between the
two settings on my DVD-SACD player (Marantz DW8400)_depending on discs
and is playing trough "direct" mode same as playing through SACD
stereo?? Thanks AL

"AL" wrote in message
...
Fairly new to SACD have a dozen discs-half multi ch half stereo--Here's
the question(s)--Is there a difference in playing stereo SACD's through
multi channel and stereo sacd channel-should I be switching between the
two settings on my DVD-SACD player (Marantz DW8400)_depending on discs
and is playing trough "direct" mode same as playing through SACD
stereo?? Thanks AL

For most players, it doesn't matter whether you use the FL-FR outputs, or
the stereo outputs. For a few high end machines, the DSD convertors are
ganged in parallel and conceivably might sound better. I doubt your Marantz
does that, although their top of the line model might. You probably need to
communicate with them about it.

As for direct=stereo, no. Direct=direct, whether stereo or multi-channel.
Direct means no conversion via PCM in the audio output. When you switch in
level adjustments, bass management, speaker distance, etc. you are almost
always doing so in PCM mode. Usually you can hear a diminishment of
transparency and "air" that although subtle, robs the music of some of it's
realism. If your system sounds good without the PCM adjustments, direct is
better.

A few of the newer highend machines use pure DSD technology, now available
from Phillips, for volume adjustement, distance adjustment, etc. in DSD
mode. Actual machines using this approach are few and far between at this
time, however, as the designs just came off the breadboards less than two
years ago.

AL wrote:
Fairly new to SACD have a dozen discs-half multi ch half stereo--Here's
the question(s)--Is there a difference in playing stereo SACD's through
multi channel and stereo sacd channel-should I be switching between the
two settings on my DVD-SACD player (Marantz DW8400)_depending on discs
and is playing trough "direct" mode same as playing through SACD
stereo?? Thanks AL

You would think there wouldn't be ( a difference between the front l/r out of the
multichannel panel, and the 'CD' stereo out , when playing two-channel sources). But to
my consternation I've found that in more than one 'universal) player (a Toshiba, a Pionner,
and a Yamaha), this can't be assumed. As an experiment, try digitally recording the analog
output from each while playing the same stereo SACD, and compare them with .wav analysis
software. You *might* find some surprises. Or not.

Yet another reason I splurged on a firewire-connected system, to let the player simply be a
transport.