I have a three room system (using a Niles switching system to change between rooms). In one of the rooms I do not have a center channel (only two fronts, two rears, and a SW). For all non SACD sources, there is no problem, (in speaker setup, when using that room I indicate Center Channel as "NONE"). This doesn't seem to affect SACD playback however; could it be that the "none" setting for the center channel doesn't apply in the 6 channel bypass mode, and that one HAS TO use a center channel for SACD playback?? I would very much appreciate any feedback on this....

Setting the center to "none" will not affect the six-channel input because that is a bypass input -- it skips the internal processing, including the process of re-directing center information to the mains. On most DVD-Audio players, there is no way to re-direct the center channel data; I believe that SACD players are similar.

------------------
gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Gonk, Thanks much for the (as usual)excellent clarification...guess I will have to figure some way of fitting a center channel in that room...

Drhb, I am in the same situation as you in regards to no center channel speaker.

In my Sacd player, there is a setup option to tell it that there is no center channel speaker. Have you checked to see if your player as similar setup options?

I would expect (my expectations may not be supported by reality, though) that any mutichanel capable player would have setup options to allow for a no-center channel playback option, as well as for "traditional" L and R only playback and perhaps other options. These setup options work on the digital data stream in the player before it is converted to the various analog output channels.

Paul

------------------
the 1derful1

Paul, thanks for the suggestion. But if there is an option it wouldn't be feasible for my app, because of the different rooms the sound is switched to (each time I would have to go into the player setup and change things, and for SACD it would require the tv to be on to do so, etc). The best thing with the furniture arrangement in that particular room is to place a center ch on the left side, near the left front speaker. It isn't the best way, and I guess it is still better than none.

Wonder why manufacturers don't provide SACD in the digital domain, and thereby allow parameter changes?

Copy protection paranoia. DVD-Audio and SACD are both restricted to analog output (or a specially encrypted digital output in a couple of cases -- Denon and Pioneer both have a digital link available between their top of the line universal player and their top of the line receiver) because of concerns on the part of RIAA about people using digital audio outputs to make bit-for-bit copies of high resolution audio. There's eventually going to be a digital output for DVD-Audio (which may also be used for SACD, although that's hardly guaranteed), but the encryption hasn't been agreed to yet. Sucks, doesn't it?

------------------
gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Yeah...it really does. Thanks again for the clarification....at least I won't be wasting time looking for a digital solution at this point....