Sony Blue-Ray Player

[Platypus20]

Today I bought a Sony Blue-Ray player to use as a SACD player in the second stereo system, I was interested in basically 2 things, a coaxial output and the ability to play SACDs, being in hurry, as I hate crowds and shopping in general, I grabbed it, pay for it and scurried home. I should have paid closer attention, no info screen (or track info) and it is completely useless without the remote (I absolute hate remotes), absolutely no user controls other than a power button. It’s my fault, I bought it for playing discs, I have no tv in the same room, I should have known better. I probably just should have spent the extra money and bought a dedicated CD/SACD player. It does work and it sounds fine, but it’s not truly what I wanted. Not upset with the store or Sony, I should have done MY research better.

 

[DSJR]

Can you take it back for refund (not suitable) or maybe an exchange/step up to a model that does what you want?

We have Panasonic Blue-Ray players here (we like Pannys as others love Sony) but these simple small form machines are again, very basic with simple control buttons on top an dnothing else (only an ARC enabled HDMI socket on the rear). We have the remotes and everything's fine *for our needs* but I did keep back an nice old slim Pioneer DCD machine (DV 545?) with very little use which has a display, SPDIF via RCA as well as RCA audio outs that could be used as a CD drive if necessary...

I suppose 'everyone' streams their video content now (Netflix/Sky TV and so on in the UK) so disc spinners are becoming simpler and cheaper now.

Hope your dealer can help solve your needs here...

 

[Platypus20]

When the old dvd player dies, I’ll move it over to replace it, by then, I’ll have my ducks in a row and I’ll get what I really want. It was a spur of the moment decision, lately they been run at about a 50/50 rate.

 

[Petevid]

Is it still the case that an SACD player does not output the SACD signal from the digital output? Only from the analogue output. From the digital output you’d be getting the standard cd digital signal.

 

[Platypus20]

Is it still the case that an SACD player does not output the SACD signal from the digital output? Only from the analogue output. From the digital output you’d be getting the standard cd digital signal.

Sorry for the delay, yes the Sony X800-Mk II transmits a digital signal from the digital output to the DAC, I was testing it today

 

[Petevid]

Sorry for the delay, yes the Sony X800-Mk II transmits a digital signal from the digital output to the DAC, I was testing it today

Yes but I wondered whether it was from the cd layer or the SACD layer. The spec originally was only the CD data, not the SACD data, could be output digitally.The SACD data was protected and inaccessible. (Although I believe there were hacks ).

 

[Robin L]

Is it still the case that an SACD player does not output the SACD signal from the digital output? Only from the analogue output. From the digital output you’d be getting the standard cd digital signal.

I have an older Sony Blu Ray/SACD player bought from a thrift store for next to nothing. Have a handful of single layer SACDs. Those manage to output a useable signal via the digital (Toslink optical) connection. DVD-A will also work through the digital out (they all have a regular DVD layer, as I recall) but a screen will probably be necessary to get to the menu. I was able to figure out how to get my copy of King Crimson's "Discipline" to play, but I guess that was just luck. The model number of my Sony player is BDP-BX57 in case anyone's interested. I've seen some at Ebay for little money.

Of course, DSD will be only through the analog output, assuming that the Blu Ray player has one, no longer a given. I doubt that anyone would hear the difference between the Redbook layer and the DSD layer unless they have a surround system. In that case, the best bet would probably be an AVR unless one is made of money.

 

[Platypus20]

Yes but I wondered whether it was from the cd layer or the SACD layer. The spec originally was only the CD data, not the SACD data, could be output digitally.The SACD data was protected and inaccessible. (Although I believe there were hacks ).

It was the Boston‘s first album in SACD only, it will not play in any of the regular cd players/transports, but played on the Sony Blue-Ray, which only hooked to the system only via a coaxial cable into a Benchmark DAC 1, the Sony only has a coaxial output or a HDMI, which will hook into nothing on my stereo, as I have no AV equipment

On the lower right corner on the back of the Sony X800-Mk II, are the logos that media it will play, SACD is there.

 

[SoundsGood64]

The Sony UBP-x800m2 can read the 2ch or multi-ch track of a SACD and send the DSD over HDMI. There are no analog RCA ports on this machine. The x800m2 can also convert the DSD to PCM and send that out via HDMI and would probably work on the digital coax out too. The DSD probably won't work on coax. More info on my previous post here

Multi-channel DSD playback

Hi guys, in my collection I have a few multi-channel DSD albums, when I play from Audirvana looks like it’s been down sampled to 2 channels. My question is how to play multi-channel DSD in bit-perfect way (I have 5.1 setup)? Most DACs seem to only support 2 channels. Maybe an AV receiver is...

www.audiosciencereview.com

You would need to connect a monitor to do the settings for your case (for example to make sure you're getting 2ch DSD track if that's what you want on the HDMI), but once everything is set up you wouldn't absolutely need the monitor anymore--you can just put a disc in, wait, press enter on remote, wait, then play.

 

[Platypus20]

I’m taking the digital signal out of the X800-MkII, running it to the DAC via coax cable, not using the HDMI, it a old school stereo (2 channel), absolutely no AV or computers

 

[Chrispy]

I’m taking the digital signal out of the X800-MkII, running it to the DAC via coax cable, not using the HDMI, it a old school stereo (2 channel), absolutely no AV or computers

Believe you need to use the hdmi output to get the dsd output digitally. Old school 2ch has so many limitations....and best of the sacds are the multich, not 2ch, layers....

 

[Platypus20]

Believe you need to use the hdmi output to get the dsd output digitally. Old school 2ch has so many limitations....and best of the sacds are the multich, not 2ch, layers....

I understand, I do have a digital output signal because it’s working, working fine, I have no intentions on adding more speakers, or AV stuff, 2 channel stereo is just fine. I just want to be able to play my 200+ SACDs, I have no place for the HDMI to hook to.

 

[Chrispy]

I understand, I do have a digital output signal because it’s working, working fine, I have no intentions on adding more speakers, or AV stuff, 2 channel stereo is just fine. I just want to be able to play my 200+ SACDs, I have no place for the HDMI to hook to.

I'm just saying digital output capabilites aren't equal....optical can't do it all.

 

[Platypus20]

Never mind, it’s not worth it.

 

[Chrispy]

Never mind, it’s not worth it.

That's probably a good result. Wait until you do actual improvements with speakers/room....

 

[Platypus20]

Your quite a piece of hardware

obviously this is not a place for me

I’m done

 

[Chrispy]

Your quite a piece of hardware

obviously this is not a place for me

I’m done

LOL am not hardware....but you seem to have an issue with understanding it. Cya!

 

[SoundsGood64]

I’m taking the digital signal out of the X800-MkII, running it to the DAC via coax cable, not using the HDMI, it a old school stereo (2 channel), absolutely no AV or computers

Your use case here is the coax out from the x800m2 to the coax in of an external DAC. I just tried this on my set up using a hybrid SACD which has a 2ch CD layer, a 2ch SACD layer, and multi-ch SACD layer. DSD is the format for SACD. PCM is the format for CD. Here are two scenarios on the x800m2:

#1
Audio Setting --> Digital Audio Output set to "Auto"
Music Setting --> SACD Playback Layer set to "SACD"
Music Setting --> SACD Playback Channel set to 2ch
With these settings on HDMI I get DSD 2.8 Mhz to AVR. On Coax out there is no signal to the DAC. This is consistent with what I have read which is that one cannot send a DSD signal over coax (maybe in a PCM wrapper but native DSD no)

#2
Audio Setting --> Digital Audio Output set to "PCM"
Music Setting --> SACD Playback Layer set to "SACD"
Music Setting --> SACD Playback Channel set to 2ch
With these settings x800m2 transcodes the DSD to PCM. On HDMI I get PCM at 176.4 khz. On Coax out to the DAC I get PCM at 44.1 khz.

So with Coax out I can only listen to the SACD layer with DSD to PCM transcoding at 44.1khz whereas others have suggested 88.2khz or 176.4khz might better take advantage of the hi-res aspect of SACD. Fortunately however, at least you can still enjoy listening to your 200+ SACD collection with the x800m2, including those without a CD layer. As far as I know DSD not going over coax is the general situation as suggested in another post above, ie not specific to the x800m2, so would likely be the result of other SACD players with coax out. If you really really want to get that DSD you can add an AVR with DSD capability on HDMI (not all of them do it) or obtain a different SACD capable disc player which has analog out.