Analogue Productions SACDs

@alb59 

the quality of the digital output depends on the output connection

Thanks for pointing out the limitations of most digital connections!  Why North Americans seem so reluctant to embrace the purpose-designed High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is completely beyond me.

It seems to go hand-in-hand with a refusal to consider multi-channel sound, whether through SACD (5.0 or 5.1 channels), Pure Audio Blu-ray or newer formats like Dolby Atmos (up to 32 virtual channels).  All these are supported by HDMI which currently operates up to 96-Gbps.

Instead we get the faintly ridiculous notion of using HDMI cables to transmit the 1986 I2S protocol designed by Philips.  I2S was designed so two chips on the same board could communicate 2-channel 16-bit PCM data.  Let’s get real

@richardbrand The OP asked about the ability of a CD player to render SACD information. It won't, but if it's a hybrid disc it will play in any CD player. They don't have an SACD player, so buying SACDs would be wasteful. 

I pointed out a couple of other things that may prevent somebody from wasting their money. The first is that the recording and mastering of the music and the quality of the playback equipment is more important than the media that it's on.

The second is that if someone already has a good CD player, most SACDs include a Redbook layer that is very likely to sound better on a decent CD player or transport and DAC than the SACD layer will on a universal player that supports SACD. 

What helpful and useful information have you contributed?

@big_greg 

The OP asked about the ability of a CD player to render SACD information. It won’t

What the OP asked was actually

Would the SACD layer play in stereo if I only have a stereo system

He did not mention whether he had SACD or CD players or transports. The correct answer is that almost certainly the hybrid SACD would include a 2-channel DSD version along with a 5.x channel DSD version.  Either will play in 2-channel from an SACD player or transport, depending on the mix-down capability of the receiver.

The hybrid SACD also includes a completely separate layer containing a Redbook CD version, which will play back in 2-channels on any CD player or transport.

I note that the word stereo means solid and does not necessarily mean two channel.  To quote Oxford Languages dictionary, stereo is "sound that is directed through two or more speakers so that it seems to surround the listener and to come from more than one source".

You repeat without any qualification that the Redbook layer is

very likely to sound better on a decent CD player or transport and DAC than the SACD layer will on a universal player that supports SACD

In my experience that is completely untrue.  My evidence is that I could tell that my Reavon universal player had obvious problems with its TI Burr Brown DACs - it was down converting DSD to CD quality and it was so obvious I wrote to Reavon seeking clarification.  My previous Marantz universal player sounded wonderful on SACD.

The Reavon also has a better quality 32-bit DAC for 2-channel playback, which was sonically equivalent to a very good Sony CD player.  But the Reavon also down converted 2-channel DSD to CD quality when using this DAC!

To everyone else. IMHO. Don’t buy the LP’s are being re re re re released by AP if you already have the AP SACD’s I bought the AP boxed set and love both 2ch and the previously heard 5.1 layer sourced from the Doors of Preception DVD-A (DTS 96/24 if memory serves).

All these complications with SACD players. Why Acoustic Sounds stopped offering DSD downloads, makes no sense to me.