CD vs SACD in STEREO

@richardbrand Thank you for the good information. "Dark Side of the Moon on Pure Audio Blu-ray exploits this beautifully" was actually what got me into SACD. I know the CD and vinyl version VERY well, and make a simple setup for SACD 5.1 and bought the SACD to listen to the stereo CD and 5.1 SACD side by side. Blown away. I have not tried good SACD recordings of classical music, but plan to do so. Some SACD are disappointing (compared to the big WOW from the Dark Side). 

As mentioned several times, and as is the case for both CD and SACD as I have learned early on when using cheap store CD player to output an analog signal, and then switched to the same CD ripped to my cheap laptop, with 25 ft USB cable to (still cheap) Shiit Modi 3 DAC, the DAC is more important than I initially thought. 

How to use available DAC (in player, in receiver, separate DAC):

System 1 with Oppo 103 and Onkyo TX-RZ810 via HDMI

System 2 with Sony UPB-X700 and Denon AVR-4520CI via HDMI

Currently connected to laptop: Shiit Modi 3 DAC

on hand (not used): T763 receiver (no HDMI, only optical, coax), Musical Fidelity M1 DAC (old; USB, Optical, Coax input).

Just found that there is really no (practical, only 2 or 3 obscure ones found) 5.1 SACD external DAC. So it is either using the player built in or the receiver built in DAC. Which way to go with mine? 

System 1 with Oppo 103 and Onkyo TX-RZ810 via HDMI

System 2 with Sony UPB-X700 and Denon AVR-4520CI via HDMI

This is why cd transports are being made so you can put a new separate dac newer better technology and sound processing. Some of the old spinners have the fiber optic out that can be used as a transport only. My dvd player is panasonic  u9000 and sits above my soulution spinner for the money not that much difference,10% and to most that not worth 100's of multiples in $. Panasonic makes great chips and capicitors for decades. Why does com cast not use USB, hdmi for thier internet and does fiber optic and maybe cuz the long runs. Enjoy the music and the experiments

HDCD sound great! Too bad that also failed.

@mark200mph As mentioned, no separate DAC available for real 5.1 SACD.