2 channel SACD vs Multichannel SACD players...

There is absolutely no technical reason why playback of the SACD 2 channel program should be better or worse than the 5 channel one. Of course the 2 channel mix might be more to your liking than the multichannel mix, but that is a function of the disc, not the player.

Some confusion may result from the DVD-A 2-channel capability, where the stereo mixdown is done by the player using information provided on the disc by the recording engineer.

Well here I go again, "....DVD-A 2-channel capability, where the stereo mixdown is done by the player using information provided on the disc by the recording engineer."

There is proprietary two channel information on a DVD-A disc?

I know there is always proprietary 2 channel info on SACD. I might add that, in a 2 channel only SACD player, it stands to reason you could get higher quality construction because of fewer channels. That should be fairly obvious.

Distortion...A two-channel program does not exist on a DVD-A, but instructions to the player regarding how to mix down the multichannel program into stereo are there. The DVD-A approach and the SACD approach accomplish the same thing in different ways. The DVD-A way doesn't use up as much data space on the disc, (for a complete 2-channel program) but requires a mixdown capability in the player.

Hardware for the three extra channels of a multichannel player cost almost nothing.

I don't know if I misunderstand what Eldaford is trying to say. But I tell you my "Fourplay" DVD-A disc has BOTH stereo and multi channel mode option and NOT just mulitchannel mixed down to stereo by my DVD player.

Eldartford, Thanks once again for the info. It wont be long before I upgrade my DVD/SACD player and this time I am going to look for one that offers DVD-A as well. I am really enjoying the multi-channel format as a change up from my normal 2 channel listening and I dont want to leave anything out.