SACD & DVD-A shopping is a nightmare!

Try here

Acoustic Sounds

Elusive Disc

And what's wrong with CD Universe? The individual format links are listed over to the left side of the homepage.

I understand your frustration, and have sort of given up that approach in general. Many (most?) new SACD is are registered on SA-CD.NET and often have links to shops for buying, like for Tchaikovsky, Medtner: First Piano Concertos - Yevgeny Sudbin

Before I buy a SACD I search SA-CD.NET for reviews, as well to see if some users I trust has recommended that SACD. The SA-CD.NET forum is higly recommended as a source of information. This works very well for me, and I am quite sure I would not have bought as many SACD as I have done where it not for SA-CD.NET.

I realize that I sell only items from my own catalog...but you can visit our web site and get any AIX Records titles.

Do you ship to Canada ?

Yes...we ship everywhere.

Every AIX disc I own (5 classical discs--I'd buy more but I have kids ) has impeccable sound, so here's a hearty recommendation.

Agreed - most of my titles have been from there. My only small complaint is often it's not entirely clear (this applies mainly to SACD's titles) if a title is stereo or multichannel. In the past week or so I have purchased a few titles that were stereo only which had I realised, would not have.

For example here is the listing for Genesis Trick of the Tail

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=7402260&BAB=D

Note under format it says Stereo

but later on the description seems to indicate that the mix is 5.1 but then again, not clear if that applies to the DSD track or only the DD or DTS tracks.

Another example is the Bangles greatest hits

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=1764095&BAB=E

Again it says stereo and I can confirm from personal (sad!) experience it's stereo only - no multichannel track.

I spent a bit of time comparing the DSD to the red book audio tracks and while the DSD does sound clearer (not as harsh) I am not sure I would have purchased it had I known it was stereo only

OTOH it's pretty rare to find a stereo only DVD-A title so the risk is much lower.

Larry

It is possible to get SACD and DVD-A thru ebay as well. I've gotten a few OOP titles for a reasonable price that way.

But a strong word of caution: if there is a regular CD version, and a SACD version (hyrbrid or SACD only) I would recommend sending a quick email to the seller asking them to confirm the format. A lot of people just pick a stock ebay description and are completely unaware of what SACD is for the more mainstream music (rock, pop, OST). I would say that out of about 20 inquirers, about 3 were actually SACD as described. Even when I was sure I was getting the SACD based on the UPC code, picture, and description, I got burned once and received the regular CD.

SA-CD.net is a good resource, as noted by others. Sadly, there is no comparable site for DVD-A

I know you presented this only as an example, but it IS pretty well-known that these Genesis discs are multichannel.



Just for clarification, just because a disc is labelled "DSD" does not necessarily mean it's an SACD. There are many redbook CDs that are "DSD mastered" (or remastered) and these are very prominently labeled and advertised as "DSD". The ABCKO Rolling Stones CDs (not the SACDs; talk about confusion) are a prime example. HERE is "Let It Bleed". HERE is a "Let it Bleed" vinyl LP that's advertised as a "DSD master"! THIS Yo-Yo Ma CD is also an example of a "DSD mastered" redbook CD. Note the "DSD" label on the back cover image. Many of his CDs are DSD mastered.

The discs I have that are stereo are SACD. In each disc in a small insert that says, here is the future of sound or something like that. One of them even has the gall to say DSD offers 5.1 sound yet the title is stereo only!

Caveat Emptor!

Larry

I usually buy on Amazon and CD Pacific, after selecting the titles on SA-CD.net.

Cheers!

Most of Neil Young's DVD-Audio stuff is stereo only. He seems to have abandoned multi-channel altogether. I can see why since his Harvest disc was atrociously mixed in 5.1. He should look to Greg Penny (did all the classic Elton John SA-CD's and did a fine job, especially with what he had to work with) or a number of other skilled 5.1 mixers.

I find sometimes good discs have to be imported. You find the rare site that doesn't charge an arm and a leg, and you're golden.

Circuit City also has quite a few titles. I was surprised when I saw that!

Lee

I saw many titles online. Don't know for sure about the stores.

Lee

I agree it's not an easy task finding them. Amazon.co.uk used to have separate SACD and DVD-A listings but not any more. SA-CD.net is helpful to look things up. Often for me it's a matter of first knowing a certain title exists, then search on Amazon.

Are you not getting any sound from your sub? Are you using five full range speakers in your setup? If not, then whether the disc is 5.0 or 5.1 won't matter as your sub will get the bass from below the xover you set. Also, many (most?) MCH classical discs are 5.0. Lastly, unlike DD/DTS, MCH hi-res audio has no specific standard for LFE (most often it isn't used) and the .1, in my understanding, is LFE.

As for the one labeled MCH but isn't, can you tell us what disc it is? Perhaps it is defective, or perhaps it is mislabeled (which, sadly, is not as rare as it should be--I have ELP's Brain Salad Surgery in DVD-A and while the label clearly states it has a hi-res two channel version, the disc has no such version--not that I care as I always go with the MCH mix on all my hi-res discs that offer it, but a number of people have been unhappy about it).

The majority of classical SACDs that I have bought are MC.

Universal SACDs are usually 5.1, BIS 5.0, most Sony are stereo (SACD only) and RCA "Living Stereo" stereo or 3-channel (FR, FL, C).

I seem to remember the LFE channel (when present) is 5 or 10dB down for some discs or something like that.

Hello
Amazon.co.uk still have separate listings for SACD and DVD-A.On the front side
choose "Music" under "Our Shops" and SACD,DVD-A and Dualdisc will appair way down on the left side on the next page to come up.
I've bought most of my 300SACD's/250DVD-A's from them.

Regards from Norway

Hello, yes you're right. Now I remember where they are.

But the lists include all the genres and you can only narrow it down by price. When I go to Classical there isn't a SACD list any more. I suppose going through the whole list can be fun!

I also buy some SACDs through Amazon marketplace when the price is lower.

Went through the entire DVD-A list on Amazon UK earlier this evening which was kinda fun. It's not complete though, as I remember seeing titles on Elusive Disc that Amazon UK doesn't list; the soundtrack to Close Encounters of the Third Kind comes to mind... and a Respighi LSO disc of Pines and Fountains as well IIRC.
The SACD list was a little too daunting to wade through as well, and anyway, I keep fairly regular tabs on SA-CD.net
Tx for the tip, perzon57

I like sa-cd.net but I also check out http://www.highfidelityreview.com/index.asp for reviews and news.

Buying direct from the disc producer seems to be the only way to easily procure SACD titles.

Marcus

You can also look at


www.audaud.com


for even more reviews of SACD and DVD-A titles, as well as equipment reviews and news that involves the audio industry.

Lee

Try buy.com, I thought it was fairly easy to find sacd's & dvd-a's, you can browse by genere

Good prices too