gino
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Posts: 18
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Post by gino on Sept 9, 2012 18:34:04 GMT -5
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm wondering if my ERC-2 will play SACD's? I didn't see any mention of SACD's in the manual, nor was it mentioned in any review I read. I'm thnking not, but I'd like to know for sure. Any help? Thanks, Gino
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2012 18:40:07 GMT -5
It does not play them.
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gino
Minor Hero
Posts: 18
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Post by gino on Sept 9, 2012 19:09:15 GMT -5
Thanks much. Gino
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Post by garbulky on Sept 9, 2012 19:16:44 GMT -5
if you have a capable pre-amp and don't plan to use the volume control on the xda-1, get yourself an XDA-1 used and stream your CD's and SACD from a cheap player. The quality should be close to the ERC-2 and you will save cash  |
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Post by RightinLA on Oct 30, 2012 3:01:53 GMT -5
I've always said that not being able to play SACD DSD is a weak point of the ERC-2. I withheld purchasing the ERC-2 because of this at list price until I was enticed by the recent Emofest and Fall sale discounts.
The ERC-2 is an excellent CD player and I'm not sure whether I could really tell the difference in a true double blind test between the ERC-2 playing conventional CD's and my Pioneer playing stereo SACD.
That said, I enjoy the multi-channel SACD music on my other capable units.
Now most if not all commercial SACD's are Hybrid SACD's with a Red Book/PCM layer for CD pickup and the DSD layer for two and multichannel SACD. I find that I can play my Hybrid SACD's on my ERC-2 and they sound fine. While at Emofest, I've heard this may be an issue with some ERC players but this is not the case with both of my units.
Lastly, I would say there are few cheap SACD players. The typical SACD player has a good DAC and I don't think one would benefit from using the XDA-1. Conversely cheap CD players may not have a digital output to even benefit from a DAC.
I connect my ERC-2 directly into my USP-1 using the 2 channel analog
unbalanced RCA connection. I don't believe the XDA-1 would offer any benefit in that case either.
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Post by paintedklown on Oct 30, 2012 8:13:12 GMT -5
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Post by roadrunner on Oct 30, 2012 10:33:39 GMT -5
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm wondering if my ERC-2 will play SACD's? I didn't see any mention of SACD's in the manual, nor was it mentioned in any review I read. I'm thnking not, but I'd like to know for sure. Any help? Thanks, Gino Gino The DAC chip used in the ERC-2 (plus ERC-1, XDA-1, XDA-2) is fully capable of handling SACD in native format or converted LPCM. Sony was unwilling to negotiate a reasonable fee for SACD usage so Emotiva was forced to disable the SACD flag on the DAC. Should Sony ever decide to negotiate an acceptable fee, Emotiva could easily enable the SACD flag with a FW update to the ERC-2. |
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stiehl11
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Give me available light!
Posts: 7,269
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Post by stiehl11 on Oct 30, 2012 12:42:49 GMT -5
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm wondering if my ERC-2 will play SACD's? I didn't see any mention of SACD's in the manual, nor was it mentioned in any review I read. I'm thnking not, but I'd like to know for sure. Any help? Thanks, Gino Yes and no... let me explain: Most SACDs are hybrids meaning that they'll play both on SACD players and CD players. My SACDs play very well on my ERC-1, but only the CD layer. To play the SACD layer you will need a player (like one mentioned above or better) to decode and output the SACD layer. Now, here's the catch...! I found out first hand (and later asked Lonnie about this) that the ERC-2 will not play all the hybrid SACDs out there! Exactly why, I can't recall. But, there are different versions of hybrid SACDs out there (3 if I remember correctly) of which the ERC-2 only plays 1 of them. All the SACDs that I brought to Emofest (that play fine in my ERC-1) would not play in the ERC-2 they had on display. Hopefully this answers your questions. |
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Post by Dr. Feel Good on Oct 30, 2012 12:55:43 GMT -5
[/quote]
Gino
The DAC chip used in the ERC-2 (plus ERC-1, XDA-1, XDA-2) is fully capable of handling SACD in native format or converted LPCM. Sony was unwilling to negotiate a reasonable fee for SACD usage so Emotiva was forced to disable the SACD flag on the DAC. Should Sony ever decide to negotiate an acceptable fee, Emotiva could easily enable the SACD flag with a FW update to the ERC-2.[/quote]
So If I was a really Smart Computer savvy person with some right tools and software, I could totally get into the chip and flag SACD decoding......Not that I would do that, because, well I am not that Computer Savvy, nor do I have the tools....Id have to break into Emo-HQ...I hope their building is wheelchair accessible and there is elevator to the second floor
Doc ;D
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Post by roadrunner on Oct 30, 2012 19:16:21 GMT -5
Gino
The DAC chip used in the ERC-2 (plus ERC-1, XDA-1, XDA-2) is fully capable of handling SACD in native format or converted LPCM. Sony was unwilling to negotiate a reasonable fee for SACD usage so Emotiva was forced to disable the SACD flag on the DAC. Should Sony ever decide to negotiate an acceptable fee, Emotiva could easily enable the SACD flag with a FW update to the ERC-2.[/quote] So If I was a really Smart Computer savvy person with some right tools and software, I could totally get into the chip and flag SACD decoding......Not that I would do that, because, well I am not that Computer Savvy, nor do I have the tools....Id have to break into Emo-HQ...I hope their building is wheelchair accessible and there is elevator to the second floor Doc ;D[/quote] Details, details... they always seem to get in the way. ;D ;D
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emovac
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Post by emovac on Oct 31, 2012 0:12:00 GMT -5
Gino, pick up an Oppo Universal player. Problem solved.
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Post by djoel on Oct 31, 2012 18:30:12 GMT -5
Gino, pick up an Oppo Universal player. Problem solved. Took the words right out my fingers  Djoel |
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gino
Minor Hero
Posts: 18
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Post by gino on Nov 10, 2012 12:31:06 GMT -5
Thanks to the group for the replies. As for buying another brand, that's out of the question since I already bought the ERC-2. So far, I'm very happy with it. One weird thing though, is that some of the faceplate buttons are finicky. I noticed you have to push them a little more forcefull and deliberate than I'm used to with other equipment. Besides that, it's all good.
As for the SACD compatability, I guess I'll have to wait for a possible upgrade as roadrunner alluded to. In the meantime, I am enjoying the crap out of it. Combined with the XPA-2 and the USP-1, the old JBL's never sounded better. Thanks, Gino
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2012 14:52:11 GMT -5
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an upgrade to the ERC-2 to enable SACD playback. As mentioned, all of the Oppos from the BDP-93 on will playback damn near every shiny disc. Ditch the ERC-2 and get and Oppo, problem solved...
-RW-
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emovac
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Post by emovac on Nov 10, 2012 14:55:44 GMT -5
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an upgrade to the ERC-2 to enable SACD playback. As mentioned, all of the Oppos from the BDP-93 on will playback damn near every shiny disc. Ditch the ERC-2 and get and Oppo, problem solved... -RW- +1 The ERC-2 will never be retrofitted. It's not cost effective. |
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Post by Jean Genie on Nov 10, 2012 15:09:31 GMT -5
89.99 today, including shipping! |
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Post by billmac on Mar 28, 2013 7:02:27 GMT -5
Sony was unwilling to negotiate a reasonable fee for SACD usage so Emotiva was forced to disable the SACD flag on the DAC. Should Sony ever decide to negotiate an acceptable fee, Emotiva could easily enable the SACD flag with a FW update to the ERC-2. RR, I have seen you mention this several times but I have never seen Emotiva comment on this. My thoughts are how could Oppo afford to pay the fee to Sony for SACD capability and still sell the 103 for $499? The fee can't be that outrageous or Oppo would have to price the 103 much higher. How about the Pioneer BD-150 that has SACD playback and has a MSRP of $150? So once again the fee for SACD capability can't be that high if Pioneer can offer it on a $150 Bluray player. www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Pioneer-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-150Bill |
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Post by billmac on Mar 28, 2013 7:05:13 GMT -5
Gino, pick up an Oppo Universal player. Problem solved. I agree 100% . Along with SACD playback one gets so many other format playback options and SQ with CDs that I feel is as good as CD players costing much more than $499. Bill |
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Post by monkumonku on Mar 28, 2013 9:19:52 GMT -5
Sony was unwilling to negotiate a reasonable fee for SACD usage so Emotiva was forced to disable the SACD flag on the DAC. Should Sony ever decide to negotiate an acceptable fee, Emotiva could easily enable the SACD flag with a FW update to the ERC-2. RR, I have seen you mention this several times but I have never seen Emotiva comment on this. My thoughts are how could Oppo afford to pay the fee to Sony for SACD capability and still sell the 103 for $499? The fee can't be that outrageous or Oppo would have to price the 103 much higher. How about the Pioneer BD-150 that has SACD playback and has a MSRP of $150? So once again the fee for SACD capability can't be that high if Pioneer can offer it on a $150 Bluray player. www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Pioneer-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-150Bill That's true, but on the other hand the ERC's are for a more limited audience since they do not play BD's or DVD's. Thus the licensing fee would be spread over a much smaller number of units. When you consider SACD is not that popular of a format (it may be among us here in the forum and other audiophile populations but not for the general public) plus Emo is competing with companies like Oppo that make the all-in-ones, I can understand their decision to forgo SACD capability. Also, to fully implement multi-channel SACD capability would have meant adding extra channels to the ERC which would mean additional costs on top of the licensing fees. Me, I just have both an Oppo and an ERC-2. I don't really need the ERC-2 but I couldn't resist owning one. ;D |
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Post by billmac on Mar 29, 2013 8:10:00 GMT -5
That's true, but on the other hand the ERC's are for a more limited audience since they do not play BD's or DVD's. Thus the licensing fee would be spread over a much smaller number of units. When you consider SACD is not that popular of a format (it may be among us here in the forum and other audiophile populations but not for the general public) plus Emo is competing with companies like Oppo that make the all-in-ones, I can understand their decision to forgo SACD capability. Also, to fully implement multi-channel SACD capability would have meant adding extra channels to the ERC which would mean additional costs on top of the licensing fees. Me, I just have both an Oppo and an ERC-2. I don't really need the ERC-2 but I couldn't resist owning one. ;D mm, You bring up a vaild point. I assumed the fee would a fixed amount per unit. I would be curious as to what the fees are that Sony charges and if they could be based per unit and not a lump sum fee. Bill |
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